Books
Ragnar Jónasson books in order
Photo credit: Baldur Kristjánsson
Looking for Ragnar Jónasson’s books in order? Look no further!
Ragnar Jónasson has sold five million books in thirty-six countries. Born in Reykjavík, Iceland, he teaches copyright law at a university and co-chairs the Iceland Noir literature festival. He has worked in radio and television and began translating Agatha Christie’s novels at seventeen. Jónasson has received multiple awards for his crime fiction and a special jury recognition in Iceland for his poetry.
His bestseller “The Darkness” is being adapted for TV, and Ridley Scott will produce a feature film based on his novel “Outside.” His most recent novel is Death at the Sanatorium and was released in the UK in August 2024.
If you’re at a loss as for where to start, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Here are all of Ragnar Jónasson’s books in order.
Ragnar Jónasson’s standalone books in publication order:
The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jonasson
1. The Girl Who Died (2021)
Following her father’s death, Una seizes an opportunity to leave Reykjavík and tutor two girls in the tiny, storm-battered village of Skálar on Iceland’s north coast, home to just ten people. However, city life hasn’t prepared her for the harsh weather and unwelcoming village atmosphere. Her fragile state of mind deteriorates further when she hears what she believes to be ghostly singing in the old, creaky house she inhabits. The situation takes a darker turn when a young girl is found dead at midwinter.
Outside by Ragnar Jonasson
2. Outside (2022)
Isolated but not alone, four friends seek refuge in an abandoned hunting lodge during a deadly snowstorm in the Icelandic highlands. Instead of safety, they stumble upon a shocking discovery and dare not leave. As night drags on, their fears grow, old secrets resurface, and past tragedies come to light, causing them to turn on each other. Outside, a murderous storm rages, but inside may prove even deadlier.
Reykjavik by Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Ragnar Jonasson
3. Reykjavík with Katrín Jakobsdóttir (2023)
In 1956, fifteen-year-old Lára vanishes from the small island of Videy near Reykjavík, becoming Iceland’s greatest unsolved mystery. Thirty years later, during Reykjavík’s 200th anniversary in 1986, journalist Valur Robertsson reopens the case. As he edges closer to the truth, it becomes evident that someone is determined to keep Lára’s fate a secret.
Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jónasson
4. Death at the Sanatorium (2024)
Thirty years ago, six researchers worked in an abandoned sanatorium, but when one was brutally murdered, they all became suspects in a case that remains unsolved. Now, a young criminologist delves into this complex mystery for his master’s dissertation, discovering gaps in the original investigation. As he contemplates contacting the five remaining suspects, another body turns up, adding a new layer of intrigue to the unresolved crime.
The Hidden Iceland Trilogy
A crime story told in reverse. Ragnar Jónasson wrote the Hidden Iceland Trilogy between 2015 – 1017. For the best reading experience, we recommend reading these page-turners in reverse order, rather than in publication order:
The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson
1. The Darkness (2017)
A body is found off the coast of Iceland, quickly dismissed as a suicide by the police. But Reykjavík Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir, on the brink of forced early retirement, isn’t convinced. Given one last cold case to investigate, she chooses Elena’s. Discovering another woman vanished around the same time, Hulda suspects a killer is still at large. With only days left before losing her badge, she must race against time to catch the murderer alone.
The Island by Ragnar Jonasson
2. The Island (2016)
Four friends visited the isolated island of Elliðaey, but only three returned. Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is dispatched to investigate the disappearance and uncovers haunting similarities to an old case involving the murder of a young woman a decade ago. As Hulda delves deeper, she begins to suspect that a patient killer may have struck again. The island holds its secrets tightly, and Hulda must uncover the truth, even if it comes at a significant personal cost.
The Mist by Ragnar Jonasson
3. The Mist (2015)
In the year 987, an isolated farmhouse nestled in the eastern expanse of Iceland becomes the unexpected stage for a harrowing night. A fierce snowstorm rages outside, a natural barricade that should have kept everyone at bay. Yet, it fails to do so. Against their better judgment, the couple residing in the farmhouse opens their door to an unforeseen guest. This stranger is not merely seeking refuge; he is a liar and a killer. As the night unfolds, tension and dread permeate the air, and it becomes clear that not all will survive until morning. The chilling events of that fateful night will leave an indelible mark, haunting Detective Hulda forever, as she grapples with the lingering shadows of the past.
Plus…
The Dark Iceland Books
The series is set in and around Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind.
Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
1. Snowblind (2010)
In the secluded fishing village of Siglufjörður, Ari Thór Arason faces his first challenging case far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik. When a young woman is found unconscious in the snow and an elderly writer falls to his death, Ari is thrust into a web of secrets and lies. An avalanche and unending snowstorms trap him in the village, and the 24-hour darkness pushes him to the brink as his investigation turns personal. “Snowblind” is a gripping debut that takes Nordic Noir to new heights.
Blackout by Ragnar Jónasson
2. Blackout (2011)
On a bright summer night by a tranquil fjord in Northern Iceland, a man is brutally beaten to death. As an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption plunges the arctic summer into darkness, a young reporter leaves Reykjavik to investigate, unaware that an innocent life is at stake. Ari Thór Arason and his colleagues in Siglufjörður grapple with a puzzling case while facing their own personal struggles. What secrets did the dead man hold, and what is the reporter hiding? As past horrors resurface and darkness deepens, they must race to find the killer before more lives are lost.
Rupture by Ragnar Jónasson
3. Rupture (2012)
In 1955, two young couples move to the isolated fjord of Hedinsfjörður, but their stay ends abruptly when one woman dies under mysterious circumstances, a case that remains unsolved. Fifty years later, an old photograph suggests they weren’t alone. In nearby Siglufjörður, young policeman Ari Thór investigates the cold case, aided by Reykjavík reporter Ísrún, who has her own chilling case to solve. When a child goes missing and a stalker emerges, the town, now in quarantine, is gripped by fear.
Whiteout by Ragnar Jónasson
4. Whiteout (2013)
Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík. Was it a suicide, or did something more sinister happen near the lighthouse and abandoned house on the rocky outcrop? As winter closes in and snow falls relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason uncovers a dark history: the victim’s mother and young sister also died in the same spot twenty-five years earlier. As secrets unravel and the death toll rises, the Siglufjörður detectives must race against time to find the killer before another tragedy occurs.
Nightblind by Ragnar Jónasson
5. Nightblind (2013)
Siglufjörður, a quiet fishing village on Iceland’s northern tip, accessible only through a small mountain tunnel, is rocked by the point-blank murder of a policeman. Local officer Ari Thór Arason, burdened by a tumultuous past and uneasy village relationships, must solve the case. As the dark arctic winter looms, Ari Thór navigates tangled local politics, a compromised new mayor, and a Reykjavik psychiatric ward where someone is held against their will. The arrival of a mysterious young woman fleeing an undisclosed threat reveals that past tragedies are casting a sinister shadow over the village, endangering everyone.
Winterkill by Ragnar Jonasson
6. Winterkill (2020)
A blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, heralding trouble. When a nineteen-year-old girl is found dead on the main street, Police Inspector Ari Thór Arason battles the violent storm in a dangerous hunt for her killer. As Easter weekend nears, tourists flock to the town for its ski slopes, but an unsettling chill hangs in the air. Separated from his girlfriend in Sweden, Ari Thór plans a family reunion, but the girl’s death disrupts everything. Her diary hints it wasn’t an accident, and an old man in a nursing home repeatedly writes “She was murdered” on his wall. As the blizzard cuts off power and access to the town, Ari Thór must unravel the mystery to uncover a horrifying truth.
There you have it – all Ragnar Jónasson’s books in order! How many have you read? Let us know in the comments below…
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