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The Girl Who Died

The Girl Who Died

Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE NAIL-BITING NEW STORY FROM THE MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR


'TEACHER WANTED ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD . . .'

Una knows she is struggling to deal with her father's sudden, tragic suicide. She spends her nights drinking alone in Reykjavik, stricken with thoughts that she might one day follow in his footsteps.

So when she sees an advert seeking a teacher for two girls in the tiny village of Skálar - population of ten - on the storm-battered north coast of the island, she sees it as a chance to escape.

But once she arrives, Una quickly realises nothing in city life has prepared her for this. The villagers are unfriendly. The weather is bleak. And, from the creaky attic bedroom of the old house where she's living, she's convinced she hears the ghostly sound of singing.

Una worries that she's losing her mind.

And then, just before midwinter, a young girl from the village is found dead. Now there are only nine villagers left - and Una realizes that one of them has blood on their hands . . .

Shortlisted for the Fingerprint Awards Audiobook of the Year Award

Praise for Ragnar Jónasson

'Is this the best crime writer in the world today? If you're looking for a mystery to get lost in during lockdown . . .' The Times

'A world-class crime writer . . . One of the most astonishing plots of modern crime fiction' Sunday Times

'It is nothing less than a landmark in modern crime fiction' The Times

'This is Icelandic noir of the highest order, with Jonasson's atmospheric sense of place, and his heroine's unerring humanity shining from every page'
Daily Mail

'Triumphant conclusion. Chilling, creepy, perceptive, almost unbearably tense' Ian Rankin

'This is such a tense, gripping read' Anthony Horowitz

'Brilliantly effective. Each book enraptures us' The Times Literary Supplement

'Superb . . . chilling . . . one of the great tragic heroines of contemporary detective fiction' Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month

'A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens. First rate and highly recommended' Lee Child

'Chilling - a must-read' Peter James

'A stunningly atmospheric story. Pitch-perfect, beautifully paced. Ragnar Jónasson is at the top of his game, and a master of the genre' Will Dean

'Darkly claustrophobic . . . Perfect mid-winter reading' Ann Cleeves

© Ragnar Jónasson 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Reviews

  • Intriguing . . . This spooky novel draws on Icelandic sagas to create an atmosphere of growing menace.
    The Times, CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

About the author

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. Jónasson was also an executive producer for the CBS Studios TV series The Darkness, based on the first novel in his Hulda series, starring Lena Olin and directed by Lasse Hallström. His novel Outside is being developed for the screen by Ridley Scott.


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 the 'Top 100 Crime Fiction' books 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 have won multiple prizes. He has also won a special jury recognition for his poetry in Iceland.
Jónasson has furthermore translated fourteen of Agatha Christie’s novels into Icelandic.


Jónasson has a law degree and teaches copyright law at Reykjavík University. He serves as a board member of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. He is also the co-founder and co-chair of the literary festival Iceland Noir, held annually in Reykjavík. Jónasson has regularly featured in literary festivals worldwide, and currently lives in Reykjavík.
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