Translated by Quentin Bates (Snowblind) and Larissa Kyzer (Fadeout)
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. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life.
An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.
Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.
FADEOUT – NEW!
When Ari Thór Arason receives a staggeringly high bill for a foreign credit card that was taken out in his name, his life takes a turn he never anticipated. The bill in question belongs to his namesake – his father, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances when Ari was only a child.
Seeking answers, Ari Thór travels to London to investigate, hoping to learn the truth about what happened to his father all those years ago, and discovering far more than he could ever have imagined…
Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the Author:
Icelandic crime writer Ragnar Jónasson was born in Reykjavík, and currently works as a lawyer, while teaching copyright law at the Reykjavík University Law School. In the past, he’s worked in TV and radio, including as a news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Before embarking on a writing career, Ragnar translated fourteen Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic, and has had several short stories published in German, English and Icelandic literary magazines. Ragnar set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA (Crime Writers’ Association) in Reykjavík, and is co-founder of the International crime-writing festival Iceland Noir. Ragnar’s debut thriller, Snowblind became an almost instant bestseller when it was published in June 2015 with Nightblind (winner of the Dead Good Reads Most Captivating Crime in Translation Award) and then Blackout and Rupture following soon after. To date, Ragnar Jónasson has written five novels in the Dark Iceland series, which has been optioned for TV by On the Corner. He lives in Reykjavík with his wife and two daughters.
Published in special edition hardcover 23rd October 2025 by Orenda Books.
From the cover of the book:
SNOWBLINDSiglufjörður: 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. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life.
An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.
Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.
FADEOUT – NEW!
When Ari Thór Arason receives a staggeringly high bill for a foreign credit card that was taken out in his name, his life takes a turn he never anticipated. The bill in question belongs to his namesake – his father, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances when Ari was only a child.
Seeking answers, Ari Thór travels to London to investigate, hoping to learn the truth about what happened to his father all those years ago, and discovering far more than he could ever have imagined…
***********
It has taken Ari Thór Arason a while to decide on the direction of his career, but having cast aside his studies in Philosophy and Theology, he is now set on becoming a police officer. His first posting takes him to the remote fishing village of Siglufjörður, in northern Iceland. Leaving his girlfriend behind in Reykjavik, this promises him the opportunity to ease into the life of a detective in a quiet location.
However, when a young woman is found bleeding in the snow, and an elderly writer falls to his death, Ari's life becomes anything but quiet. As darkness closes in, and heavy snow cuts Siglufjörður off from the outside world, Ari's investigation becomes increasingly more complicated. He does not know who to trust, and his status as an outsider only makes cracking this case more difficult...
Snowblind was my introduction to the work of Ragnar Jonasson. I went on to devour the whole Dark Iceland series, so it has been an absolute pleasure to revisit this story for its tenth anniversary - with the added bonus of a brand new prequel, Fadeout, that fills in some of the gaps of Ari's backstory.
A new introduction by Anthony Horowitz, and preface by Jonasson himself, get the party started, before the book heads into backstory country with Fadeout. The arrival of a mysterious credit card bill takes Ari on a journey between Iceland and London, as Ari searches for answers about the unsolved disappearance of his father. There are multiple knotty threads to keep track of, and the story leaps around in time, but these begin to unravel in due course. I really enjoyed how the story sets you up nicely for Snowblind, now armed with information that helps you understand Ari much better.
Then comes the main event... Snowblind begins with surely one of the finest opening lines in Nordic noir history: "The red stain was like a scream in the silence.", and it sets you up beautifully for what is to follow.
Rookie Ari is thrown well and truly into the deep end in this crime tale, especially as he is finding his feet in a new job, and settling into an unfamiliar town, all while negotiating the bumps in his relationship. The slow burn police procedural elements weave into his personal trials and tribulations, and lashings of psychological depth keeps things interesting against a setting that makes the best use of small town characters and vibes. The suspense crackles, lies abound, secrets are spilled, and you find yourself holding your breath as events play out.
Jonasson has the ability to create the most delicious of claustrophobic atmospheres in his books. Weather, landscape, and the darkness of winter are used to chilly perfection, becoming characters in their own right, and a feeling of isolation seeps into your bones, colouring your view of the residents of Siglufjörður. Superb!
I adored this book just as much as I did first time around, with its compelling twists and turns that grip you like a vice, and a sizzling translation from Quentin Bates. I am longing to revisit the rest of the Dark Iceland books now!
The Snowblind/Fadeout special edition is available to buy now in hardcover and ebook formats. You can also support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.
About the Author:
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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