Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and Minotaur Books, #partner for the advanced copy of The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Minotaur Books / Macmillan Audio
Published: September 9, 2025
Summary:
One winter evening bestselling crime author, Elín S. Jónsdóttir goes missing.
There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective, Helgi, to crack the case before it’s leaked to the press.
As he interviews the people closest to her – a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge – he realises that Elín’s life wasn’t what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than her stories.
As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of a very unexpected life . . .
My thoughts:
It’s no secret how big a fan I am of Ragnar Jonasson’s books — I’ve read every single one of them and own them all, too! And I was thrilled to find out he was continuing with the character he introduced us to last year in Death at the Sanatorium…I loved Helgi and his bookish ways & was thrilled to be back with him again!
This is another slow-burn mystery that is atmospheric and incredibly captivating. There are multiple plots that Jonasson effortlessly weaves together, forcing you to really pay attention, especially with the story jumping back and forth between timelines, yet it never feels confusing in any way. There is the missing person case in the current day and then we have Helgi still ruminating over the disappearance of his predecessor, Hilda, who is the MC Jonasson’s “The Darkness” trilogy. And much like in that series, which is told in reverse, so far each of these books seems to be going back just a little further in time when it comes to this case…quite interesting don’t you think?
This book kept me guessing all the way through and I loved the twists and turns it took. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book – I need to know what happens next, especially with the way this one ended!
Audio thoughts:
This was narrated by three narrators – Cicely Whitehead, Jane Slavin, and Rufus Wright – and all did a great job bringing the story to life, infusing just the amount of tension and emotion into their voices as needed. The sound effects for the interview portions greatly enhanced the listening quality.
Books in this series:
- Death at the Sanatorium
- The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer
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