Snowblind

"Ragnar Jónasson is a very important and influential figure in crime fiction worldwide. He is, again, a great role model for someone like me, who’s new to the profession. Jónasson is a tireless supporter of other authors. That is how I was first introduced to his work. He was a champion of my first book, Death and the Conjuror , and he has also been very supportive of The Murder Wheel . Snowblind was his debut. You’re right that it’s Scandi noir, in that it makes remarkable use of the Icelandic setting, but it’s also a village mystery in the tradition of Mrs. McGinty’s Dead. It’s a very complex puzzle plot: more so than many of his contemporaries. Ragnor Jónasson is effectively a Golden Age puzzler himself. He is a meticulous crafter of his plots. He’s an excellent craftsman and he’s very adept at misdirection. His detective, Ari Thor Arason, is very likable. This book is the introduction to that character, and luckily, he’s appeared in numerous other novels. We’re very fortunate that Jónasson is so prolific. Snowblind represents a continuation of the Golden Age tradition but also modernises it, making it feel contemporary and fresh in the 21st century. Often with Scandi noir, the emphasis is less on the plot and more on the pace and the drama – the chase of it all. There certainly are elements of that in Jónasson’s work, but I think it is effectively balanced with his skill at devising elaborate stories. Yes, she was one of the best in the business. Nobody does it like her. But the good thing about Ragnar Jónasson is that he appreciates and understands the Golden Age and what made it good. He actually translated numerous Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He’s been a great driving force for the renaissance of Golden Age mystery."