Poisoned Pen Press
Published May 13, 2025
Reviewed by Sharon Mensing
This is a light mystery novel, in spite of it being set on an isolated Icelandic island during a very bad storm that has ferry service interrupted. It has a classic locked room feel to it, with no one character being central to the plot, but rather all being under suspicion when a murder takes place. The cast of characters includes the local mayor, a Canadian ambassador and his entourage, an artist, a writer, a local industry magnate and his wife, and the chef who created a gourmet meal followed by a fiery cocktail reveal during which one guest was murdered. Each character is developed well enough that they can stand on their own, which is quite an accomplishment with nearly a dozen separate character threads to follow. Each of the characters acts badly enough at one point or another that any is feasible as a culprit.
The plot doesn’t blast along, but moves forward quickly enough to keep the reader’s interest. The atmospheric writing about the island setting and the storm helps maintain interest, while the short chapters and changing perspectives help with the pace. Where the plot was headed was not obvious, at least to me, but the resolution was believable and supported by the preceding narrative. The book was somewhat more contemplative than plot-driven, which was an advantage for me but might be a disadvantage for other readers. Several themes were touched upon, including the manner in which art, money, and politics are tied together. I also found the author’s interpretation of the difficulty of defining one’s worth as a trailing politician’s or industrialist’s spouse a unique and fascinating aspect of the book. The author would know something about that, as she is the wife of Iceland’s 2016-2024 President.
Death on the Island is a debut novel, so we will hopefully have more to read from Reid as she moves from the political life to a literary one. I enjoyed this book, and I hope to hear more from her.