Ragnar Jónasson Books

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Ragnar Jonasson is a bestselling crime fiction author from Iceland. Born in 1976, Ragnar is a lawyer and former journalist. Writing is not his only focus. He also teaches at Reykjavik University (Copyright Law).

Additionally, some of his fans probably saw him on television in previous years. He was working as a news reporter at the time. A member of the UK Crime Writers’ Association, Ragnar’s renown has grown rapidly over the years because his books are available in dozens of territories.

The author is best known for the ‘Dark Iceland’ series. He took inspiration from Siglufjordur when he wrote ‘Snowblind,’ the first novel in the series. Siglufjordur is his father’s hometown, and the gem has a special place in Ragnar’s heart.

He has yet to find a more fitting location for crime fiction. Siglufjordur appeals to the author as a setting because it has a rich history, having garnered considerable attention during the herring era when it became the center of the country’s fishing activities.

Siglufjordur is beautiful, so it isn’t that difficult to understand why people would stay there. But it is also isolated. The surrounding sea and mountains create a serene but tense atmosphere.

The winters are long, cold, and dark, the landscape harsh and unforgiving. This somewhat gloomy environment influences the books that Ragnar writes, compelling the author to pen chilling tales filled with murder and mayhem.

Even though Siglufjordur plays a prominent role in Ragnar’s stories, he understands the limitations associated with small towns. You can’t have multiple crimes happening in a close-knit community because everyone knows everyone.

Secrets are impossible to keep, and hiding isn’t really an option. For this reason, the author tries to expand his reach to include various places around northern Iceland as opposed to restricting his stories to Siglufjordur.

Ari Thor, the hero, shares some of the author’s traits. However, the protagonist’s backstory is entirely fictional.

If Ragnar’s books remind you of Agatha Christie’s work, that is not coincidental. Many writers take inspiration from Agatha Christie because they nurtured an obsession with her books during childhood.

Ragnar is different. Yes, he read Agatha’s work during his teens and pre-teens. But he also translated over a dozen Agatha Christie novels for a publisher in Iceland. As such, he has an intimate understanding of her style and the way she structures her mysteries.

Agatha is not the only writer that occupies his free time. Ragnar loves golden-age writers like Ellery Queen. He’s also drawn to Stieg Larsson, Peter Temple, PD James, and other contemporary crime fiction writers.

Ragnar thinks Nordic crime fiction is exploding in popularity because Nordic authors place stories with strong characters and engaging plots in an exotic environment. International readers love exotic settings.

This is why the author uses real places in his books, settings that already fascinate him. He wants to share the beauty and isolation of Iceland with readers.

Ragnar Jonasson Awards

Ragnar’s accolades include the Morda Dead Good Reader Award. He has also won the Amazon Publishing and Capital Crime Mystery of the Year Award.

Best Ragnaar Jonasson Books

Even though he works as a lawyer, the author wants to keep his day job and publishing career separate. For that reason, he doesn’t write about the law. Ragnar’s best books include:

Snowblind: Siglufjordur was a peaceful place, or so Ari Thor Arason was told. After all, no one locked their doors in the small town. The fact that you could only access Siglufjordur via a small tunnel in the mountains hadn’t necessarily bothered Ari.

But then a young woman died, and the rookie policeman came to appreciate the dangers of matching wits with a killer in an isolated town.

The Darkness: Retirement did not suit Hulda. She couldn’t face the loneliness, not to mention the memories it would eventually dredge up. But she was 64. The detective did not have a choice in the matter. She had two weeks left, two weeks during which she was expected to solve the murder of a Russian woman.

Her dreams of asylum ended when she washed up on an Icelandic shore. That was a year ago. The case was closed because everyone thought the woman killed herself. But Hulda isn’t convinced. Now, she has a chance to make things right.

When Does The Next Ragnar Jónasson book come out?

Ragnar Jónasson doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Death at the Sanatorium and was released on September, 10th 2024.

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