The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson

 

First Line: Today sees the publication of Deadline, the latest novel by bestselling author, Elín S. 

Jónsdóttir.

Young police officer Helgi Reykdal's life is looking up. He's in a new, happy relationship with Aníta and is enjoying the simple pleasures of being with her and immersing himself in his favorite crime novels. When he's assigned to look into the disappearance of a bestselling novelist, he can't wait to prove himself.

His superior officer tasks him with finding out where the missing woman is before her disappearance is leaked to the press, but there are absolutely no clues, and Helgi has to begin at the beginning by interviewing all the people who know her best.

But as his interviews progress, Helgi learns that the novelist's life wasn't what it seemed. In fact, it's even stranger than the bestselling mysteries she wrote.

~

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer is Helgi Reykdal's second appearance (after Death at the Sanatorium). The young police officer is the replacement for Hulda Hermannsdóttir, who is the main character in Jónasson's superb Hidden Iceland trilogy. Helgi is intrigued by Hulda, a difficult woman who seems to have vanished into thin air, but he's thrilled to be given the task of finding Iceland's bestselling author, Elín Jónsdóttir. His greatest pleasure in life-- besides his burgeoning relationship with Aníta is to bury himself in his favorite mystery novels, and Jónsdóttir is one of his favorite authors.

This book is written in the style of Golden Age mysteries, combining Helgi's investigation with segments of a taped interview with the missing woman. That investigation on its own kept me fully engaged, but what brings The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer to the next level is the inclusion of Helgi's personal life. In many ways, Helgi is better suited to being an armchair detective. He is extremely non-confrontational and naive, qualities which can be dangerous in a police officer's life and oftentimes bad in personal relationships. Jónasson takes a page from Alfred Hitchcock's playbook by letting readers know more about what's actually happening around Helgi. As I read, my feeling of dread continued to build, and by the book's conclusion, I now have to know two things: (1) what happens to Helgi now, and (2) will he ever discover what happened to Hulda? 

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson 

Translated from the Icelandic by Victoria Cribb

eISBN: 9781250408273

Minotaur Books © 2025

eBook, 282 pages

Police Procedural, #2 Helgi Reykdal

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

A Whack-a-Mole and Haboob Weekly Link Round-Up

 

I know many of you have been wondering how I'm doing since Denis's death. It's not been easy, to say the least. I'm not new to taking care of a loved one's affairs after their death, but what's turned out to be new to me is the almost complete lack of ...? I'm at a loss for words. It didn't help that Denis had everything password-protected, and it certainly didn't help that he didn't include my name on several things that he should have, but that horse has already left the barn. What flabbers my gast is how many times I've had to call the same companies in order for them to actually do their jobs. It's absolutely bloomin' ridiculous, and I'm sick of playing whack-a-mole with these places!

It seems as though one of Phoenix's recent haboobs (dust storms) made the news worldwide, and I appreciate those of you who contacted me to make sure I was all right. You can see the wall of dirt behind my house in the photo above. The good news is that, in my neck of the woods, we got a lot more rain than we did dirt. In fact, we've had several rainstorms since, and it's wonderful that the monsoon decided to make an appearance in this parched land.

Thanks so much to those of you who have sent me cards, books, and other goodies. Your caring is so much appreciated. Virtual hugs to you all!

Enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• 99 problems: the ice cream truck's surprising history.
• She found a tattered logbook in the trash. It turned out to be a rare record from the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.
• Author Margaret Atwood mocked a Canadian book ban with a new short story, and guess what? Now the ban's on hold "until further notice."
• How pro-war writers and A.I.-enhanced censors conquered Russia's literature industry.
• Our golden age of reading (online).
• The (almost) wildness of Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Austen's remarkable heroine.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• How ancient receipts ushered in the dawn of the written word.
• Ancient statues emerge from the waters off Egypt's coast, where they'd been hiding for thousands of years.
• "A truly unprecedented discovery": a 3,000-year-old multicolored mural with fish, stars, and gods has been discovered in Peru.
• The 2,100-year-old skeleton of a warrior nicknamed "Lord of Sakar," buried in a stunning gold wreath, has been unearthed in Bulgaria.
• A lock of braided human hair could change how we think about Inca society and record-keeping.
• "Lancelot", a medieval knight and his stunning stone tomb have been found under an ice cream shop in Poland.

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

• How Greenland's dog-sled patrol became unsung heroes of World War II.
• Strongheart the German Shepherd catapulted to fame for his heroics in silent films. Later, spiritualist writings immortalized him in death.
• Pallas's cat: one of the world's oldest felines that stands on its bushy tail to keep its' paws warm.
• A young Cooper's hawk learned to use a crosswalk signal to launch surprise attacks on other birds. (Dumb animals, eh?)
• Two sniffer dogs might have just found a lost population of critically endangered rhinos.
• Orcas are attacking boats in Europe again.

►The Wanderer◄

• See Thomas Jefferson's handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence next year at the New York Public Library.
• After a fearsome dust storm rips the Phoenix area, trees were cleaned up and power restored. (Fortunately, I was in an area that got the much gentler version.)
• Get a dose of sun, sand, and sea with these 20 scenes from the beach.
• The iconic winged lion statue in Venice may actually be from China's Tang dynasty.
• Eswatini: the last absolute monarchy in Africa.
• Italy plans the world's longest suspension bridge to connect the mainland with Sicily.

►Fascinating Folk◄

• America's early female college students held illicit fudge parties.
• Gouverneur Morris, the founding father who lost a leg, romanced married and single women alike, and escaped the bloodshed of the French Revolution.
• The underappreciated true story of Friedrich von Steuben, the brash Prussian military officer who whipped the patriots into shape at Valley Forge.
• The unsung women of the Betty Crocker test kitchens.
• Two years after Cormac McCarthy's death, rare access to his personal library reveals the man behind the myth.
• Donald McPherson, the last known surviving American ace pilot from World War II has died at the age of 103.

►I ♥ Lists◄

• 12 cozy mysteries with idyllic coastal settings.
• These mysteries and thrillers will transport you around the world.
• 7 entertaining books to read if you love Man on the Inside.
• 6 fictional mysteries about famous authors.
• "Delulu," "Skibidi," and "Tradwife" are among more than 6,000 words added to the Cambridge Dicitonary.
• 10 infamous films that spelled disaster for their famous directors. 

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!

Tahoe Speed by Todd Borg

 

First Line: Lake Tahoe skier Colin Burns stood at the top of the speed-skiing course in Vars, France, a ski resort south of Mont Blanc, Europe's tallest mountain.

When restaurateur Genevieve Laurent fell in love with speed skier Colin Burns, she began to believe in dreams, just like Colin. However, when Colin died on a speed course in France, her world was upended. 

Some things about Colin's death did not make sense to her, so Genevieve contacted Tahoe private detective Owen McKenna for help. When he did try to help her, tragedy struck, and, feeling responsible, McKenna vowed to find answers, find a killer, and put Genevieve's life back together.

~

Author Todd Borg always knows how to involve his private detective in some fascinating subjects, and Tahoe Speed is no exception. This time, it's speed skiing, which I simultaneously found interesting and frightening. (Sorry, speed skiers, Franz Klammer winning the downhill in the 1976 Olympics is as fast as I want to go.)

Little did private investigator Owen McKenna know that, when he agreed to help Colin's soulmate, Genevieve Laurent, he would become involved in a world of fine dining, insurance policies, protection rackets, and strange weaponry. As always, the mystery is intriguing, and it drew me right in, but the main reason why I will continue to come back for more is the wonderful family Borg has created around his main character. 

Of course, there's his sidekick, Spot, a Harlequin Great Dane, as well as the love of his life, insect expert Street, and her adopted deaf daughter, Camille. And he couldn't get by without all his friends in the local police. I'm also hoping that two new characters in Tahoe Speed-- restaurateur Genevieve Laurent and police rookie Hattie Foster-- will make future appearances.

Even if I don't meet Genevieve and Hattie again, I will always perk up when I know there's a new Owen McKenna mystery available. I'm addicted to this series' fascinating, fast-paced mysteries and their unforgettable characters. Hurry up, Mr. Borg, I'm ready for the next one!

Tahoe Speed by Todd Borg

ISBN: 9781931296335

Thriller Press © 2025

Paperback, 320 pages

Thriller/Private Investigator, #23 Owen McKenna

Rating: A

Source: the author

The Burial Place by Stig Abell

 

First Line: Outside, the hillside is buffeted by an unseasonable wind, the brackeny undergrowth shifting and flattening, patternless.

Former London detective Jake Jackson is enjoying his new life in the English countryside-- especially his deepening relationship with the local veterinarian and her daughter. However, trouble always seems to find him, and he's pulled into an investigation centered on an archaeological dig of a Roman settlement. 

It's a dream job for the archaeologists, but then the threatening letters begin, and then... a murder. Jake has to find the killer before the person can strike again.

~

Stig Abell's Jake Jackson mysteries are for readers who enjoy a story that unfolds slowly and is steeped in the natural world. A bonus for me was the archaeological dig, since that's also an interest of mine. 

Jake has made a place for himself in this remote countryside and has made friends in the local village. I enjoyed watching his relationships grow and deepen. More characters are added by the archaeologists, an interesting mix of personalities indeed.

The Burial Place, the third Jake Jackson mystery, is filled with things I love: fully fleshed characters, a vivid setting, archaeology... if there's one thing I didn't enjoy quite so much, it's the easily deduced whodunit. But still, this is a series that I highly recommend.

The Burial Place by Stig Abell

eISBN: 9780063463813

HarperCollins © 2025

eBook, 352 pages

Literary Mystery, #3 Jake Jackson

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

The Devil's Advocate by Steve Cavanagh

 

First Line: Holman Correctional Facility, Escambia County, Alabama. Randal Korn had waited for this moment for four long years.

Randal Korn has sent more people to death row than any other district attorney in history. Part of his success is due to the fact that the guilt or innocence of the accused doesn't matter a bit; he lives to watch prisoners being executed.

Korn has already fixed things to ensure a fast conviction and the death penalty for Andy Dubois, an innocent man accused of murdering a young girl. The one thing Korn didn't take into account was Eddie Flynn.

Eddie has seven days to save an innocent man and find the real killer. In a week, the judge will read the verdict, but there's a very real chance that Eddie will not be alive to hear it.

~

I have become hooked on Steve Cavanagh's former con man turned lawyer Eddie Flynn, and The Devil's Advocate gives readers another opportunity to watch him pull one legal rabbit out of his hat after another.

The stakes are high in this case. Young Andy Dubois is innocent, but Randal Korn is a master at convicting the innocent. Eddie is one of those "slick" New York City lawyers who probably won't get a fair deal in Deep South Alabama. There's also a packed jury to contend with. But Eddie has an expert team to help him, and with only seven days, every second counts.

I have to admit that I did find Randal Korn and all the evil surrounding him to be a bit over the top, but I still enjoyed The Devil's Advocate. Why? Because it's always a pleasure to watch Eddie Flynn perform miracles when everything is stacked against him. I look forward to his next case.

The Devil's Advocate by Steve Cavanagh

eISBN: 9781668093481

Atria Books © 2025

eBook, 432 pages

Legal Thriller, #6 Eddie Flynn

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

The Good Liar by Denise Mina

 

First Line: Professor Claudia Atkins O'Shiel, MBE, and Lord Philip Ardmore were taking the back stairs at the Royal College of Forensic Scientists in Regent's Park heading down to the distant rumble of a party in the open courtyard.

Blood spatter expert Dr. Claudia O'Shiel's speech before the Royal College of Forensic Scientists should be a career-defining one. But she has been waging a fierce mental battle. One year ago, a father and his fiancée were brutally murdered in their London townhouse, sparking a high-profile investigation. O'Shiel's testimony put the killer behind bars, but...

Claudia has learned a horrific truth. Her evidence and her testimony were wrong, and someone she knows made sure of it. Now she must make a devastating choice. Either she can protect her children and her career by keeping quiet, or she can reveal the truth and blow the whole thing wide open. Which one will it be?

~

Denise Mina is a master at creating multi-faceted characters and nail-biting suspense. The Good Liar puts readers in the shoes of Claudia O'Shiel, a woman faced with an unbearable dilemma. She is a highly respected member of the forensic science community. She developed a scientific application that is in worldwide use. She has children to support. She has a reputation to consider. But she also knows that she put an innocent man behind bars and kept the real killer free. What is more important-- her reputation and the safety of her family, or the truth?

Readers watch her relive the murder and its aftermath, knowing that her life really is in danger if the ones responsible for two deaths learn that she knows the truth. I followed Claudia's movements and her thought processes every step of the way, wondering what her final decision would be. And how would that final decision reflect on the real world we live in? So many people are complicit in turning a blind eye to wrongdoing today that I couldn't wait to see what Claudia would do.

Denise Mina has another winner with The Good Liar, but I'm not at all surprised.

The Good Liar by Denise Mina

eISBN: 9780316243247

Little, Brown and Company © 2025

eBook, 258 pages

Standalone Thriller

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

Thank You

 

Thank you so much for your words of comfort and condolence. Thank you for the emails, cards, books, special bookmarks... everything.

This has been a difficult time for me, not so much in feeling completely alone. After all, Denis had recently been hospitalized for weeks, and I was used to being in the house alone. However, getting his affairs in order has been another matter. But I shall persist and prevail.

Thank you once again. I hope to be posting again regularly soon.

Sorely Missed

 

Denis

6 June 1949 - 23 June 2025