The Lost House by Melissa Larsen Book Review

About the Book:

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a certainty: the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

My Review:

This is as much an adult coming of age as it is a mystery. Agnes is lost in life. She tries to understand her life after a serious accident and the death of her grandfather. Her adventure to Iceland to understand what happened years ago is the frame for her to come to understand herself and what she wants in life. The pace of the novel is methodical as the past is explored. There is some suspense near the end, however. For me, the best part of the book was the setting. I don't think I have ever read a novel set in Iceland and I really appreciated Larsen doing so. Larsen's writing style is good but the pace did have me skimming a bit to get to the suspenseful end. This is a good mystery for readers who like one focusing on the development of a character rather than action.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Melissa Larsen is the author of Shutter and The Lost House. She received her M.F.A. from Columbia University and her B.A. from New York University. When she isn’t traveling somewhere to research her next novel—and somehow hurting herself in the process—she lives in New York City and teaches creative writing.

Minotaur Books, 352 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)