Devi Nair
Death on the Island has an intriguing premise, a murder among diplomats on a remote Icelandic island, with the ambassador’s wife drawn into the investigation.
There are strengths here. The setting is beautifully atmospheric, and Eliza Reid clearly knows and loves Iceland. The potential for a layered mystery is definitely present.
However, the story’s structure didn’t work for me. The timeline jumps back and forth repeatedly: before the first murder, after it, then before the next, and so on. While this nonlinear format can build suspense, in this case, it felt disorienting and stopped the momentum rather than enhancing it.
Character development was another area that left me wanting. With so many POVs, the voices often blurred together, making it hard to really connect. The ambassador’s wife, who seemed like a central figure at first, gradually faded into the background as the focus shifted around.
In a talk I recently attended, Eliza Reid mentioned this book is part of a planned series, with more installments expected. However, I didn’t get a strong sense of where the story or characters might go next, or a clear hook that made me eager for a follow-up.
I really wanted to like this more. The concept is compelling and the ingredients for a solid mystery are there, but they just didn’t quite come together for me.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.wordpress.com.
Death on the Island has an intriguing premise, a murder among diplomats on a remote Icelandic island, with the ambassador’s wife drawn into the investigation.
There are strengths here. The setting is beautifully atmospheric, and Eliza Reid clearly knows and loves Iceland. The potential for a layered mystery is definitely present.
However, the story’s structure didn’t work for me. The timeline jumps back and forth repeatedly: before the first murder, after it, then before the next, and so on. While this nonlinear format can build suspense, in this case, it felt disorienting and stopped the momentum rather than enhancing it.
Character development was another area that left me wanting. With so many POVs, the voices often blurred together, making it hard to really connect. The ambassador’s wife, who seemed like a central figure at first, gradually faded into the background as the focus shifted around.
In a talk I recently attended, Eliza Reid mentioned this book is part of a planned series, with more installments expected. However, I didn’t get a strong sense of where the story or characters might go next, or a clear hook that made me eager for a follow-up.
I really wanted to like this more. The concept is compelling and the ingredients for a solid mystery are there, but they just didn’t quite come together for me.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.wordpress.com.