Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson was first published just as I began blogging a decade ago and was one of those books I never got round to reading. Since then, with Snowblind selling over five million copies worldwide, being published in over 36 languages and selected as one of Top 100 Crime Fiction of all time by Blackwell’s Bookshop and French press, I have had terrible FOMO! Ragnar Jónasson’s The Dark Iceland series is now in production for a major TV series with an international cast, so when Anne Cater invited me to be part of the Snowblind tenth anniversary blog tour I broke my self-imposed ban on tours and jumped at the chance. It’s my pleasure to share my review today and to help close the tour.
The anniversary edition of Snowblind was published by Orenda on 10th October 2025, alongside a never-before published prequel Fadeout and is available for purchase here.
Snowblind
Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying halfnaked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24- hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose…
Fadeout
When Ari Thór Arason receives a staggeringly high bill for a foreign credit card that was taken out in his name, his life takes a turn he never anticipated. The bill in question belongs to his namesake – his father, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances when Ari was only a child. Seeking answers, Ari Thór travels to London to investigate, hoping to learn the truth about what happened to his father all those years ago, and discovering far more than he could ever have imagined…
My Review of Snowblind
Ari Thór Arason has a new police placement in Siglufjörður.
Let me say from the outset that, whilst I had heard very positive praise for Snowblind, I still wasn’t prepared for the frequent beauty of the prose. This may be a novel in translation (by Quentin Bates) but it has a mellifluous fluidity to descriptions that is simply stunning, making the Icelandic setting thrum with authenticity. I found the dated structure of the book, with the italicised aspect gradually uncovered, meant that there’s intriguing mystery throughout. I had expected a hard hitting and perhaps rather visceral narrative and loved the way that instead this story has a more traditional atmosphere, frequently reminding me of Agatha Christie.
It took me a little while to attune to the unfamiliar Icelandic names which worked brilliantly because it placed me in an unfamiliar environment in exactly the same manner as Ari Thor finds himself when he arrives in Siglufjörður. Siglufjörður itself is so much more than a setting. The claustrophobic isolation, the small town intensity where everyone knows everything (or so they think) about everyone else, and the harshness of the winter all contribute not only to the plot, but to the reader’s appreciation of Ari Thor’s personality, mentality and situation.
I loved meeting Ari Thor because he’s so realistic. Young, rather stubborn and not quite sure what he wants to do with his life, he is impulsive, frequently naïve and yet perceptive and likeable. As Snowblind progressed I felt he developed brilliantly, with incredible potential for his character in future books. Ari Thor is a nuanced and layered person and I feel sure I have only just begun to understand him.
The plot is thoroughly engaging. Again, the denouement has a Christie-esque impression so that there are real ‘aha’ moments. The the way the author drops hints as Ari Thor continues his investigations, but doesn’t fully reveal everything to the reader means that they are held captivated and compelled to read on. It sounds somewhat cliched to say so, but I felt completely drawn into the story.
But whilst Snowblind is an engaging and entertaining police procedural novel, it is so much more too. Ragnar Jónasson explores deeper themes with a lightness of touch that is highly impressive. There’s rivalry and guilt, family and relationships, adultery, betrayal and a terrifyingly realistic understanding that justice isn’t always served to those who deserve it – but you’ll need to read Snowblind to discover more.
Snowblind rather took me by surprise. Cosier and more traditional in style than I anticipated, I felt it was perfectly pitched and am entirely hooked on reading more about Siglufjörður and Ari Thor. I really recommend Snowblind and it’s just right for these darker winter days. Don’t miss it.
About Ragnar Jónasson
Ragnar Jónasson is the award-winning Icelandic author of the international bestselling Hulda series, the Dark Iceland series, and standalone crime fiction, with five million copies sold across 36 territories. The Times selected The Darkness as one of the 100 Best Crime Novels and Thrillers since 1945, and Snowblind has been selected as one of Top 100 Crime Fiction of all time. The Times has said of his work: ‘Is this the best crime writer in the world?’ His books have been on bestseller lists across Europe and the USA, and won multiple prizes. He has also won a special jury recognition for his poetry in Iceland. Ragnar has translated fourteen of Agatha Christie’s novels into Icelandic. Ragnar was also an executive producer of the CBS Studios TV series The Darkness, based on the first novel in his Hulda series. His novel Outside is currently being developed for the screen by Ridley Scott.
Ragnar has a law degree and teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University. He also serves as a board member of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, and as the Deputy Chair of the Writers’ Union of Iceland. Ragnar is the co-founder and co-chair of the literary festival Iceland Noir, held annually in Reykjavik.
For further information visit Ragnar’s website and follow him on X @ragnarjo, Instagram and Facebook.
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