‘Reykjavik’ by Ragnar Jonasson & Katrin Jakobsdottir

This writing duo is a riveting story all in itself – Ragnar Jonasson and Katrin Jakobsdottir are long-time friends and have a shared history of study, publishing and crime writing! But the final pull into reading this was that Katrin is Prime Minister of Iceland and has been a member of Icelandic Parliament since 2007 – what would she sow into the shared tale with her friend Ragnar, acclaimed author and sharp intellect?

Reykjavik starts with the days following young Lara’s disappearance on the small island of Videy near the Icelandic capital in 1956. Lara Marteinsdottir is fifteen years old and in paid service as a maid to the wealthy couple Olaf and Ottar. Homely and dutiful to calling her parents each week, Lara has no reason to just vanish and the investigation falls to the young police officer Kristjan Kristjansson. Lara has simply disappeared and the mystery haunts Kristjan – especially when he cannot shake the thoughts that his investigation is thwarted and due process not followed.

Reykjavik builds through the chapters – from 1956 then each chapter is ten years on, coinciding with Lara’s cold case file revisited. 1966, 1976, 1986 until some pieces start to form a picture that may solve Lara’s case led by the aspiring investigative journalist Valur Robertsson from the Vikubladid Newspaper.

Ragnar Jonasson and Katrin Jakobsdottir deliver a most satisfying crime page-turner that was easy to devour. I was on a relentless pursuit to read ‘til I knew the answers. All the crucial elements of power, mis-use of societal position, a dutiful police officer and his drive to find the truth come together in Reykjavik that I highly recommend!

Available in store and online.
ISBN 9780241626009