Book Review: The Lost House by Melissa Larsen

Rating: 3.75⭐️

“Most people approach cold cases with the mindset that there is one simple answer, just waiting to be uncovered. But life isn’t so simple. We all carry our own individual truths, our own stories, our own reasonings for our actions. No one wants to be the bad guy, and so we distort facts to suit our images of ourselves, and we do this so often that eventually, the lie becomes the truth.”

Forty years ago, university professor Einar Pálsson and his nine-year-old son Magnus left their hometown of Bifröst, Iceland for the United States after the gruesome murder of his twenty-six-year-old wife local schoolteacher, Marie and their six-month-old daughter, Agnes. Though he was never formally charged with the murders, friends and neighbors were convinced of his guilt. Forty years after the murders Agnes Glin, Einar’s twenty-seven-year-old granddaughter arrives in Iceland hoping to clear her late grandfather’s name. As the fortieth anniversary of the murders approaches True Crime podcaster Nora Carver has decided to feature “The Frozen Madonna case” and is happy to have secured Agnes’s participation. Agnes has been struggling with an injury and the grief of losing her dear grandfather one year ago and hopes to find out more about the case and her family history. Growing up the events that transpired in Iceland were rarely mentioned and she has to rely on existing records and the memories of those who knew her parents (most of whom remain convinced of Einar’s guilt) to piece together what happened all those years ago and unravel the mystery behind the unsolved murders. Locals maintained a bizarre fascination with the case of “the Frozen Madonna and Child ” and the “Bifröst Murder House” (Agnes’s family home) which has been kept in its original state by the new owner. Complicating matters further is the fact that a young university student was reported missing after attending a party at the same venue.

Could there be a connection between the events of the past and the disappearance of the young girl? Is the true murderer still at large? How dependable are the recollections of those who knew the family? Will Agnes find what she is looking for, and if so, at what cost to her own well-being?

"Memories change every time we access them."

Atmospheric and intriguing, The Lost House by Melissa Larsen is a well-crafted mystery that will keep you hooked until the very last page. The author does a brilliant job of setting the scene, with vivid descriptions of the icy landscape and the family home, transporting you to Iceland with Agnes. The narrative is presented, for the most part from Agnes’s perspective and follows her as she braves the icy weather, struggles with her own opioid addiction and tries to get to the truth behind the murders of her grandmother and aunt. The pace is on the slower side, but this works for the book, contributing to the atmospheric and suspenseful tone and allowing us to get to know the characters. Most of the past events are presented as recollections of the family’s friends and neighbors and while not all can be trusted , I thought the author does a great job of establishing the possible suspects and motives in this manner. The present-day mystery is comparatively more straightforward but cleverly crafted. The author does a skillful job of weaving the different threads of the novel into an absorbing narrative and I liked how the subplots converge as the truth is revealed. The author strikes a perfect balance between the plot-driven and character-driven elements of the novel. It was heartening to see Agnes’s faith in the innocence of the man who helped raise her and the author has depicted Agnes’s inner dilemma and how she faces her own demons in the process of revisiting her family history. A running theme in this novel is how true crime is sensationalized, often at a great emotional cost to those who are personally affected by the same. There were a few moments and revelations toward the end that felt a tad rushed, but overall, I found this novel to be a gripping read and was invested in Agnes's journey.

This was my first time reading this author and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press /Minotaur Books for the digital ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.