THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING CRIME WRITER

After ending her bestselling list of mystery novels, an Icelandic writer adds a disquieting postscript to her career by disappearing herself.

Elín S. Jónsdóttir has always been very intentional in measuring out her life. Years ago, she decided that Deadline would be the 10th and last in her series of whodunits. So when Rut Thoroddsen, her publisher, can’t reach her at home, the break in Elín’s routine is already alarming. Helgi Reykdal, a mystery fan who’s taking advantage of his vacation from the Reykjavík Criminal Investigative Division to nest in his family’s bookstore, is the obvious person to investigate, and he’s certainly willing to join the search for one of his favorite authors before it’s leaked to the press and everyone on social media joins the hunt. The problem is that there seems to be no trail to follow. Rut; her accountant husband, Thor; and Elín’s best friend, retired judge Lovísa, add details about Elín’s highly successful career, but nothing that would indicate either a reason for anyone to kill her or a reason for her to vanish. Eventually, however, Jónasson, who—apart from his many leaps among different time frames—seems more indebted here to the rhythm of Helgi’s earlier police procedurals than to the golden age mysteries that link his detective and his quarry, reveals evidence that makes Helgi look more closely at Marteinn Einarsson, the pseudonymous author of Killer; at a 1965 bank robbery that left one employee dead and one robber in prison; and Helgi’s vengeful ex-girlfriend Bergthóra, whose erratic behavior threatens to hijack the whole case.

A lightning-fast read for fans willing to keep turning the pages till the crucial clues drop.