Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders

by Sara Winokur

A young boy disappears in the chill of North Iceland. Twenty years later, a mysterious poem lands on the desk of his twin sister Brynja, a forensic geneticist, and rekindles her hopes that her brother might be alive. As Brynja unravels the clues, more poems arrive, each bearing dire consequences for those who receive them: the guard of the medieval manuscript of Icelandic sagas that possibly has the answer to her burning question, the prime minister’s secretary, the local pastor.

Is the poet out to stop Brynja from finding her brother and shut down her access to the DNA database? Or is the verse maker simply a psychopath copycat killer?

Fighting the visual auras that have plagued her since childhood and now threaten everything she holds dear, Brynja must summon the strength to navigate the twisted labyrinth of the poet’s mind and confront the dark secret buried in her family’s past.

Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders is a wild ride through the cultural landscape of Iceland, from rural farmsteads to icy fjords to the high-tech world of DNA forensics. This crime thriller packed with twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Nordic Noir

318 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2019

About the author

Sara Winokur is a geneticist, researcher, and author. Her historical fiction and cultural thrillers embody elements of DNA and forensic science, as she has a Ph.D. in molecular genetics. Her research helped identify mutations underlying muscular dystrophy, and Huntington’s disease.

In her Nordic noir novel “Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders,” a young boy disappears from a fjord in Iceland. Years later, his twin sister Brynja, a DNA scientist, searches for him but lands in a world of trouble. Her second novel, the historical thriller “Ivory Bones: The Lewis Chessmen Murders,” finds Brynja racing against time to find the valuable medieval chess pieces before she herself becomes the target. Sara is a direct descendent of two of the main historical characters: the ruthless Barbary pirate Jans Janszoon and his son Anthony, the largest landowner in 1600s Brooklyn and Coney Island.

As an ovarian cancer thriver, Sara has a sense of gratitude, strength, and perspective that she extends to family, friends, work, and her writing. On her journey from science to writing, she says “Let go of who you are and become what you might be. Do what scares you.”

A mother of three, Sara Winokur resides with her husband and writes in Southern California. That is, when she is not traveling the world in search of unique stories. Discover more on her website sarawinokur.com.

Reviews

[Ken Fredette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Scandinavian books since 1993 with Høeg's Smilla's Sense of Snow and I highly recommend Sara Winokur's , who's a Molecular Geneticist from the U.S.A., because her book DOUBLE BLIND: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders which will be published 31 March 2020, is really, really interesting. Even with the English words put together like German words, I loved this story. It's a about Brynja and Lúkas, who are twins, separated at about 7 years of age. After about 23 years Brynja still was looking her brother. So we see her as a geneticist, she got involved in the Saga's which were sent to her from an unknown sender giving her clues to find Lúkas and also warning her, she might be killed. The warnings were found to be really true in that 3 people were killed or were they warnings. She also had Ari, who was the Prime Minister of Iceland, and her fiance, giving her the right to look at the Saga's with gloves. She also had her lifelong friend, Stína, helping her meet with men who were interested in the Saga's. At work she had Elly as an intern working through the summer, she was from Denmark. All these people were involved with Brynja in finding out who was the killer. Brynja was the first person to come under the radar of genetic's, why? I've purposely left out the many stories that make this book so interesting. Sara uses genetic's to give the story some body and the Saga's to wrap it up. I won't say a word but DOUBLE BLIND: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders.

[Ann Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and Anchor House Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my own opinion.

This book was so good, I didn't want it to end. I was a little tired of reading books about killers but I'm so glad I read this book.

I absolutely loved the Danish and Icelandic culture, the science and forensics and the whole puzzle of this book.

I absolutely recommend.

5 stars!

[Fazila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check oy my full review on my website.CLICK HERE

REVIEW :

DISCLAIMER : Thank you RABT Book Tours for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book is set in Iceland as the backdrop. The setting of this story was atmospheric and the ambiance of the story was wonderful and cold, it makes you feel as if you are there with the characters. Brynja is a forensic Geneticist dealing with the loss of her twin brother Lucas. She lives with her father and Jonas who used work for her dad. Their lives on the farm were happy and good until she lost her brother when she went on a ride during a carnival. Her father never recovered from the loss and she and Jonas spent their days trying to move forward. After twenty years a mysterious poem in the form of a riddle arrives at the police station addressed to Brynja which makes her believe her long-lost brother might be alive. As she gets engrossed in figuring out the clues to the poem on a parchment, pointing to a medieval manuscript people around her dies bringing in more warnings and clues that warn her of her quest. The book was engaging and entertaining. The characters were definitely interesting and made me guess who the culprit might be. The story was woven cleverly with the poems and the manuscript bringing in a lot of depth and history. I loved the science aspect of her profession and we get a glimpse into how the scientific aspect of things work, the history and the sagas in the manuscript were very much a great addition to the book in my opinion. I enjoyed the book but I am left with a few questions as to the conclusion. I really enjoyed it and the author did a great job of concluding the story and bringing all the details around. I gave the book 4 stars. Definitely recommend checking it out if you are interested in a mystery/suspense that is set in a different land with the atmospheric ambiance to it. The history, sagas, and science really brings the story and elevates it. I think it is a great book and will be a quick read that will engross you.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

DOUBLE BLIND is a winning blend of mystery, genetic puzzles, science, forensics, megalomania, Icelandic and Danish culture and history, with wonderfully realized characters and an exceptionally twisty plot.

[Julie Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

First there were two, a brother and sister roaming the farms of rural Iceland. Then all of a sudden, the brother disappeared in the time it took a carousel at a carnival to make a single turn. Brynja, the twin left behind, has spent years looking for her lost twin, Lukas, but hasn't found a single clue. Now, her new Danish intern has shown up with a scroll, which references an ancient Icelandic saga and appears to point to Lukas. It was mailed anonymously. This scroll reaches Brynja at her office as a forensic genetecist, so she is uniquely qualified to follow DNA forensics. But just as she's getting started, other clues appear and they are deadly. In the wake of three murders, Brynja follows the path back to her father and farm caretaker Paddi and Jonas in northern Iceland, the footprints of the ancient authors of medeival sagas, and her own instincts. This book is full of genetics, history, politics between Iceland and Denmark, Icelandic literature and linguistics. Wonderful book which I hope will be followed by more. Highly recommend.

[C-Reader 3PO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been to Iceland, this was a thrill ride through a country that I am now so grateful to know much deeper. I only wish I had read this book before visiting the land of Vikings! Full of twists and turns, this was a fun and share worthy read!

[Elizabeth Sulzby · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some signs that this scientist is new to writing fiction, especially at the beginning, but they soon either drop away or I forget about them as the story progresses.

I like a number of things about this book. First is, of course, the number of manuscripts and sagas that are mentioned, including the conflicts between Iceland and Denmark over them. A second is funny to me. There are menus mentioned throughout and almost every meal contains root vegetables. A joke between a friend and me is that I would buy her salads in a project we had in the Bronx because I knew she was a vegetarian (me, I was eating goat stew or oxtail stew from the shops and ordering her salad). Finally, she said to me in exasperation: "I am not that kind of vegetarian; I am a ROOT vegetarian!" So, yesterday, when we had out weekly COVID call, I told her I was going to go through and write down all the ROOT vegetables that were mentioned in this book. (I just did this and emailed them to her. I carefully avoided all the roots used for poisoning or medicinal purposes.)

The map of Iceland and the settings in northern and southern Iceland were interesting--quite welcome. I have never been to Iceland but hope to get there one day and to have enough time to get to know some Icelandic people. There are great books coming out of Iceland.

Of course, I like the DNA issues used throughout the book and it was a natural since the author (Sara Winokur) is a molecular geneticist. The family mystery hidden within the manuscript mysteries were also fascination. Not saying more--NO SPOILERS.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Mallory (onmalsshelf) Bartel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic fast paced Scandinavian thriller to close out the month with!

I stayed up to finish it and it was well worth it.

As someone who loves thrillers and noir that have different plot points added in - this one was perfect! Full of forensic science, poisonings, murder, missing people, and much more and I don’t think the plot was bogged down at all with so much going on. Plus, the sense of place was so great that I felt like I was right there in the middle of the investigation. The only things keeping me from giving this five stars was that some of the actions from multiple characters weren’t explained at the end which felt like loose ends to me. Maybe just one more chapter could’ve summed it up a little better, but overall I loved it.

Highly recommend.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a smart literary mystery and a little like reading a grown-up Nancy Drew in Iceland. This clever heroine is a forensic scientist and geneticist, battling some of her own demons. Winokur sprinkles generously much history of this, to me, mysterious country, as well as the mythology of the people. And an obvious knowledge of botanical plants used to heal and harm. Several interesting characters. A wonderful multi-layered mystery. A smart page-turner.

[Sarah G · Rating 2 out of 5]

The positives - the book was very interesting on Icelandic history and culture, and the mystery part of the story was OK.

The negatives - so many. Brynja, Brynja and Ari’s relationship, the general air of bad chick lit that creeps in whenever you let your guard down. Has the author ever worked in an office or found out how the Icelandic police or political offices actually function, because it reads like she totally made it up?

The absolute worst - a woman is drugged by a co-worker in his office, wakes up on a couch not knowing what happened while she was unconscious. The lack of appropriate reaction is staggering. Report this to the police? No. The guy is sacked or at least suspended? No. He is ‘on a warning’. A pathetic tap on the wrist. Ugh.

[Henry Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging read that follows a female DNA scientist solving a string of murders in Iceland. A page turner that kept me guessing until the end, all the while enlightening me about the Iceland's fascinating culture, food, and history.

[faded.mage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant forensic geneticist Brynja Pálsdóttir has been haunted by the disappearance of her twin brother most of her life. It has driven her to work in concert with the police, using cutting edge DNA research to help them solve crimes. She receives a mysterious poem that seemingly contains clues about her brother and what happened to him. The verse references ancient, valuable Icelandic manuscripts, spurring Brynja into an investigation that will push her boundaries and have her delving deep into Icelandic history and lead her to discover long buried family secrets. The tension mounts with each mysterious poem and death seems to follow Brynja at every turn. Will she be able to solve this case before it’s too late?


My thoughts:

Double Blind is rich in Icelandic culture and full of interesting genetic research. The chilly atmosphere in this story is oppressive and really lends to the tension Ms. Winokur has deftly woven into these pages. The plot is complex, well researched, but it’s really the lyrical, descriptive writing that shines here. I felt almost like I was there. Winokur writes using all the senses and includes details and lore that made me feel as though I was truly learning about Icelandic culture without bogging the story down too much. It’s also very apparent that Winokur knows her stuff about genetic research, as she should given her background.

The mystery was developed enough to hold my attention, though I must admit I figured things out fairly early. I expect Winokur to only get better at this aspect of her novels in the future. All in all, this was a good quick read, I enjoyed. I will be looking forward to more of Sara Winokur’s work in the future. Solid debut.

3.5/5

[Doreen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I looked forward to reading this book because of its setting. I’ve toured Iceland and fell in love with the country. Also, I’m a fan of Nordic crime fiction. Unfortunately, despite its setting and genre, this novel didn’t win me over.

Brynja, a forensic geneticist, receives a cryptic poem which seems to suggest that her twin brother Lúkas, who went missing 20 years earlier, is alive. The poem leads her to become convinced that answers lie in a medieval manuscript of Icelandic sagas. Unfortunately, people connected to the manuscript end up dying, and she receives warnings to stop her search.

In the Author’s Note, Winokur states, “medieval Icelandic manuscripts are Iceland’s most precious treasures and would never be couriered around the country simply for someone to have a look at it [sic].” Why then does she have this done in the book? Using an (openly admitted) unrealistic event does not “enhance the story line”; that event just undermines the credibility of the book.

There are other issues with the book. For instance, there are many information dumps. Some deal with genetics and others deal with things Icelandic. For example, here’s information about Icelandic horses: “her Icelandic horse, her precious Drífa, belonged to an ancient time, a breed of horse lost everywhere but here. Drífa’s genes led back to the Asian steppes, to the Mongolian horses that had carried Genghis Khan to victory. The horses spread to Russia and Norse settlers brought them to Iceland in the ninth and tenth centuries, where they mixed with breeds imported from the British Isles. Along the way, Drífa's forebears had developed mutations which, instead of causing disease, adapted the horse to the harsh conditions of the Icelandic landscape, granting the creature a sure-footed gait, a thick mane and tail, and a double-coated hide for insulation against the cold.” This description, which goes on even longer, may be interesting but is totally irrelevant. Likewise, what is the purpose of including recipes for skyr with bilberries, Iceland moss soup, and horsemeat stew? The medicinal uses of plants may be interesting to an herbalist but including long lists of these plants adds nothing to the plot.

Brynja is not a likeable protagonist. At times, she comes across as an annoying know-it-all. Then at other times, she seems totally dense: she realizes “with a surge of excitement” that she can use RNA to help solve a case. I am not a scientist, but I know that RNA can identify the organ source of human tissue, so why should this be such a revelation to a geneticist? She even has to check a genetics website “to confirm her thinking”?! Brynja is Director of Forensic Sciences but she doesn’t know that her boss is informed whenever anyone accesses a specific database? She has reached her position but still behaves unprofessionally and unethically by thinking of accessing medical information for personal reasons? Brynja’s relationship with Ari is problematic. She is engaged to him, but she doesn’t seem to completely trust him? On the other hand, she has a new intern as an assistant but she trusts her immediately?

There’s a narrative technique which is very annoying: Brynja says she is going to do something but then there is no indication she does this until we are told she did. For example, “She had called the doctor last night and was told he would be in his office at nine. She could call in an hour.” Then, her time is accounted for and she doesn’t make a phone call, though she says later, “’Actually, I called as well. The doctor’s coming by this afternoon.’” These types of inconsistencies happen several times.

And there are other inconsistencies. A person eats half a tart made with yew berries and gets brittle nails and dry skin immediately? Icelandic medical staff makes diagnoses by comparing symptoms found in animals like horses and sheepdogs? Three guards “were stationed in front of the church” but one says, “’I was the only one on duty at the time; the other officers were asleep’”? Brynja must wear cotton gloves to touch an ancient book, but the pastor touches it with his bare hands? Brynja suffers from visual auras and she thinks she must rest “to gain some control over the migraines.” Later she says that some incidents “were a result of migraines and temporary auras.” My research indicates that aura symptoms strike before migraines; Brynja has visual disturbances but never suffers from migraines. A police guard is aware that a crime took place at a location but she thinks she has to call the police and have them rope off the crime scene? A man is admitted into a “Memory Care Home” even though a doctor said “a diagnosis of dementia was premature”? A man has no pulse and Brynja fails to revive him, but she “gasps” when she later learns the man is in a coma? Brynja put the poem “on the nightstand, slipped off the bathrobe, and climbed back into bed” but then “Brynja slipped out of bed, walked to the table, and returned with the poem”?! Elly speaks to a mail clerk and gets some information like, “’He was sure it was posted from a foreign country’” but then Brynja can’t speak with him because “he was away on vacation”? I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.

Sometimes things seem thrown into the story for little reason. What’s with María’s strange behaviour? Her wanting to sell vegetables from her garden is insufficient explanation for her oddness! Why is there a bizarre interaction between Elly and Rúnar involving Iceland poppy tea? Why does Pastor Dalmann say that the manuscript will “’never leave this church again’” when it is destined for the Akureyri Museum? What’s the point of the animosity between Brynja and Henning? What’s the motive for Rúnar and Henning “meeting so often and in private”?

The motive of the villain is very weak considering all that he does. His obsession just doesn’t adequately explain his actions; as one character say, “’Pretty extreme, though, killing people and all.’” This person who “except for driving the pickup into town for the occasional errand . . . pretty much kept to himself” takes the truck described as an “old bucket of bolts” because “the door’s practically hanging from the hinges” and drives halfway across Iceland to the Westfjords?

As I said at the beginning, I really looked forward to a good Nordic crime novel; unfortunately, this book has so many problems with it that I kept wanting it to just end.

Note: I received a digital galley from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).

[Diane, the BookWitch · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was super intrigued by the premise. Unfortunately the writing style and overall plot were quite disappointing. I felt like I was reading one of my textbooks instead of a beautifully crafted story. The info dump is heavy albeit simple to understand, but it's just too much too often. So many times, the writing portrays the MC as a know-it-all and often condescending. Like we get it! You are a geneticist, but you don't have to explain everything you do aaaaall the time. There were mistakes here and there, and sometimes, we even got the same sentences multiple times!!! It was a very boring read, and all the characters were poorly developed and really annoying to me. I'm not sure if the MC is supposed to be unlikeable but she was. She made unethical choices for petty reasons. Also, for one case she was solving, she was unsure what to do and all of the sudden, she got an eureka moment and realized that RNA could be useful....... as the head of forensic genetics, I'd expect that she would think of it immediately AND that it would be part of the procedure in the first place when suspicion of foul play. The dialogues between the MC and her assistant felt like they were going on and on and on. The plot is a bit too ridiculous to be believable in my opinion, and I guessed it early on, so much for a mystery.


Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Winokur did a fantastic job developing this story and using her own personal life skills to interject into the story to solve cases. She is a geneticist and she uses DNA a lot in the book. It reminded me of how even though I know very little about genetics (literally the ONLY C grade on a biology test in college that I ever got!) someone with a skill set such as Winokur's can still draw me in and encourage me learn a thing or two. I never felt bogged down by the DNA evidence and everything the author brought to the table.

I also was still able to read a story that completely pulled me in with the whodunit mystery of the book. Learning about some Icelandic culture of the lay of the land somewhat was just very interesting for me too. The story was exciting and there were definitely parts that I had to just rush through...hurry up to find out what was going to happen next!

I can't end this review without saying that I fell in love with the cover...OMG! I think it's one of, if not my very favorite, covers of the year. I went to Amazon and enlarged it and just took in the beauty of it. It's breathtaking!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book - a combination of genetics, Iceland, and a mystery is right up my alley! Unfortunately the convoluted plot, the stilted dialogue (the main character often spoke like she was reading from a Wikipedia page), the general lack of character development, and my inability to suspend my disbelief at some actions upon which a plot point depended (e.g. The main characters boyfriend (who was the Prime Minister of Iceland) provided her ancient manuscripts - protected national treasures- for testing. The author did put a note at the end that this would never happen in real life, so I don't think it should have happened in this story either made this a frustrating read for me. I did learn about some areas of Iceland that seemed interesting and hope to visit some in the near future.

1.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Anchor House Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

This murder mystery is a convoluted mess that asks readers not just to suspend their sense of disbelief but to believe in entirely nonsensical things altogether. It could have been a good, straightforward crime novel involving a DNA lab, an ancient manuscript, and politics, but instead the author also included kidnapped siblings, false histories, romantic angst (by the protagonist), breaches of professional ethics (also by the protagonist), science that is treated like magic and misrepresented so badly it would win an award to misrepresentation, old friends with fun sex lives (upon whom the protagonist frowns), utterly implausible procedures in terms of everyday politics and work, horses, farms, and much much, alas, more. I wish this had gone through a heavy development edit; it might have yielded something good.

[Maria Fledgling Author Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exploring the Tree of Life

Double Blind by Sara Winokur is so much more than a really great murder mystery. For, the heritage of the Icelandic people speaks to the reader through the language, the poetry, the frosty air, the feeling of special Icelandic sheep's wool and all the descriptions of daily life, past and present.

Double Blind follows the story of two children, fraternal twins, Brijna and Lukäs. Living on a farm with an old style sod roof house, they are inseparable. Until the Icelandic Independence Day carnival around their 5th year.

Because the twin's Mammie is sick and Bappi must do the work around the farm, they are accompanied by Jonas, the farm's manager. The twins have a good time until Brijna wants to go on the carousel and Lukäs won't go. Brijna, entrusted with watching her brother, tells him to stand right in front and that she'll wave her red hair ribbon at him.

Sadly, the faster the carousel goes, the smaller Lukäs becomes until, when Brijna is done, she cannot find him anywhere. The two are forever parted, except for the picture Brijna carries in a silver locket around her neck.

Brijna grows up to have a Masters degree in genetics and now works for a company that consults with the local law enforcement. Iceland is the only country to have almost all of its citizen's DNA in a vast database. And Brijna is privileged to work with it.

The real story gets started when Brijna receives a batch of donuts at work, which she can't eat due to a gluten allergy. She leaves them with a guard, who eats almost all of them, vomits and then has to be taken to the hospital.

Overshadowing the guard's illness is a mysterious parchment note, written in what appears to be ancient ink. Brijna is about to be drawn into a twisted treasure hunt with higher stakes than she can imagine.

Double Blind will keep you glued to the pages, sucking in your breath in fear, lost in wonder at the history of the Vikings and very happy you decided to read it. I highly recommend it.

[Karen Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brynja and her twin brother attended a local celebration and while Brynja was on the carousel, her brother suddenly disappeared. Twenty years later, Brynja starts receiving poems that are taken from some old manuscripts which were previously held in Denmark, and seem to refer to her missing brother; they give her hope that he is still alive. Brynja is an accomplished forensic geneticist in Iceland, and there is controversy over a DNA database that many are opposed to. Unfortunately, there are some murders occurring, and in her search for her brother, Brynja helps with the investigation. She also is worried about her ailing father and returns to her family home when her work allows, and tries to get information related to her brother’s disappearance and the devastation it had brought upon her family.

One of the best parts of this novel is the cultural aspect; most readers don’t have much of a sense of life in Iceland, and the author is masterful in giving the readers a taste of living in a cold, dark place with a unique history. Winokur does an excellent job of telling a credible story with building suspense. The characters are well-developed, and believable, and the information on DNA research is fascinating. Winokur has obviously done some research herself (it helps that the author has a Ph.D. in molecular genetics), and while fiction, the historical aspects and the DNA information in the novel is factual. There are twists and turns, and Brynja finds herself and others close to her in danger.

All told, this is an excellent thriller. It has enough scenarios going on to keep readers on the edge of their seats, and many will find themselves staying up late to keep reading. Hopefully there will be more thrillers set in Iceland by this author.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a semi- police procedural based in Iceland. I knew nothing about the deeper issues between Denmark and Iceland, but I got a full lesson here! The story itself was interesting but felt like a second book type material instead of a first. Every person we encounter has a back story that we only get glimpses of until it forms a complete picture.

The book jumps right into the plot by telling us how a pair of twins get separated when young. The one we have our eyes on, the girl grows up to works as a forensic geneticist and routinely does police investigations as well. She is a woman in a male-dominated field, and that comes with its own set of problems, especially with her recent promotion. She is sent a cryptic poem which indicates that her brother may be alive and well. It spins into a multi-level conspiracy problem and a lot of branches of sub-issues with her life. The local lingo is used with required translations when required, it may be a little distracting to a few readers. It was a pretty solid story, and I almost guessed a part of the twist in the beginning, but I was still surprised with the complete set of revelations, even is I was not wholly invested in the outcome.

A little slow for my taste but it does have an interesting background, and I got to travel to a whole new country.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Cate Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this novel from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I have to say I really enjoyed this book - I started reading quite late in the evening and was sad to have to force myself to put it down and go to bed.

A mystery that follows forensic geneticist Brynja as she tries to solve riddles being sent to her (or put in her path) that relate back to both medieval Icelandic manuscripts and her twin who went missing when she was 7, while bodies drop around her and her family and work lives start to fray.

While I don't think Winokur's writing is for everyone, I really enjoyed it personally. The setting and premise are both incredibly engaging, and Winokur includes lots of moments (which others have described as info dumps) that detail a lot of interesting info about Iceland, genetics, plants etc. These are all things I'm really interested in and so enjoyed these moments, but I think if you just want a straight forward mystery without any meandering then it might not be for you.

There are minor elements of the plot that don't get fully completed - certain smaller characters actions don't necessarily get explained. I kind of give the benefit of the doubt here and assume that they may be revealed in later installments- this is the author's debut novel and it seems set up to likely be a series.

I think its a fantastic debut novel and can't wait for more.

[Dimitris Passas (TapTheLine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The relationship between Iceland and Denmark has been a tense one as the Danes have ruled the remote island located in the North Atlantic ocean from the 1600s until 1944, the year in which Iceland declared her independence taking advantage of the Nazi occupation of Denmark, a harsh reality that forced the local politicians to give up one of the country's most prosperous colonies. Nevertheless, it was the subject of the precious Icelandic manuscripts containing the legendary local sagas, documents recounting heroic Viking raids, bits and pieces of Norse history and mythology, as well as bits and pieces of the old, traditional religion, that caused one of the longest-standing and most severe frictions between the two Nordic countries. The Danish stole the manuscripts in the early 18th-century and transferred them to the University of Copenhagen where they remained for more than two centuries before an agreement was achieved, one that allowed the majority of the manuscripts to be repatriated during the years from 1971 to 1997. However there are still some documents left behind in Denmark and the Icelanders are demanding their safe return to their country of origin.

To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/double...

[Coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Anchor House Publishing for the ARC. This book will be available Mar. 31, 2020. Put it on your list.

I really enjoyed this book! Not only did I learn a bit about Icelandic culture, language and history but a bit about herbalism, too. The history of Iceland was the motive for the crimes and the use of herbs were the deadly weapons.

When Brynja was 7 her twin, Lukas, went missing. She has never stopped looking for him or let go of the guilt she has felt for him going missing.

Twenty years later Brynja is the director of Legacy, a national DNA registry that works closely with the police, and is engaged to the Prime Minister of Iceland. She receives a mysterious poem that brings the memory of her missing brother rushing back. The poem is the first of other poems (taken from traditional Icelandic Sagas) that accompany the murders.

The author does a good job of building suspense and leaving clues (some of them misleading). I wasn't sure "who dunnit" until the last few pages.

[Lipsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested an ARC of Double Blind based solely on the fact that it's set in Iceland, which is one of my favourite places in the whole world. I've only spent 4 days there (SO not enough) and have been itching to return ever since.

This thriller is based around a forensic geneticist whose brother disappeared as a child. Twenty or so years later she begins to receive mysterious medieval poems which she believes are clues to his whereabouts.

Full of intriguing story-lines mixed in with Icelandic history, Double Blind is its own saga at heart. I was gripped to very end; still trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together until the final chapters.

There were a few minor things which annoyed me, such as the relationship between Brynja and the police department which for some reason just didn't ring true to me and felt a little strained, and didn't feel like I truly warmed to some of the characters, but overall I found this a fun rollercoaster of a read.

[Johanna (jojreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Double Blind was a phenomenal debut novel.
A young boy disappears in Iceland. Twenty years later, a cryptic parchment containing clues to his disappearance finds its way onto the desk of his twin sister, Brynja, a forensic geneticist. As Brynja races to solve the mystery of her brothers disappearance, and clings to hope that he is still alive after twenty years, it is evident that someone will stop at nothing, even murder, to keep Brynja from the truth.

Author Sara Winokur is a geneticist herself, a fact that is evident as she easily explains the foundations of DNA and RNA and how they help in solving cases throughout the book. The science was solid, the characters were well rounded with some rough edges, and the setting was gorgeous. Interested in seeing more from this author in years to come.

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the freebie and I appreciate your consideration and confidence!!!

This book is an average mystery with some CSI technical talk and some very good Icelandic background history for the armchair Traveller, such as myself!!!!!

The author has great potential to be a good fit for the newer Icelandic genre of writers and the mystery had enough legs to hook me into finishing up the story, but no actual new ground has been covered here.......

The descriptions if Iceland itself are rudimentary and closely match a previous book I just read before this one. So, the writer may never have visited certain areas but the areas are so commons d Iceland is so small, it would be easy to take the descriptions in this book!

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This was the first book for this author and I enjoyed it. For me, there were some explanations that were a little too technical regarding genetics while at other times some of the more well-known ideas were used a bit falsely, I felt. Also, for me, the way that some characters were responding to other people and situations seemed so rude and unprofessional that I doubt they would hold the positions they do in this book.

The story was quite interesting and the way it all came together was good. Though I couldn’t help but try and come to conclusions about certain characters (it’s what you do with mysteries, after all), I didn’t see the end coming.

I enjoyed the “visit” to Iceland and the history and culture that came with this book.

[Jeff Cosmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how good this book was. Reading it you could tell the author is new and finding her way. But with that said the book is well put together with the way the story weaves in historical facts with scientific facts to make the story more believable and three dimensional. I liked all the tid-bits of Icelandic lore that were peppered throughout the story, I felt like I learned a lot of neat facts that might someday come in handy while watching Jeopardy. There were only a few pacing issues where the story sort of dragged on slightly. If you are looking for a nice simple quick read this would be a great pick.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is a book about Iceland! After visiting last year, I am enthralled by the island and read all the Nordic Noir I can get my hands on. This book is one of the best I've found so far. Lots of geography and descriptions so that I can picture this beautiful land in my head. Lots of history, especially the genetic history which I learned about while visiting. I did not know much about the Sagas so that was fun to learn about. I do have some unanswered questions about the end but maybe they'll be answered by the next book. After reading this I definitely have to plan a return trip and do some more exploring.

[ABC · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book kept me entertained and guessing up to the end. I’m a big fan of intelligent murder mysteries, especially if they are based on real and well-researched science, so this was right up my alley. Being the nerd that I am, I loved learning more about both genetics and Iceland. Don’t worry; this book would also be suitable to non-nerds! I can totally see this plot on TV right next to the very best current productions in the genre. The author’s passion for scientific, historical, and field research really shines through. Great debut novel!