Spotlight on: Death on the Island

A Novel

by Eliza Reid

#deathontheisland #NetGalley

My thoughts:

There is much to enjoy in this first (but hopefully not last) novel by Eliza Reid. The characters are interesting, the plot is intriguing, the author knows Iceland (the setting) very well and the pages turn.

This is a story that is set in an isolated location so it reminds me of Agatha Christie’s writing. That said, this book has its own take and authorial voice. Observe as Jane tries to sort things out. Readers will be glad that they did.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 13 May 2025

About the book:

One of them is about to die.

A group of international players has gathered in a tiny village off the coast of Iceland for a diplomatic dinner. There’s Kristján, the mayor reeling from a personal tragedy. Graeme, the ambassador with an agenda to push. Jane, his wife, along for the ride on another one of her husband’s many business trips. And several others, from Iceland and from abroad, each with their own reason for being there, their own loyalties and grievances. By the end of the night, one of them will be dead. And it will be up to the ambassador’s wife, Jane, to figure out how—and why.

What Jane soon comes to realize is that small communities can be the most dangerous of them all… and no one in their group is safe. With secrets around every corner and violent weather trapping the finite list of suspects together on the island, this locked-room mystery by internationally bestselling author Eliza Reid brings Agatha Christie and Nordic noir together in a brand-new twist.

More From the Publisher:

The author:

Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death on the Island (Death of a Diplomat in the UK) was an instant USA Today bestseller, an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, and has been optioned for television in a pre-empt deal.

From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. She continues to speak at conferences and events around the world, delivering inspiring keynotes on topics relating to gender equality, how to make an impact when you’re not in charge, and storytelling for social change. A memoir of her time in the role is set for publication in spring 2026.

Some authors on this title:

“With its twisty Golden Age plot and a fascinating Nordic Noir setting, this novel is perfect for lovers of each.”
— ANN CLEEVES, New York Times bestselling author

“I loved this book. Eliza Reid is so assured in her plot and characters that it’s hard to believe this is her first novel. Death on the Island is compulsive and propulsive reading. Not only wonderfully evocative of a little-known area of Iceland, it is also surprising, with twists even a seasoned crime reader won’t see coming. A brilliant debut, that promises more to come.”
— LOUISE PENNY, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Grey Wolf