Death at the Sanatorium: A Mystery (2024)

“ The past is never dead, it’s not even done” William Faulkner.

In 2012 Helgi Reykdal returns to his native Iceland from the United Kingdom to complete the dissertation required for his masters degree in criminology. He chooses to base it on a 30-year-old crime that takes place in the old TB sanatorium in Akureyn in northern Iceland. There in 1983, a young newly qualified nurse Tinna Einarsdóttir discovers experienced nurse Ysra dead in her office and there’s nothing natural about her death. This is investigated by Detective Huldar Hermannsdóttir and her boss Sverri Eggertsson. The scene is set, an old sanitorium, one brutal murder, and five suspects in the last remaining employees. Two doctors, two nurses and the caretaker - all suspects. Although the case is quickly closed, Huldar for one is never satisfied with the outcome. Can Helgi use his research skills and his great love of golden age detective fiction to lay the case to rest?

I really like Ragnar Jónasson’s books and in this one he nails a modern version of a golden age detective novel. It has all the necessary ingredients from a very atmosphere backdrop in the creepy old sanatorium which looms above the ground dominating the landscape, to flawed characters and unreliable witnesses. The translation is excellent and so the storytelling really flows, which is especially praiseworthy because it’s told via several points of view though principally through Helgi. This approach works extremely well because they intensify the mystery reinforcing the sense of foreboding, claustrophobia, and even paranoia. There are moments of fear and plenty of suspense and tension. Helgi as a central character is a perfect choice, you can’t help but like him as he has a lot to put up with, as well as liking his taste in fiction of course!

It’s a very engaging read, I like the way the truth rises to the top slowly but surely with emerging links. It’s also well paced, with a good ending although I guess it’s possible to see it coming but it’s still comes as a shock.

If you like Scandi Noir or golden age style fiction, then this latest from the talented Ragnar Jónasson is well worth checking out.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.

This was an intriguing cold case mystery translated from Icelandic and set in Reykjavik and a place in northern Iceland called Akureyri.

The story built nicely with switching of both characters and time periods and there were some genuinely exciting moments. There were lots of references to the main character’s interest in classic detective fiction and whodunnits throughout, presumably the intention being to set this up as a similar type of book. Overall though I thought it fell a little flat and didn’t quite deliver on the early promise.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC.
I found this book easy to read, although in places the dialogue was a bit stilted, whether this is due to the dialogue itself or the translation. I would certainly look to read more books by this author and with these characters.

The story is set across mainly two time periods, 1983 and 2012. In 1983 two members of staff at a sanatorium die, it is believed by some that their deaths can easily explained and when no further deaths occur the case is closed. In 2012 Helgi is doing an MA in criminology and decides to go back and look at the case...

Not quite a whodunnit in the Agatha Christie style, as the evidence is slowly drop fed in such a manner that only once all the information is known can the mystery be solved.

Research interviews for an academic dissertation turn into the investigation of a thirty-year-old double murder cold case.

Fresh off the standalone Reykjavik, co-written with Icelandic PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Ragnar Jonasson presents an absorbing classic whodunit spinoff from the upcoming television series, The Darkness.

Graduate student Helgi Reykdal and his partner Bergthora have returned to Iceland from the UK, where he will finish his dissertation for his post-grad degree in criminology. Helgi’s topic is a pair of thirty-year-old deaths that occurred in the northern Icelandic town of Akureyri in 1983 at a former tuberculosis sanatorium turned research facility. While doing the research for his paper, Helgi wants to interview the surviving staff members who worked at the sanatorium at the time of the suspicious deaths. As the story progresses, Helgi accepts a position with the Reykjavik police and his dissertation research efforts transition into a full-on re-investigation of the deaths that happened at the sanatorium thirty years before. While the police had closed the case in 1983 as a murder-suicide, some were not completely satisfied with the results. When someone murders one of the surviving sanatorium staff members in Reykjavik, thirty years later, Helgi’s new boss at the police assigns him to look again at the old case to determine whether the recent murder has a connection with the old case in Akureyri.

This is a slow burner of a mystery, and it took me some time to get into the flow of the book. The early part of the book sets the backdrop for the present-day story with a look back in time at the deaths of two staff members that occurred at the former tuberculosis sanatorium in 1983. Ragnar takes his time in establishing the circ*mstances of the thirty-year-old case, which is central to understanding the present one set in 2012. The book covers two major timelines, 1983 and 2012 (present-day), and touches on a third, 1950. And while Helgi is the main character and principal narrator, Jonasson presents the viewpoints of many other characters as the story plays out. Having read many of Jonasson’s books, shifting timelines and multiple points of views are techniques he often incorporates in his writing. Sometimes multiple timelines and narrators can make a story complicated and hard to follow, but Jonasson uses these techniques skillfully. In this instance, the story moves along quite seamlessly without undue complexity.

Death at the Sanatorium reminded me of Jonasson’s early works, particularly the Dark Island series featuring Ari Thór. While Helgi Reykdal is a unique character with his own set of foibles, he did at times remind me of the Ari Thór character, my favorite Jonasson character creation, and I enjoyed this book more than some of Jonasson’s more recent novels for that reason.

Jonasson isn’t shy about admitting the time he spent translating Agatha Christie’s novels from English to Icelandic before he began writing his own books made Christie a significant influence on his writing style. As a result, like Christie, Jonasson’s works most usually take the form of classically crafted whodunit mystery novels. That is certainly true of Death at the Sanatorium. Like Christie’s novels, Jonasson’s books feature intricate plots, attention to detail, and clever twists, especially at the end. Again, we find that here.

Fans of classically crafted whodunit mysteries will enjoy this book. If you are a fan of Jonasson’s Dark Iceland series, this book will definitely appeal. Jonasson has a direct writing style with no wasted efforts and skillfully weaves the somewhat remote and forbidding Icelandic setting into his books that add great suspense and keep the pages turning.

I receieved an advance reader's copy of the book used for this review, representing my honest opinions, from the publisher via NetGalley.

(Translated from the Icelandic by Victoria Cribb)
A quick read, this, but also a tangled skein: three time periods, six suspects, one murderer? The murder takes place in 1983, when a tuberculosis sanatorium nurse, Yrsa, is found dead in her office early one morning by one of the other nurses, Tinna. In 2012, nearly 30 years later, a young criminologist, Helgi Reykdal, starts investigating the unsolved case for his dissertation. Luckily for him, many of those involved in the case are still alive.
Sanatoria were part of the treatment of tuberculosis until the development of antibiotics in the 1950s. I knew someone at university whose father had been treated at a Swiss clinic in the 1950s, where they still used leeches as part of the cure. In Keats’ days, people travelled to warmer climates for relief, but later on the belief was that the fresh mountain air was somehow beneficial, and it seems that Iceland was also a place where these victims of the ‘white plague’ were treated.
Such is the setting for the murder in the 1980s, which might have been atmospheric and spooky: a largely abandoned facility still being used for administration and research. But I wasn’t feeling it. Something to do, perhaps, with the distance conferred by translation, because I was always aware that the language I was reading was an approximation of the author’s own.
The chapters are short, and the narrative jumps between several characters — or sometimes doesn’t jump. It’s just a short chapter from Helgi’s point of view, followed by another short chapter from Helgi’s point of view. When a longer chapter does come, you feel the tension develop, simply because the structural pace has shifted. Clever. But: I’m a little obsessed with point of view effects. If you’re going to shift characters, I want to feel it through the language and style. Again, perhaps because of translation effects, I didn’t really feel I was in a different character’s head when the point of view shifted. It did, however, start to feel repetitive, as characters were always thinking about the things they were thinking about before. In a relatively short book, being told over and over that someone isn’t sure whether to take a job becomes a bit grating, and it’s no substitute for effective characterisation.
For a while, I did also wonder if the narrative was playing fair with the reader. I was expecting a twist, a reveal, that would make me throw my Kindle down in disgust. But actually, the storytelling is perfectly clear and the reveal was well-earned and not an unfair trick. The puzzle pieces are all there, and you work it out when Helgi does.
In the end, this was enjoyable, and will certainly appeal to fans of golden age detective puzzles.
(This is a review of an ARC from Michael Joseph and NetGalley, book due to be published in August 2024.)

An enjoyable back story to Ragnar's Darkness trilogy, with the tale of the up and coming newbie who pushes Hulda into early retirement (and those of us who have read the brilliant backwards Darkness trilogy know how shockingly that turns out for her!) In Death at the Sanatorium we are introduced to Helgi, who is writing his Masters dissertation on the investigation into a pair of deaths at an old TB Sanatorium near Akureyri, and dithering over whether to accept a job in Reykjavik CID or one abroad. Things for Helgi at home are not all rosy though, and loud, destructive arguments have had the neighbours notifying the police of domestic disturbance - something of an embarrassment for Helgi, considering his future career with them, and uncomfortably close to home for him when a possible instance of domestic violence comes up in the course of the story. The story is set mainly over 2 timelines, the 'present day' which is Helgi doing his research in 2012, and back in 1983 when the deaths took place. There's a brief instance in 1950 but that is the exception. Back in 1983 Tinna is working at the Sanatorium and arrives first one day to discover a grísly murder has taken place. Not too long into the investigation one of the staff members seemingly committed suicide and the symptom is that this was his admission of guilt, and the case is pretty much shelved. Hulda is a second in command in the case and is not convinced, but as do often happens her opinion is overlooked by the Boys' Club attitude of the Force at the time. Back in the 2012 present day, as he looks into things, Helgi has his doubts too, and as he interviews all the staff still alive, even though his interest is purely academic in the investigative process, someone is clearly rattled, and events take a serious new turn.
The story is very engaging with good characterisation and pace, with some good high points of tension and some well written sleight of hand to challenge your assumptions. I felt that some of the conversations came across to me as a little stilted, jarring slightly the flow of the tale as it would bring me up short to think 'do people really talk/think like that?' but I suspect this might be something where translation from the original Icelandic perhaps muddies the waters somewhat. That aside, a very enjoyable read, and I look forward very much to seeing more of what I believe will be a new series featuring the trials and tribulations of our Helgi. It is not essential to have read the Darkness trilogy before this book, it works perfectly as a stand alone, but if you have read them, it does imbue this novel with an extra layer of depth and poignancy. My grateful thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jónasson was a fast-paced and somewhat engaging read for me. Jónasson skillfully navigated between characters and timelines and it was extremely easy to follow. The storyline built nicely but I thought the frequent references to the main character’s interest in classic detective fiction and whodunnits throughout was a little overdone. Despite its early promise, I felt the story was a bit flat and didn't quite deliver the unexpected twists and turns or red herrings I typically expect in an exciting thriller.

Jónasson is a solid storyteller and he successfully created the eerie atmosphere of a small town in Northern Iceland. Where this story fell short for me was creating any tension, mystery, or puzzle-solving, and I found the characters to be flat and mostly unlikable. Helgi, the protagonist, was interesting and had potential to become a compelling character but there was something missing and I couldn't get emotionally invested in his story arc or personal struggles. While the novel moved at a steady pace, it lacked a sense of urgency, and I felt more like an observer of the story as it unfolded rather than being fully drawn in. Additionally, some of the dialogue felt stiff and formal, which might be due to the translation rather than Jónasson's writing.

Overall, Death at the Sanatorium is a fast-paced, easy read. Unfortunately, it lacked the complexity and tension I usually expect in Nordic Noir and crime thrillers, and I finished the story feeling like it simply ended without any urgency or surprises.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press|Minotaur Books, and Ragnar Jónasson for an advance copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

A whodunnit with a twist(s), this story follows the investigation of historical crimes committed at Akureyri Sanatorium.

At the time, things seemed to have been open and shut but even 30 years later new information is unveiled and criminology student Helgi finds himself stuck, trying to unravel the case.

This was an ARC (advanced reader copy) however I can say that I would pay for this book 100%.

There are lot of characters and a couple of time lines to keep up with which I can sometimes find slows a plot down but the short chapters and the concise format of this book really lends itself to this. Having finished the book I can appreciate the reason for the necessary layered characters.

This wasn’t just a standard detective novel either. I love when an author includes character set up aside from the main plot that isn’t romance and these characters have serious depth which I appreciated.

The ending was a SHOCK that I certainly did not expect, and I’m sure you won’t either.

If you love crime novels, Agatha Christie style, and enjoyable read or exceptionally twisty Icelandic criminology students…. It’s released on 22nd August.

Reading method: ARC - Kindle
Perspective: 3rd person
Genre: Crime , Mystery
Length: 320
Would I read again?: Yes 👻
Recommended?: Yes

✨RATING 4/5✨

Only six employees were occupying one wing in what was once a tuberculosis hospital. But the population of the Akureyri Sanatorium unexpectedly reduced even further.

When a nurse, Yrsa was found brutally murdered it would seem that with a handful of suspects, the murderer would easily be rooted out. But despite a few false starts (with the initial arrest of the caretaker) and the apparent suicide of one of the doctors, the trail goes cold.

So it is only 2 decades later, when a young criminologist with an interest in murder mysteries decides to investigate after joining the police force - from which the earlier detective on the case is about to retire - that the case is revisited. But even if the mystery does get solved, what other old tensions and long-held secrets will get stirred up in the process...?

This is a interesting piece of storytelling and the atmospheric description of events around the old sanatorium brings it alive in the reader's imagination.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I found Death at the Sanatorium to be an engrossing read.
Switching between the timelines of 1983 when the original deaths took place and 2012 when Helgi a young police officer is undertaking his dissertation for a criminology degree which involves looking at the deaths and the investigation into them. The story is told from various points of view in both timelines and slowly the reader gets more information. Nobody in this book seems to have a very happy life but try to put on a face for others to see , and I wonder if the dialogue is deliberately a bit unnatural to reflect upon this trait. I recall feeling slightly the same thing when I read Snowblind by the same author , so maybe it is a characteristic of the author. However I did not find this off putting , rather it gives the book a distinctive style.
Helgi is a bit unrealistic in his expectations of life but I believed in his desire to unearth the secrets of the deaths and in his gut feeling that people were holding facts back.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC

Helgi Reykdal is determined to find the truth of the secrets that have been lurking in the old Sanatorium. Decades may have past but the truth can’t stay buried forever.

The plot was more interesting than the main character, who at times, I didn’t feel connected too. Especially when he was digging into the mystery, he seemed flat. The balance of this book felt off to me, as I was more interested in the story than the main character. The relationship between Reykdal and his wife was cleverly handled and gave him more depth and intrigue in those chapters.

I’m disappointed to be only able to give this book 3 out of 5 as it had so much potential, but it sadly wasn’t as addictive as his Dark Iceland series.

I received an early copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Death at the Sanatorium alternates between three timelines: 2012 where Helgi is writing a criminology dissertation on one of the most notorious murder cases in recent Icelandic history, which seems to him still unsolved more than thirty years later; 1983 when the deaths occurred; and 1950 when the sanatorium was still serving its original purpose, caring for patients with tuberculosis. This book, which self-consciously pays homage to golden age murder mysteries, also alternates between multiple characters, as the truth slowly unfolds.

This is my first Ragnar Jónasson, but it won't be my last. I knew that I would enjoy the Icelandic setting, and the descriptions of the old sanatorium, but I also loved the way Jónasson vividly and concisely creates a sense of setting for every location the story moves between; from Helgi's basem*nt flat, lined with bookcases of old detective novels, to the modernistic box that has functioned as Reykjavík police station since the 1960s. There is something almost cinematic about the writing, but it never lingers too long on unnecessary detail at the expense of plot.

Death at the Sanatorium has one of the best openings I've read in a while. I loved the way it uses short, punchy chapters throughout, but the opening chapter was particularly effective, leaving me unsure of what I was about to read or who I could trust. I was hooked from the very start of this one. It also kept me guessing until the very end, as the solution to the case is revealed to be one that makes perfect sense but that I never would have guessed. It helps that each of the characters feel like fully-formed people, engaging but realistic, and with so much richness to their lives above and beyond their involvement in the murder mystery. However, all of that depth does mean that I wasn't fully convinced by how all the (more minor) storylines were wrapped up. I would love to see these threads continued in another book in the series.

Death at the Sanatorium wasn't quite a five-star read for me, but I enjoyed it very much. A page-turning read that managed to surprise me, and has introduced me to an author I will definitely be reading more from.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) for an advance copy. Death at the Sanatorium is out on 22 August.

Helgi is living with his partner in Reykjavik and decides to write his MA Criminology thesis on a 30 year old crime. The narrative moves between different viewpoints and timelines beginning in 1983 when this crime was committed. Along the way he makes discoveries which make him and others rethink their view of what happened.

This is an engaging novel and the Icelandic setting adds interest. It didn't quite grip me enough to give 5 stars, and I found the rather abrupt ending (which I imagine signals more in a series) a bit disconcerting. But a good quick read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.

Death at the sanatorium is told through different viewpoints and timelines. The first being 2012 when Helgi is completing his MA in criminology (you get told this point A LOT) his dissertation relates to the deaths that took place in 1983 in the old TB sanatorium in Akureyn, Iceland; he’s interviewing the people who were involved in the investigation at the time ( suspects, witnesses and detectives).
And the second timeline relating to 1983 where/ when the two deaths occurred in the sanatorium.
It’s an engaging read, as we investigate the case with Helgi. My only niggle with this read being the constant reminder that he was completing his dissertation.

The book is written from the point of view of Helgi, a young man who having finished police training is taking time out to write a dissertation on the topic of unsolved murders at an old sanatorium, as part of his post-graduate degree in criminology. The story moves between 1983 when the original murder occurred and 2012, the time when Helgi is working on his dissertation. While Helgi is carrying out his investigation the past begins to catch up with the present.
I have read most of Ragnar Jónasson's novels and enjoyed them all. This is no exception. It is a gripping and entertaining read and gets a thumbs-up from me. Highly recommended.
Thanks for NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Helgi Rykdal has returned to Iceland after a period studying in the UK. To complete his MA in Criminology he needs to finish a dissertation which is based on two murders which took place at a sanatorium in the north of Iceland in 1983. As he looks into the investigation and interviews people who were there at the time Helgi can't help becoming more and more intrigued by what happened and wonders if he can ultimately solve the case.

The story is told from the point of view of several of the characters and both 1983 and 2012.

Thanks to Netgalley, Michael Joseph and Ragnar Jonasson for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I have been looking forward to getting started in some of Jónasson’s work and was pleased for the opportunity to read this ARC.

While I did enjoy the book, I felt it was a bit of a slow burner. However, having multiple POV over two timelines did help with this. I disliked most of the characters but over the course of the book, Jónasson devloped the MC in such a way that by the end I grew quite fond of him. I didn’t think there was any massive reveals that me think ‘woah’ but there was enough small twists to keep me engaged.

If you like an Icelandic thriller with a whodunnit vibe, this is the book for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review.

Oh my goodness I need a sequel! As a fan of Dark Iceland and Hidden Iceland I feel like I was predisposed to love this book. The duel timelines worked so well and I liked the slow reveal of Helgi and Bergthora's relationship. My only small complaint is that I would have liked to have had more chapters from Hulda's pov. I think readers who are a fan of Ragnar Jonasson's work will love this book, though anyone who enjoys dual pov / dual timeline mysteries will probably find this book to be right up their alley. I throughly enjoyed this novel and sincerely hope we get more from this universe.
Thank you as always to Netgally for the ARC.

Many writers over the years have written books in the spirit of Agatha Christie but no one has mastered the art more than Ragnar Jónasson. Death at the Sanatorium is the latest triumph from the author. It is a book which says goodbye to Hulda Hermannsdottir who was the star detective of the Hidden Iceland trilogy. As Hulda readies for her forced retirement, we say hello to Helgi Reykdal. The story involves a crime which took place in 1983 and is revisited in 2012. Jónasson skillfully alternates the two time periods in this engrossing mystery and the investigations of Hulda and Helgi. You won't put this one down until the final page.

A good mystery told from the perspective of criminology student Helgi with flashbacks from characters who were present in the sanatorium at the time of two suspicious deaths.
I enjoyed the multiple aspects of storytelling but the story overall didn’t blow me away. I didn’t like the very ending of the book. Whilst I guess the narrative of Helgi’s relationship was peppered throughout the book, the last page, for me, was a bit random and frustrating
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Death at the Sanitorium is an engaging read! The short chapters and POV from different characters at different time periods make it quick and easy to make your way through.

The book follows Helgi who is a MA student looking into the deaths at the sanitorium back in 1983 for his dissertation. Likely uncovering more than he had originally expected.

I enjoyed this book overall. Like I say, it’s easy to make your way through and it’s a relatively short book anyway. The ending perhaps wasn’t as shocking as hoped but was definitely interesting.

I’d definitely pick up another of the author’s books in future.

Thank you to Michael Joseph & Penguin Random House for the eARC.

A cosy whodunnit crime, with multiple POVs and timelines. The characters and the plot are thought out and well-developed, with a good pace. The pieces of information are fed to you as they are to the main character, and you get to work out the truth together with him. There is no reveal or twists, just a nicely planned story unravelled. The chapters are set quite short however, flitting through the point of views which get a little tiring at times. It does get a little tiring with the repetition from the character's thoughts. But nonetheless, it was a good read.

This was a very pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the whole atmosphere building and how the story is told by different POVs. I enjoyed the building of the characters too. For me was a easy to read book that keep me hooked and I really liked how it went and how it ended. Is rare now days see a book that don’t disappoint you in the end. But this was a very good reading for me. This could be a very slow reading for some people but for me it make it really easy to follow.

This is a new author to me. I enjoyed this murder/whodunnit which moved backward and forward in time to give the reader the back story to the present day situation. The book made me think 'not to judge a book by its cover' or make assumptions due to stereotypes of how individuals should act in certain situations. I was not prepared for the ending but it was very good. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I have got this book on Netgalley as an early copy. I ask to read it as I generally enjoy crime novels. The story is set in Iceland and written through two time lines. Helgi is a criminology student who is trying to get an insight into a murder case which took place 30 years ago. Well whiten story of whose done it, however not sure I would have included that last chapter as I didn't feel it added anything the story.

I so enjoy this author’s Icelandic mysteries and this one is no exception.

The past comes back to haunt a young police officer taking time to write his dissertation on an unsolved murder from years ago and how the police handled it. This journey will take him on a path of discovery for himself and the solvability of the case.

Told with flashbacks to the characters involved and tied in to a current murder, the ending will surprise you.

A fairly quick read but a tense and atmospheric thriller with unsolved murder cases at a sanatorium being revisited 25 years later by a criminologist with his own issues.

All the witnesses are reinterviewed and have their own reasons to be reticent.

The excitement and tension builds and I greatly enjoyed the ride.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Overall this was quite an enjoyable read about an old murder investigation being studied by criminology student Helgi. The story is told through multi POV over multiple different dates. It moves at quite a good pace throughout but unfortunately I found the ending where the reason behind the murders is exposed a bit underwhelming.

This was a very pleasant read - if a book about murder is allowed to be pleasant! The chapters were quite short and accessible so good for night time reading and I got really into it. The end really surprised me though - in a good way. Not what you would expect, and I won’t say any more about that!
#DeathAtTheSanatorium #NetGalley

I'm always drawn to books set in Iceland and this novel had the atmospheric bonus of an old TB sanatorium. Split between 1983 and 2012 we hear various points of view regarding the historic and largely unexplained death of a nurse and a doctor. The case is later re-examined by Helgi as part of his MA criminology dissertation.

I enjoyed the intrigue of the novel which had a limited cast of characters, but kept my suspicions flitting between them. References were made throughout to Helgi's love of the golden age of crime novels, and the resolution of the case was solved through old fashioned interviewing and evidence. The final pages of the novel were almost an epilogue and wasn't my favourite part. However, the book was engaging and clear throughout and I will look out for other books by the author.

I was lucky enough to read this book with Netgalley.