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The Body in the Bath
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26From the author of The Mysterious Case of The Missing Crime Writer comes the next mystery featuring detective Helgi Reykdal.
When Bergþóra Úlfsdóttir, Helgi’s ex-girlfriend, is found dead in her home just before Christmas, Helgi is brought onto the case—but this time, he’s a suspect of her murder, given his complicated relationship with Bergþóra. The timing is just before her own death, Bergþóra fatally hit Helgi’s new girlfriend, Anita, with her car, ruining the future he’d hoped to build with her.
Meanwhile, Helgi has also been looking into the disappearance of Hulda Hermannsdóttir; the woman who’d held his office before him supposedly died of suicide but Helgi remains unconvinced. As he digs into this old case, it begins to seem as though Hulda’s disappearance has more layers—layers that draw connections between Bergþóra’s and Anita’s deaths and Hulda’s disappearance.
When Bergþóra Úlfsdóttir, Helgi’s ex-girlfriend, is found dead in her home just before Christmas, Helgi is brought onto the case—but this time, he’s a suspect of her murder, given his complicated relationship with Bergþóra. The timing is just before her own death, Bergþóra fatally hit Helgi’s new girlfriend, Anita, with her car, ruining the future he’d hoped to build with her.
Meanwhile, Helgi has also been looking into the disappearance of Hulda Hermannsdóttir; the woman who’d held his office before him supposedly died of suicide but Helgi remains unconvinced. As he digs into this old case, it begins to seem as though Hulda’s disappearance has more layers—layers that draw connections between Bergþóra’s and Anita’s deaths and Hulda’s disappearance.
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Ragnar Jónasson
62 books4,056 followersRagnar Jonasson is author of the award winning and international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the Amazon Kindle charts shortly after publication. The book was also a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia. Snowblind has been a paperback bestseller in France.
Nightblind won the Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Most Captivating Crime in Translation.
Snowblind was called a "classically crafted whodunit" by THE NEW YORK TIMES, and it was selected by The Independent as one of the best crime novels of 2015 in the UK.
Rights to the Dark Iceland series have been sold to UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Poland, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Morocco, Portugal, Croatia, Armenia and Iceland.
Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.
From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.
Ragnar has also had short stories published internationally, including in the distinguished Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in the US, the first stories by an Icelandic author in that magazine.
He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik.
His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the Amazon Kindle charts shortly after publication. The book was also a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia. Snowblind has been a paperback bestseller in France.
Nightblind won the Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Most Captivating Crime in Translation.
Snowblind was called a "classically crafted whodunit" by THE NEW YORK TIMES, and it was selected by The Independent as one of the best crime novels of 2015 in the UK.
Rights to the Dark Iceland series have been sold to UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Poland, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Morocco, Portugal, Croatia, Armenia and Iceland.
Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.
From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.
Ragnar has also had short stories published internationally, including in the distinguished Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in the US, the first stories by an Icelandic author in that magazine.
He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Oh my goodness, I devoured this book in one sitting it is just so good. This is the first book that I have read by Ragnar Jonasson and it definitely won’t be the last.
Detective Helgi Reykdal has just returned to work following the death of his girlfriend who was knocked down and killed by his previous partner. When she in turn is found dead under suspicious circumstances Helgi finds himself a suspect. Mixed with this is Helgi’s mission to discover what has happened to his predecessor who disappeared with no trace.
Told in short chapters from various viewpoints and a duel timeline Helgi tries to unravel both past and present. He is a man after my own heart with his love for vintage crime novels several of which are mentioned in the story. The book is fast paced, the characters well written and I definitely didn’t predict the outcome. It takes place in Reykjavik in the run up to Christmas and the cold and dark days really add to the atmosphere of the book. A brilliant story that unfolds in a way that drew me in from the first chapter. I now want to sit down and read it again.
Detective Helgi Reykdal has just returned to work following the death of his girlfriend who was knocked down and killed by his previous partner. When she in turn is found dead under suspicious circumstances Helgi finds himself a suspect. Mixed with this is Helgi’s mission to discover what has happened to his predecessor who disappeared with no trace.
Told in short chapters from various viewpoints and a duel timeline Helgi tries to unravel both past and present. He is a man after my own heart with his love for vintage crime novels several of which are mentioned in the story. The book is fast paced, the characters well written and I definitely didn’t predict the outcome. It takes place in Reykjavik in the run up to Christmas and the cold and dark days really add to the atmosphere of the book. A brilliant story that unfolds in a way that drew me in from the first chapter. I now want to sit down and read it again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Detective Helgi Rykdal has returned to work following the death of his girlfriend Anita. His boss wanted him to stay off for longer but Helgi needs to keep busy and stop himself thinking about the fact that his ex-girlfriend Bergpora Ulfsdottir killed Anita by running her over with her car. To keep himself occupied at work, Helgi has been looking in to the cases that his predecessor, Hulda Hermannsdottir investigated, especially the last case she solved before she retired and disappeared.
Then two of Helgi's colleagues call on him, Bergpora has been found dead at home and Helgi is asked to assist them in their investigation, not as a colleague but as the prime suspect in her death.
This book hooked me in from the foreword. Another fantastic read in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley UK, Michael Joseph Penguin Random House and Ragnar Jonasson for the eARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Then two of Helgi's colleagues call on him, Bergpora has been found dead at home and Helgi is asked to assist them in their investigation, not as a colleague but as the prime suspect in her death.
This book hooked me in from the foreword. Another fantastic read in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley UK, Michael Joseph Penguin Random House and Ragnar Jonasson for the eARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Body in the Bath by Ragnar Jónasson is the third instalment of the Helgi series of books.
It’s the first Christmas since Helgi’s girlfriend Anita was rundown and killed by his violent ex-girlfriend Bergbora. He’s trying to get his life back together, he’s reading his crime novels, and is easing back into his work as a police officer and is also reviewing the disappearance of his predecessor Hulda.
Just before Christmas Bergborg is found dead and suspicion falls on Helgi, who has to clear his name.
The story moves along at pace with twists and turns. As a fan of Ragnar Jónasson’s Hulda series of books, I like that this series deals with Hulda’s disappearance because Hulda was such a great character.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest and review.
It’s the first Christmas since Helgi’s girlfriend Anita was rundown and killed by his violent ex-girlfriend Bergbora. He’s trying to get his life back together, he’s reading his crime novels, and is easing back into his work as a police officer and is also reviewing the disappearance of his predecessor Hulda.
Just before Christmas Bergborg is found dead and suspicion falls on Helgi, who has to clear his name.
The story moves along at pace with twists and turns. As a fan of Ragnar Jónasson’s Hulda series of books, I like that this series deals with Hulda’s disappearance because Hulda was such a great character.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest and review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you AGAIN to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read the next instalment of Helgi's journey.
I love the dark aspects of the story (as I did the other books), the Scandinoir definitely comes through more here.
The plot does lack the dual storytelling that made the other books so enthralling, but I still enjoyed it anyway.
Helgi still struggles with his relationships (past and present) but still remains a strong lead character.
I love the dark aspects of the story (as I did the other books), the Scandinoir definitely comes through more here.
The plot does lack the dual storytelling that made the other books so enthralling, but I still enjoyed it anyway.
Helgi still struggles with his relationships (past and present) but still remains a strong lead character.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
A quality mystery, beautifully written atmospheric clever descriptive intelligent storytelling.
Totally engaging from first to last very annoying page, why annoying I hear you ask, because the book ends on a cliffhanger surely awaiting a follow-up and hopefully not long awaiting.
Completely recommended.
A quality mystery, beautifully written atmospheric clever descriptive intelligent storytelling.
Totally engaging from first to last very annoying page, why annoying I hear you ask, because the book ends on a cliffhanger surely awaiting a follow-up and hopefully not long awaiting.
Completely recommended.
May 27, 2026
Ragnar Jónasson’s The Body in the Bath was an enjoyable enough read, particularly because I was pleased to see familiar characters, especially Helgi & Hulda, return to the page.
The mystery itself is intriguing and atmospheric, with the cold Icelandic setting once again providing a strong sense of place. However, I did find that the pacing lagged in parts, and some plot developments felt a little predictable by the end.
My biggest issue was that the translation felt clunky at times, which made certain conversations and narrative passages read awkwardly. Unfortunately, this pulled me out of the story more than once and affected the overall flow of the novel.
Overall, this is a decent continuation for fans of Jónasson’s work, though not one of my favourites in the series.
The mystery itself is intriguing and atmospheric, with the cold Icelandic setting once again providing a strong sense of place. However, I did find that the pacing lagged in parts, and some plot developments felt a little predictable by the end.
My biggest issue was that the translation felt clunky at times, which made certain conversations and narrative passages read awkwardly. Unfortunately, this pulled me out of the story more than once and affected the overall flow of the novel.
Overall, this is a decent continuation for fans of Jónasson’s work, though not one of my favourites in the series.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews