Freyja

by Margrét Ann Thors

The unsolved case of a young girl’s disappearance reopens after twenty years in this moody, atmospheric debut of suspense set in Reykjavík and the Icelandic coast.

Unnur has secrets. A single mother to a beloved daughter, Lilja, she lives a deliberately quiet life in Reykjavík, working at a bakery under an assumed last name and pushing away haunting visions of the last summer of her childhood. Her safety—and Lilja’s—now hinges on discretion. But when her ex-husband returns to Iceland and brings with him a new girlfriend, who seems to know more about Unnur than she’s letting on, Unnur may finally have to face what happened long ago on a black sand beach in the remote Dark Valley—and the possibility that she might be responsible for the disappearance of her otherworldly friend Freyja.

As a cold case investigation reopens and the intricate threads of past and present begin to tangle, Unnur must race to recover the broken memory of what happened all those years ago, or risk losing her daughter. Steeped in Icelandic folklore and myth, Freyja is at once a gripping story of a child’s disappearance, a testament to the power of a mother’s love, and an enthralling tale of redemption and forgiveness from a gifted new voice.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Thriller

256 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

Reviews

[Sean Sandquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freyja is a novel with a mystery at its center about a girl who disappeared many years ago. Unnur is the protagonist, who is a loving mother to her daughter Lilja. She also knew Freyja as a girl when she was taken to live in a home in the Dark Valley. What follows is the slowly unfolding story of what happened with Freyja’s disappearance in the past, as well as Unnur’s plight dealing with her ex-husband’s request for joint custody of their daughter after returning to Iceland. Stranger still, he brings along a new girlfriend, whose daughter bears the same name as the girl who vanished many years ago.

This author does an incredible job weaving a story about a woman whose nebulous past collides with her present life. It makes the reader question what is real and what is myth. The setting is eerie and mystical, with a unique location for the main events of the story. Most of all, the author really makes you feel for Unnur, despite questioning her sanity and honesty. This book would make an incredible mini-series or movie.

My thanks to the publisher for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Everything stated in my review is my own opinion written in my own words.

[Jen Ross Plude · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. The writing is phenomenal - it's thrilling, addictive, and utterly unputdownable.

I've read and enjoyed a handful of other books by Icelandic authors (big fan of Hildur Knutsdottir) but this book had a little something extra because it was written by an American-Icelandic author, so it included the the author's unique perspective and experience of both cultures. On its face, this book is a mystery about lost children but it's also SO so much more. The book includes background about the history of Iceland and it's relationship with America and American soldiers. It also delves into the beliefs and history of folklore once a central to the lives of native Icelanders, while also recognizing that times change and strict adherence to ancient beliefs today is less common. An American in Iceland might deem these ancient beliefs and folklore to be fairy tales, but to undermine their role and importance to Icelandic culture would be a mistake.

This story alternates between 1990 and 2018. The 1990 chapters reexamine Unnar's (main character) childhood in Iceland following her traumatic forced relocation by her aunt to live at a farm with strangers in the Dark Valley. This is where she meets and loses Freyja and the story begins.
In 2018, Unnar is single after a divorce and living with her daughter in Reykjavik. This is where her ex-husband introduces her to his new (morally questionable) girlfriend, Loa, and her daugher, Freyja, and a new Freyja disappears.

After the release of a book about Freyja's disappearance in 1991, Unnar is taunted by someone who knows about her past in the Dark Valley and her connection to Freyja before she went missing. After Loa's daughter goes missing and Unnar is framed, Unnar realizes that the present day disappearance of Freyja is intrinsically connected to the disappearance of her Freyja from the Dark Valley. One mystery cannot be solved without solving the other and if she cannot prove who is framing her for Loa's daughters disappearance, she may never see her daughter again.

This story is a melding of two worlds for Unnar: the Dark Valley and the Bright Valley. Folklore and logic. Two Freyjas. Two continents. Two cultures. Two sisters. Pagan beliefs and Christianity. Good and evil. Life and death.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough if you love dark mysteries, Nordic settings, and folklore. It's packed full of twists and turns, unexpected discoveries, found family, history, suspense, trauma, grief, unconditional love, forgiveness, and growth. It also had a great ending (imo). This book is a MUST READ for mystery lovers. I will be recommending to everyone I know. I can't wait to read the author's next work.

(I also personally loved the connection to Connecticut because I also live in Fairfield County.. and visited Iceland but that is less unique to just me.)

Thank you, NetGalley and Spiegel and Grau, for the eARC!! <3

[Ken Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting because the plot kept changing every time you would think something happened. This led it to be changing when we changed years. We'd go from feeling worried that Unnur was the killer and then go to someone different, it was quite different book. I liked it in the end, it finally made sense.

[jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

An eerie Icelandic mystery, perfectly haunting for the winter months. Years ago, a young girl named Freyja mysteriously vanished one night. Now, her friend Unnur—herself a single mother—is being forced to face the circumstances behind Freyja’s disappearance when a mystery note is slid under her door. And her ex’s strange new girlfriend only adds to Unnur’s worries…

This was an interesting story, and my favorite part was definitely the inclusion of Icelandic mythology within the plot. Sadly, the rest of the book didn’t hold up as much as many of the characters felt strange and disjointed from one another. The entire mystery surrounding Freyja was interesting at times, though unfortunately felt unsatisfying by the very end. Ultimately, not sure I’d recommend this one as a thriller/mystery (but potentially as a palate cleanser).

Enormous thanks to Spiegel & Grau for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this honest review. “Freyja” releases on 8.4.26!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appreciation to Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for the ARC provided in return of an honest review of this book which is due out in August 2026.

Iceland is, to me, a mysterious island, full of lore, darkness, tales of the sea. This book accounts for that in many ways. The story is about single mother Unnar, who is raising a young daughter. The reader goes from present day Unnar back to Unnar's past where during her last summer in the Dark Valley something terrible happened that even Unnar can't seem to remember.

As many novels do, the chapters bounce between present and past. Many characters are introduced which tie the two together, further weaving the mystery and the thrill into the plot. What happened so long ago? Who is responsible? Will Unnar and/or her daughter be affected?

The locations of this book and descriptive writing of locations are phenomenal. As a reader, oftentimes I felt I was there. But the characters? Sadly, notsomuch. And it got more convoluted when having to jump 30 years backwards or forwards with Unnar.

It was a good book as a thriller, not great. 3 stars.

[Christin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, thanks to Goodreads Giveaway and Spiegel & Grau for the Advanced Readers Copy. The following review are my own thoughts and opinions.

I found this book hard to get through. The first chapter, a flashback to when the FMC was a child, hinted at murder. Maybe an accident. She can't actually remember. But then it was kind of slow, filled with the mundane flashbacks and mundane current day life.

It did finally come together and get exciting to read in the final 3rd of the book. But until that point, it was a lot of filler that didn't really explain anything or lead up to much.

I'm usually a pretty quick reader, but I struggled with this one. The summary of this book seemed suspenseful and exciting, and unfortunately, for me, it was mostly boring.

[Trisha]

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Vivi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the prose. It was poetic and vivid, and so easy to read. My problem really comes with the plot. I love trying to figure out the mystery as I’m reading, using the information stated in the book to figure out the ending. Meaning things need to be set up in the book before hand. And the only time any evidence of this a third person being at the beach for Freyja’s death was that there were Polaroids taken from a third POV, and like sure maybe that’s enough for some people, but the fact that Unaar didn’t even remember until the very end, and there felt like there was really no set up for the plot reveal, it lowered my overall enjoyment of the book.

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 2 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Freyja, by Margrét Ann Thors, from Spiegel & Grau/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

⭐ 2.4 ⭐

Oh, how I so wanted to like this a lot more than I did.

That’s because I’m a _huge_ fan of Nordic Noir. Which, up until last night when I looked it up, I would’ve termed Scandinoir, both because I’m at least somewhat of a typically undereducated U.S. citizen when it comes to matters of world geography and culture, and because I like the way that portmanteau looks and sounds.

Turns out that Scandinavia is within the Nordic region (see Nordic Visitor: https://www.nordicvisitor.com/blog/no...) Which I needed to know not only for all purposes book-related, but also because Dear Leader seems hell-bent for leather again this week on the United States acquiring Greenland.

Greenland.

For God’s sake.

Greenland.

Sigh.

Also I wanted to love it because my heart is cold and bleak, kinda like my ancestral DNA. For years I thought I was part Viking, only to have Ancestry disabuse me of this notion in October of 2025. I nearly cried when I saw the change from Norway to The Netherlands. But, on the up side, that notification also included data that the 56 percent of me that is Scot includes 5 percent from the Hebrides and Western Highlands (and I can still lay claim to some fae! Southern Wales = 1 percent). Plus, this means I’m still extra-legit when it comes to loving the North Sea. And death metal.

Back to the book. I wonder if something was lost in the translation, maybe? Because it just dragged. Draaaaaaaaagggggged. As in, I kept putting it down and having to force myself to return to it. Plus I hated all the characters, especially the main one, and it got all convoluted-y. And if you’re new here, permit me to explain how I feel about “convoluted-y”.

I loathe it. With a passion.

And, again, it’s a shame, because I had held this book out to be an early read this year, one I could devote an entire uninterrupted afternoon to enjoying. Wish now I’d just gone ahead instead and finally ordered prints of photos in order to update our Marriage Album (vs a Wedding Album, we just kept adding to it and things evolved over the course of 27-plus years….). Going to do that here momentarily, for the first time since September of 2024. Yeah, I’m a little behind. So be it.

Note To Future Kristi: Don’t bother with anything else by this author in the future. The partial additional star was only because you liked the descriptions of Iceland.

DESCRIPTION
The unsolved case of a young girl’s disappearance reopens after twenty years in this moody, atmospheric debut of suspense set in Reykjavík and the Icelandic coast.

Unnur has secrets. A single mother to a beloved daughter, Lilja, she lives a deliberately quiet life in Reykjavík, working at a bakery under an assumed last name and pushing away haunting visions of the last summer of her childhood. Her safety—and Lilja’s—now hinges on discretion. But when her ex-husband returns to Iceland and brings with him a new girlfriend, who seems to know more about Unnur than she’s letting on, Unnur may finally have to face what happened long ago on a black sand beach in the remote Dark Valley—and the possibility that she might be responsible for the disappearance of her otherworldly friend Freyja.

As a cold case investigation reopens and the intricate threads of past and present begin to tangle, Unnur must race to recover the broken memory of what happened all those years ago, or risk losing her daughter. Steeped in Icelandic folklore and myth, Freyja is at once a gripping story of a child’s disappearance, a testament to the power of a mother’s love, and an enthralling tale of redemption and forgiveness from a gifted new voice.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something about the way the pagan and Icelandic folklore come together to bring a cosmic level to this mystery narrative. Thors presents readers with an interesting twist of perspectives in how we perceive ourselves with the cosmos. The protagonist is searching for someone she may be responsible for losing – or are we given an unreliable narration of events that stemmed from years of unknowing? There is nothing but discoveries here that force you to tackle how we think about our relationship with grief and lost connections. A dazzling narrative that is guaranteed to blow readers away with this debut release.
Thors eloquent and striking writing is descriptive and fulfills each sensory sensation in our toolbox. You can taste the crisp Icelandic air on the coast and need a blanket to cozy up on your chair as you feel the shivers down your spine. You can feel the sand caught in your boots with a frigid twist of despair and wonder. The descriptions in this narrative are thorough and truly set the scene for what it is. You can feel the ambience of the mystery throughout this narrative due to the way Thors wondrously deploys her writing skills throughout her narrative.
The character building is strong and mostly secured through dialogue with one another and personal point of view. Through these reflections and conversations – the readers can fully grasp the character profile’s and what their agendas are. I get a sense of self of protagonist as the narrative unravels finely. Thors writes in her debut “Nearly every culture in the world has stories about water – as creator, as destroyer, as keeper of secrets” and this is one of the many beautiful ways she ties in the folklore to the mysterious secrets unfolding in Iceland. The characters have secrets to spill and memories to rewind and unravel with you.
You will taste, shiver, and feel every snowflake falling on your arms as you read through this narrative. This medium-paced narrative will want you to go from one page to the next. I was curious to see how this mystery unfolded and what it means for Frejya. Freyja is a goddess after all – and one of my favorite deities at that. What secrets will we uncover on the coldest nights under the northern lights at the coast? Thank you Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for this electronic copy to read this narrative and read an honest review.

Read more reviews, recommendations, and impressions at my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/

[Niah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars!

This book checked so many boxes for me. I picked this up in anticipation of my trip to Iceland in a few months, and this made me even more excited to visit! Thors' writing hauntingly captures the Icelandic landscape, and while the story was incredible engrossing, the lovely, lyrical prose evokes Charlotte McConaghy's novels, pairing environmentalism with mystery and a beautiful (messy) sort of reluctant love for humanity (in this case driven by a mother's love).

Freyja follows Unnur, an Icelandic-American mother who lives with her young daughter in Reykjavík in 2018. Interspersed in the narrative are flashbacks to the 1990s when Unnur lived in a remote part of the country with her friend Freyja, who went missing. When Unnur's ex-husband arrives with his new girlfriend and her daughter--another Freyja--memories and secrets swirl as Unnur's past and present collide. This story kept me guessing and honestly caught me off-guard with most of the twists. 

I already praised the writing, but I'll do it again: just wonderful. Authors who capture the desolate, vast nature of a landscape while also detailing its charm and beauty are on another level. Braided in we also learned lots about Icelandic folklore and creatures, as well as Iceland's history as an occupied country; I for one did not know about America's history there. I also learned more about Icelandic language and culture (like how the father's name becomes someone's surname). If I had some critique of the book, I felt like the romantic element was unnecessary and some of the reveal felt a bit hard to believe. It didn't diminish my enjoyment or recommendation of the book, though. 

I don't typically note trigger warnings but I do think it's important to note that this book contains animal death on page, something that I struggle with reading. Just a heads up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC in exchange for review!

*2026 52 Book Challenge Prompt 47: A diacritical mark on the cover*

[Ryan Davison · Rating 2 out of 5]

We start with a fuzzy scene from 1990. A stormy, possibly even violent night, leaves eleven-year Freyja swallowed in the shallows. Now, it’s 2018, and Freyja, presumed dead by most, seems to want to make her presence known to Unmur, her closest friend at the time of the disappearance. Mysterious messages appear under the front door, a “true crime” novel based on the “Freyja story” has just released, and Unmur’s ex-husband’s new girlfriend unexpectedly appears in town to heat up the thirty-year-old cold case.

A loaded deck of characters is introduced quickly, and the plot relies a bit much on coincidence. When our protagonist reads an article and becomes interested in locating a reporter, he appears on the side of the road with a flat tire. We are made to think the ex-husband’s new girlfriend might be Freyja grown up, but because she is wearing big dark glasses her face is concealed so Unmur can’t tell her identity. If Unmur is given a shovel, she needs one in the next scene.

The prose is fine but the narrative in Freyja tries to do too much with subplots that muddy the main mystery. The writing has flourishes, and the Icelandic folklore is interesting, so it’s not that Margrét Ann Thorsso does not show some innovation and talent. A more streamlined focus on the main plot would have helped this reader enjoy the novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for a review copy.

[Lee-Anne Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unnur in her childhood lost her best friend, the eponymous Freyja, and can't remember what happened to her, and whether she was responsible. Action takes place between Unnur's childhood in 1991 and her present day, as single mom of Lilja, in 2018. Freyja was never found and is presumed dead. But then Unnur receives an envelope of Polaroids taken of her and Freyja, despite not being aware of anyone else around at the time, addressed to her by her childhood nickname, known only to Freyja. Unnur's ex-husband, Nói, turns up with a new girlfriend, Lóa, with a strange daughter, Freyja. Unnur begins to wonder if Lóa is actually her Freyja, and she begins to mistrust her own thoughts and memories as she descends further into confusion, conspiracy and suffers the nightmare of a false accusation. Journalist Pétur is on her side and as the action ramps up to the denouement you find yourself totally immersed, gripped and unable to put the book down! Beautifully crafted debut with elements of folklore and legend woven between the tension, injustice and emotionally charged action - highly recommended.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me longer to read this one than it normally does for a book this size because, honestly, it was really slow for the first half. I thought the writing was lovely (which is true for the entire text), but the pace of the unfolding of details crawled. When our MC, Unnur, begins her “investigation” of her ex-husband’s girlfriend, Lóa, that’s when the story started picking up for me. Then, it goes from a blending of childhood memories and the difficulties of moving back home to a full-blown murder mystery. Thors uses atmosphere and Icelandic folklore to set the tone for Unnur’s experiences - past and present. She’s a fish out of water (so to speak), losing her mother at a young age and now back to living in the town where she grew up, with her daughter, feeling like an outsider. All while trying to find out what happened to her childhood friend, Freyja.

Because the second half of the novel makes up for some of my issues with the first, I’ll definitely give Thors another shot. I’m shocked this is her debut novel.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Spiegel & Grau, and Margrét Ann Thors for this ARC. This review contains my honest, authentic thoughts and opinions.*

[ReadandRated · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars from me

I always find there is something so beautiful about this story, steeped in Icelandic folklore along the black sand beaches. Having recently visited Reykjavik and walked along the black sand beach, I can testify that they have an otherworldly feel to them.

Freyja, lurks hidden the mind of Unnur who was her childhood friend for the briefest of times but it was a friendship that burned fast and bright; before it was replaced with dark memories.

Now, as an adult, with a daughter of her own, Unnur's world is rocked when her ex-husband's new girlfriend arrives in her life. She has a daughter called Freyja, she takes an unnatural interest in Unnur, and she has a scar just like Freyja had. But she can't be her, can she?

Read on to discover what happened all those years ago - if Unnur can unlock the memory.

This was a fabulous and engrossing psychological thriller!

My thanks to the author, Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[cambria ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars — A great Icelandic thriller with dual timelines (1990 and 2018) centered on Unnur, whose childhood best friend, Freyja, disappeared when they were 11/12.

The story weaves in a lot of Icelandic folklore and myth, which I loved, as well as the eerie setting of the Dark Valley in rural Iceland. However, the present-day scenes in Reykjavík sometimes felt like they could have taken place anywhere.

Unnur is an unreliable, emotionally messy narrator, but you can’t help rooting for her. I stayed invested in how it all unfolded, and at ~250 pages, this is a short, fast read you could easily finish in a day or two.

I'd recommend it for people who like:
— Nordic noir thrillers and mysteries
— Chaotic, unreliable narrators
— Cold, wintry settings
— Books about girlhood bonds
— Folklore and mythology woven into realism

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Olivia Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m absolutely obsessed with the Nordic Noir genre, and although I know Iceland technically doesn’t geographically fall under that category, I still would rank it up with those greats.

This book takes place in 1991 and in 2018. In 1991 Dark Valley, a girl named Freyja disappears and we see the village around this collapse and the perspective is told mostly from her 11 year old friend.

Unnur, the friend, in 2018 now has her own child and shares her with her ex-husband and his new romance whose own daughter bears her old friend’s name, Freyja.

The plot thickens, and lines are crossed. The book plays a lot on family, small-town gossip and horror. Unit isn’t the most reliable protagonist!

Really good! Now when will they release the limited TV series…

[Nik W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to snag this book from NetGalley to read and leave a review prior to publishing and I’m glad I did. Thanks yall!
Definitely a mysterious, off-setting eerie novel. Almost a nature-modern-gothic feel.
This books setting was eerie and beautiful to read about. The author did a great job setting the scene and the story. I enjoyed this story immensely. The characters were all messy and convoluted. There were some time transitions that made the story more enjoyable and kept you guessing at where it was going. I enjoyed the ending and the writing was lovely. I will read more from this author.
I enjoyed the Icelandic folklore as well. I’m kind of a sucker for some folklore. 😂
I believe this is a debut novel from this author.

[Karen Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed several very different novels by Icelandic writers. This is what I suppose you could call ‘Icelandic Noir’, but it’s not just a crime novel, it’s a very tense and atmospheric psychological thriller. Written in the first person, it is the story of Unnar,a divorcee whose past contains a tragedy she doesn’t want to examine too closely. Her life revolves around her daughter. A series of strange coincidences seems to be dredging up the past….
The story is very well written, alternating between Unnar’s childhood and the present. I really felt the mounting tension, and Unnar’s escalating fear. I very much enjoyed the author’s portrayal of rural Iceland, painting a vivid picture of a world where the boundary between reality and mythology feels very thin indeed.

[Kisha Coit · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Yall, this book is cold, creepy, and emotional in the best way. Unnur is a single mom trying to protect her daughter while hiding a past that refuses to stay buried. When her ex shows up, everything she has been running from starts rising again, including the truth about her childhood friend Freyja who disappeared years ago.

The atmosphere is haunting, the mystery is gripping, and the tension stays tight from beginning to end. If you love dark Iceland vibes, mother daughter stories, and secrets finally coming to light, this one is for you.

[Siobhangrant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for an ARC of the book.

The book started slow as the author used Icelandic folklore to set the atmosphere. She did a good job of creating the scene in my head as this was not necessarily a place with which I was familiar. I enjoyed learning about the folklore and the history of American servicemen in Iceland. Once the scene was set, the book really picked up and I was as confused (in a good way) as the MC when she tried to figure out what was happening to her.

If you like Nordic crime, add this one to your TBR.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freyja by Margrét Ann Thors features the unsolved case of a girl’s disappearance which reopens after twenty years. It's an atmospheric tale of suspense set in Reykjavík and the rugged, isolated Icelandic coast. Unnur is a single mother living with her daughter Lilja; she's worked at repressing the memories of what happened in a distant summer of her youth, but suddenly the past returns with a vengeance, crashing into her neatly ordered present. Suspenseful and riveting, Freyja is an impressive debut, and I'm glad to have received a digital ARC from NetGalley in order to write this review.

[Maysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was everything I could have asked for in a thriller. It starts off with a girl who disappeared several years ago, which is the best way a book can ever start. This book was so unique and I couldn't stop reading. Once I started, there was no putting it down. The author's perspective in this book was really unique that I really enjoyed. When I thought I knew what was happening, it flipped upside down on it's head. This book was absolutely incredible.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this Arc.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I don’t know how to rate this but between 2-3 stars Overall the plot wasn’t fluid. It was lacking in love ability, no character likability and a problem with the first few chapters. Being worried about speaking the language when there is a parent teacher meeting was odd. When the young Unner was dropped off by her Aunt I was baffled as to why and how she adapted fairly quick. It made no sense to me but I read the book anyway
In need of a good edit for sure

[Danielle Nilsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this twisty psychological thriller set in Iceland and drenched in moody, folkloric atmosphere. It was a quick read that instantly drew me in and had me hooked all the way through, eager to put all the puzzle pieces together. I especially loved the exploration of the haziness of memory, the blurred lines between myth and reality, and the weight of a mother’s love. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Alyssa Mera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful and enticing debut novel. Having spent a month in Iceland myself, I thought the author did a fantastic job of portraying the feel of Iceland- customs, culture, people.

The story was well-written and the twists throughout the book were engaging and interesting. It felt like I was reading a true story and found myself feeling attached to the FMC and her story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the early look at this book.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital arc of this from the publisher through my job, which did not affect my review.

Reminiscent of Tana French, this mystery was woven with Norse fairytales and myth that had me guessing whether we were dealing with something real or supernatural until the very end. I can’t wait for people to find their way to this story!

[Sarai G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good Icelandic thriller! Didn’t know what to expect but I enjoyed it very much! Especially about it being in a different country, more about the environment. Especially the mythology mixed in with this thriller!
Thank you to Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Speigel & Grau for the ARC.

Excellent Nordic/Icelandic thriller. I read quite a few Icelandic authors, I enjoy most of them, with a few exceptions. This turned out to be a favorite. The writing is very good and flows well. The characters are easy to get connected to and stay with throughout the story. A few story lines are going on that culminate at the end and keep you guessing the entire time. It was very hard to put down and take a break from this one; I kept going back to it and finished it in one evening. Great first novel from this author.

[Josefine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel captivated me from the opening lines. It made me forget to and postpone sleeping, eating, breathing. The more the mystery unraveled the further my jaw dropped, and the more literary focused passages on myth and motherhood are so elequently woven in.