Rupture: An Ari Thor Thriller (The Dark Iceland Series Book 4)
Rupture: An Ari Thor Thriller (The Dark Iceland Series Book 4) book cover

Rupture: An Ari Thor Thriller (The Dark Iceland Series Book 4)

Kindle Edition

Price
$11.99
Publisher
Minotaur Books
Publication Date

Description

Praise for RUPTURE: "Fans of the Ari Thór series, which began with Snowblind , know that they can depend on Ragnar Jónasson to tie everything up in a beautiful Agatha Christie-esque bow." ― Shelf Awareness "Ragnar Jonasson is Iceland’s Agatha Christie...a clever craftsman whose cast of characters come vividly to life. A WARNING…Dress warm when reading Rupture ." ― David Rothberg Praise for BLACKOUT: “Easily the best yet… A chiller of a thriller whose style and pace are influenced by Jonasson's admiration for Agatha Christie. It's good enough to share shelf space with the works of Yrsa Sigurdardottir and Arnaldur Indridason, Iceland's crime novel royalty."-- The Washington Post “Beautifully written and elegantly paced with a plot that only gradually becomes visible, as if the reader had been staring into the freezing fog waiting for shapes to emerge." ― The Guardian (UK) “Ragnar Jonasson does claustrophobia beautifully.” ―Ann Cleeves “Jonasson’s writing is a masterful reinvention of the Golden Age classic style, both contemporary and timeless… enclosed by the poetic beauty of the location” ― Crime Review Praise for NIGHTBLIND : “Story’s got me gripped but even more satisfying is how the characters are never just there as pawns in the plot.”―Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus series "Excellent...Jonasson plants clues fairly before a devastatingly unexpected reveal, without sublimating characterization to plot."― Publishers Weekly (starred) “The final surprise carries a real shock; and of course the advent of the Icelandic winter is likely to chill hearts even below the Arctic Circle.”― Kirkus Reviews "A unique Nordic Noir of the first order."― BookPage "Jonasson delights in playing with the expectations of his audience, pulling the carpet out from under us on more than one occasion. Pure entertainment."― Mystery Scene “British aficionados of Nordic Noir are familiar with two excellent Icelandic writers, Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Here’s a third: Ragnar Jonasson…the darkness and cold are almost palpable.”― The Times (UK) “There will be no better way to start the year than by reading Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson…Jonasson’s books have breathed new life into Nordic noir.”― Sunday Express “ Nightblind …certainly lives up to the promise of its predecessor…this is an atmospheric portrayal of a claustrophobic place where everyone is connected…economical and evocative prose, as well as some masterful prestidigitation…”― The Guardian Praise for SNOWBLIND: "Jónasson skillfully alternates points of view and shifts of time...The action builds to a shattering climax."― Publishers Weekly (boxed and starred) "A classic crime story . . .first-rate and highly recommended." ―Lee Child “A modern Icelandic take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom...” ―Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus series “This classically crafted whodunit holds up nicely, but Jónasson’s true gift is for describing the daunting beauty of the fierce setting, lashed by blinding snowstorms that smother the village in “a thick, white darkness” that is strangely comforting.”― New York Times Book Review “A chiller of a thriller whose style and pace are influence by Jónasson’s admiration for Agatha Christie. It’s good enough to share shelf space with the works of Yrsa Sigurdardottir and Arnaldur Indridason, Iceland’s crime novel royalty.”― The Washington Post , “Best Mysteries and Thrillers to Read in January” “Jónasson's whodunit puts a lively, sophisticated spin on the Agatha Christie model, taking it down intriguing dark alleys.”― Kirkus Reviews “In this debut novel, Jónasson has taken the locked-room mystery and transformed it into a dark tale of isolation and intrigue that will keep readers guessing until the final page.”― Library Journal Xpress “Jónasson spins an involving tale of small-town police work that vividly captures the snowy setting that so affects the rookie cop. Iceland noir at its moodiest”― Booklist “Required reading.”― New York Post “What sets Snowblind apart is the deep melancholy pervading the characters. Most of them, including Ari, have suffered a tragic loss. That's bad for them, but along with the 24-hour darkness closing in, it makes for the best sort of gloomy storytelling.” ― Chicago Tribune “Perfectly capturing the pressures of rural life and the freezing, deadly Icelandic winter, Snowblind will keep readers on the edge of their seats--preferably snuggled beneath a warm blanket.”― Shelf Awareness “A real find. I loved it. The turns of the plot are clever and unexpected, and Ari is a wonderful character to spend time with."― Mystery Scene “ Snowblind has the classic red herrings, plot twists and surprises that characterize the best of Christie’s work. Jónasson’s latest is nicely done and simply begs for a sequel.” ―BookPage “Seductive … an old-fashioned murder mystery with a strong central character and the fascinating background of a small Icelandic town cut off by snow. Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully.” ―Ann Cleeves, author of the Vera Stanhope and Shetland Island series “A dazzling novel ... Thór is a welcome addition to the pantheon of Scandinavian detectives. I can’t wait until the sequel!” ―William Ryan, author of the Captain Alexei Korolev series "A classic whodunit with a vividly drawn protagonist and an intriguing, claustrophobic setting, Snowblind dazzles like sunlight on snow, chills like ice and confirms the growing influence of Scandinavian crime fiction." -Richmond Times-Dispatch "A satisfying mystery where all the pieces, in the end, fall together." - Dallas Morning News “[Ragnar] definitely shows a knack for the whodunit business.”― Minnesota Star Tribune “A chilling, thrilling slice of Icelandic Noir.”―Thomas Enger, author of the Henning Juul series “An isolated community, subtle clueing, clever mis-direction and more than a few surprises combine to give a modern-day, golden age whodunit. Well Done! I look forward to the next in the series.”―Dr. John Curran, author of Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks “An intricately plotted crime novel, Snowblind is a remarkable debut. Ragnar Jonasson has delivered an intelligent whodunit that updates, stretches, and redefines the locked-room mystery format. A tense and thrilling book that paints a vivid portrait of a remote town in long-term decline, facing the chilling aftershocks of the global financial meltdown.”― EuroDrama "Jónasson has produced a tense and convincing thriller; he is a welcome addition to the roster of Scandi authors, and I really look forward to his next offering." ― Mystery People " Snowblind is a dark, claustrophobic read, and Jónasson evokes perfectly the 24-hour darkness, the biting cold, the relentless snow and fear of a killer on the loose in a village suddenly cut off by an avalanche. His crisp, bleak prose is an exemplary lesson in how to create atmosphere without producing over-inflated books that would cause their own avalanche if dropped."― Crime Review "Ragnar Jónasson is a new name in the crime writing genre and I urge anyone who is a fan of Nordic crime noir to rush out and get yourself a copy of Snowblind this you will want to add to your collection. It is really that good."― The Last Word-Book Review "If Arnaldur is the King and Yrsa the Queen of Icelandic crime fiction, then Ragnar is surely the Crown Prince … more please!" ― EuroCrime "A delight" – ELLE (France) --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. RAGNAR JONASSON was born in Iceland and works as an Attorney at Law and writer in Reykjavik. Before embarking on a writing career, Ragnar translated fourteen Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. Ragnar is the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir. He has appeared on panels at various crime fiction festivals, including Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime in the US. Ragnar lives in Reykjavik with his wife and two daughters. Rupture is the fourth book in his Ari Thor thriller series. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Features & Highlights

  • A huge bestseller in England, France, and Australia, the fourth book in the Ari Thor thriller series from a spectacular new crime writer.
  • Hailed for combining the darkness of Nordic Noir with classic mystery writing, author Ragnar Jónasson’s books are haunting, atmospheric, and complex.
  • Rupture
  • , the latest Ari Thór thriller, delivers another dark mystery that is chillingly stunning with its complexity and fluidity.Young policeman Ari Thór tries to solve a 50-year-old murder when new evidence surfaces. But the case proves difficult in a town where no one wants to know the truth, where secrets are a way of life. He's assisted by Ísrún, a news reporter in Reykjavik who is investigating an increasingly chilling case of her own. Things take a sinister turn when a child goes missing in broad daylight. With a stalker on the loose, and the town in quarantine, the past might just come back to haunt them.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(1.2K)
★★★★
25%
(991)
★★★
15%
(595)
★★
7%
(278)
23%
(911)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Dark, thrilling, moody

This was one of my favorite books by Ragnar Jonasson. The story was so well told, it never lagged. I couldn't put this book down. The characters in the mystery were gone already but they were haunting all aspects of the events taking place in the present. I loved the story and I hated for it to end.
3 people found this helpful
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Really good

This series and this book is fascinating. I’ve really enjoyed them all. The plot is good, if a bit complicated, but the Icelandic location is truly wonderful.
3 people found this helpful
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"Scandinavian (or Nordic) Crime Fiction

I use crime fiction as an escape. One that exercises the little grey cells, to be sure, but an escape all the same. I found this to be the weakest of the series so far. I'm not ready to give up on the series because I see troubling (interesting) times ahead for Ari Thor.
2 people found this helpful
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Interesting plot

I liked the parallel tracks of the Ari Thor and Is run, the reporter. Each one was interesting on its own with enough connections to keep the reader engaged. The solutions were not obvious and required imagination as well as fact finding.
1 people found this helpful
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An Icelandic mystery

This Islandic mystery was satisfying after reading Knife by Nesbo. Thor and his partner introduce the reader to a place whicquest h is not considered remote but very safe. Thor looks into an old case by request of a family member. The family did not believe a mother committed suicide. A second and current investigation leads Thor to a predator who was involved in kidnapping of a child. The reasons to lift the child are mired in.the past.
Fast read and I would recommend to a general young adult to adult audience.
1 people found this helpful
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One Question

Whatever happened to Stefnir?
1 people found this helpful
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An Interesting Set of Storylines Woven Into An Intriguing Novel

The novel opens with Róbert discovering that someone had been in his home while he was with his girlfriend in their bedroom. Thinking that he had left the backdoor unlocked, he decides not to tell his girlfriend, Sunna, so as not to upset her about her and her son’s safety. Sunna is in the middle of a custody battle with the son’s father. Events soon go south. This is only one of the main storylines with which the novel opens. Snorri, whose drug and alcohol problems had robbed his father’s dream of being the Prime Minister, finally has a chance to make a significant advance in his musical career. There is Emil who wants vengeance because his wife just died from a vicious attach in their home two years earlier. A tourist is hospitalized in Siglufjördur and dies of hemorrhagic fever that quarantines the entire town. Lastly, there is Hédinn who askes Ari Thór to look into the death of his aunt who reportedly drank poison accidently 50 years earlier. The author takes this diverse set of events and weaves them into a very intriguing novel. It soon captured my interest and couldn’t wait to continue reading.

One of the reasons that I really liked this novel was the extraordinary rich B-storylines. Tómas, the town’s police force’s senior officer, has a significant decision to make. Ari Thór has an opening to reignite his relationship with his girlfriend, but a serious issue looms on the horizon that could jeopardize this relationship. Lastly, there is a surprisingly rich B-storyline on Ísrún, the news reporter in Reykjavík. The author reveals much about her relationship with both of her parents who currently are estranged, her health, and office politics within her newsroom. All of these are interwoven into the main storylines so that both are enriched and increase enjoyment in reading.

I could not find a single instance of vulgar language. There were not any sex scenes, just a few before-and-afters. No one will have any issues with this novel on these two counts. The translator was British. Previous novels have used some British idioms which to me was strange for a novel set in Iceland. I remember only one instance in this novel. I did use the Internet capability of my Kindle to look up some of the locations.

It should be obvious that I did enjoy reading this novel with its unique set of storylines. Another thing that I found interesting was that there was a pronunciation guide before the start of the novel. Ever since the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, I knew that my American tongue has a definite problem with Icelandic names. I liked this feature, and, yes, I had been mispronouncing many of the names! I do have one warning. Because there are many main storylines at the start and the interaction between Ari and Ísrún, the start was a little slow as I tried to get a handle on all of these storylines and how they related. The sinking of this novel’s hooks into my interest took a little longer, but they did set. I just do not want you, the reader, to give up early, as you will miss a good read.

Overall, this novel achieved every criterion I have for a high star rating. By the end of the novel there were not any loose ends. The slightly slow start lowered my rating to 4½ stars, but that is not allowed. Since otherwise I did enjoy reading the novel, I rounded up to 5 stars rating. I do not see any dependence on the previous books in this series, and I do recommend reading Rupture even if it is your first read from this series. As another testament to the quality of this author’s novels, I purchased one novel to fill in one of the gaps in his series and probably purchase more in the future.

I have received a free kindle version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin's Press with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this novel early.
1 people found this helpful
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Not the usual casework but fascinating nonetheless

Ari Thor figures stuff out. Except about his personal life - that's a mess. But he's an excellent detective. Iceland is an interesting place and Jonasson plays that up beautifully.
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If you love a good Icelandic mystery!

I have always enjoyed Scandinavian mysteries both in print and film. The Dark Icelandic Series does not disappoint. I’m not going into a deep dissection of the novels, but just wanted to say that if you’re looking for a good read during a cold Michigan winter, this is it!
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RUPTURE- Mediocre book

This is my least favorite Ari Thor book so far. I still plan to read the next book in the series.