This is the first book I’ve read by Yrsa, but having read some of the reviews of her other novels, it certainly won’t be the last!

The Doll starts with a hideous doll being uncovered from the sea during a fishing trip. However, things take a dark turn shortly afterwards. Years later some of those involved in the doll’s story are dragged together when a young boy accuses one of the people who cared for him of a crime. Huldar and Freyja work to try and unravel several mysterious cases.

One of my favourite things is when an author is able to wonderfully tie up all the loose ends at the end of the story. Yrsa managed to do that wonderfully with this book, repeatedly blowing me away with the various twists and turns that I encountered during the final chapters of this novel. I found myself on edge and just wanted to keep reading!

I’ve never before read a book set in Iceland, but I love it when a book can help me travel to new countries. However, I had two slight issues with this book, that dampened my enjoyment. Firstly, I personally felt that some of Freyja’s thought processes were quite clearly the author’s, it didn’t seem to fully fit with her professional and academic life. I am aiming to become a psychologist myself and I just struggled to believe some of these parts. Additionally, I was sold by the perception of this book being a horror. I admit that there were horror aspects at the very beginning and at the very end, but the majority of the book didn’t fit this genre, and I was left feeling a little disappointed. That being said, as a detective thriller novel, I really enjoyed it. I also really liked that the doll was inspired by an actual doll that was found, it added a creepy layer to the story!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves a noir detective novel with a satisfying end. I want to thank Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton publishers and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir for allowing me to read this novel and give my personal thoughts.