ARC Review: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer (Helgi Reykdal #3) by Ragnar Jónasson

Narrated by Cicely Whitehead, Jane Slavin, and Rufus Wright

Read time: 3 minutes

Book Blurb:

In The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson, bestselling crime novelist Elín S. Jónsdóttir vanishes one winter evening in Iceland. Detective Helgi Reykdal races to uncover her fate before the press gets wind of it. As he digs into Elín’s secretive life, interviewing her publisher, accountant, and a retired judge, he discovers her past is more twisted than her novels. Told across multiple timelines, this Nordic mystery unravels dark secrets, blending golden-age puzzle vibes with chilling suspense, leaving readers hooked for answers

Let’s talk about the book:

My brain is still fried from how twisty and unexpected this book was. I picked it up not realizing it’s the third in Ragnar Jónasson’s Helgi Reykdal Mystery series. But because I’d already started, I didn’t have the patience to go back and read the first two. And here’s the good news! This crime thriller works perfectly as a stand-alone. (So if you’re hesitating because you haven’t read the series, you are SO WRONG. You have no excuse. Go pre-order it today!)

The story zips between 2012, where Helgi hunts for missing author Elín, 2005, revealing her dark secrets, and 1976, tying in a bank robbery with Helgi’s predecessor, Hulda. The Nordic chill seeps through every page, and the narrators’ crisp delivery amps up the suspense. The structure is a masterclass in misdirection, blending snippets of police interviews, flashbacks to a decades-old crime, and Helgi’s offbeat personal drama. The domestic violence subplot, where Helgi himself is the victim, packs honesty you rarely see in mainstream crime fiction.

Here’s the tea: I thought I had this mystery pegged. First, it felt like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo with its layered character reveals. Then, I swore it was channeling Emily Henry’s “The Great Big Beautiful Life”. By the end, I was betting on an Agatha Christie Peril at End House twist. Wrong, wrong, and wrong again! Jónasson keeps you guessing with a climax that ties up Elín’s case but leaves a maddening cliffhanger for Helgi’s story. The pacing is snappy, the Icelandic setting is moody perfection, and the audiobook’s multi-narrator magic makes every twist pop. Mark your calendars for this September 9, 2025 release! It’s a must for mystery fans!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!

Would I recommend it?

If you’re into crime novels that keep you on your toes, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer is your next obsession. This standalone Nordic mystery delivers unpredictable twists, chilling vibes, and a stellar audiobook experience with Cicely Whitehead, Jane Slavin, and Rufus Wright bringing Helgi’s world to life. Add this to your TBR now, you won’t predict the ending, but you’ll be begging for the next book.

Share your thoughts!

Have you read Jónasson’s Helgi series? Does the earlier books have cliffhangers too? How excited are you for 9th September 2025? Drop your thoughts below.

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Visit Ragnar Jónasson on his author page