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The Darkness

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The Darkness

By: Ragnar Jónasson
Narrated by: Amanda Redman
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson.

A young woman, an asylum seeker from Russia, is found murdered on the seaweed-covered rocks of the Vatnsleysuströnd in Iceland. Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir of the Reykjavik Police is called to investigate this - the final case in her career before she is forced into retirement.

When Hulda starts to ask questions, it isn't long before she realises that no-one can be trusted and that no-one is telling the whole truth.

Spanning Reykjavik, the Icelandic highlands and the cold, isolated fjords, The Darkness is a classy new thriller from one of the most exciting new names in Scandi noir.

©2018 Ragnar Jónasson (P)2018 Penguin Audio Crime Thrillers Detective Fiction International Mystery & Crime Mystery Police Procedural Thriller Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Crime Suspense
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Once again the author has you on a hook. You are introduced to storyline but there is a twist or a distraction. I was devastated at the end. I kept saying "if only she".

Lost in sadness

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Not Ragnarsson's finest. The plot was unravelled early and the killer easily identified early on. The Narrator gave a poor, rushed performance- sometimes sounding like she was on fast-forward mode; and her pronounciation of Icelandic nouns was terrible, including Hulda Hermannsdóttir's name!

I wouldn't bother with it- thank you, next!

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I loved the book. loved Hilda & wished for her to have a happy life in the end.

unusual ending

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No really, why would a book end in such a frustrating way? So disappointing after quite an enjoyable read.

Why did it have to end like that?

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i love crime fiction and the crime itself was somewhat interesting, however the protagonist's subplot is very depressing.

a buzz kill

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The narration was good and the story was well written at a good pace. However I found the protagonist painted in such a bleak manner and given such a traumatic life which I felt was gratuitous. It painted being a woman as always being a victim with no agency. Is that how all women are in Iceland? Or is that how the author sees women? Not one single female character in the book was given an opportunity to overcome their circumstances.

Overall disappointing (mild spoilers)

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.