Title: Yule Island
(Lidingö Mysteries #1)
Author: Johana Gustawsson
Translator: David Warriner
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: January 18th 2023
Publisher: Orenda Books
Finished reading: April 19th 2024
Pages: 293
(Originally written in French: ‘L’Île de Yule’)

“Oh, how we all complain about the sleepless nights when our kids are little. But when the monsters under the bed turn out to be real, we’re the ones who have nightmares.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Orenda Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

REVIEW

I’ve been a fan of Johana Gustawsson‘s writing ever since I started reading the Emily Roy & Alexis Castells series. All three books blew me away, and I’ve been looking forward to read more of her books ever since. Add the fact that I have a weak spot for a gothic thriller with a remote and spooky setting, and I’ve been highly anticipating my time with Yule Island. To say that this story didn’t let me down is probably the understatement of the year… It’s a gloriously atmospheric read with a set of twists that hit me with a sledgehammer. WHAT a read!

I’m going to keep this review short, because Yule Island is one of those books where it’s best to go in blind and let the author take you on a journey. Johana Gustawsson is a master at crafting the most intricate plot that will completely lead you astray, only to hit you with twists that will make your jaw drop to the floor. The ‘holy guacamole‘ is most definitely back! There was a certain point at the 70% mark or so that had me literally staring at the page, unable to believe what I had just read. I love it when an author is able to completely turn the plot on its head and make me doubt everything I thought was true about a story!

If you like a well written and atmospheric setting, you are definitely in for a treat with the Storholmen island. The remoteness, the mansion and its secrets, the brutal crime that happened right outside… It’s such a perfect backdrop for a gothic thriller, and its descriptions truly enhanced the reading experience for me. I also loved the incorporation of Norse mythology and references to Viking culture, which is an element I can always appreciate and it was fascinating how it was woven into the plot.

Yule Island uses a multiple POV structure, but it is easy enough to keep them all apart and follow their stories. The characters are all flawed and have their secrets, but somehow it is still quite easy to warm up to them or at least be intrigued by what they are hiding. The way the plot is woven together is simply sublime, and it’s impressive just how successfully the author is able to completely mislead the reader along the way. Especially the second half is explosive and simply impossible to put down, and I loved every single moment of the journey.

It comes as no surprise when I say that I have no doubt that Yule Island will appear on my list of 2024 favorites, and I can highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys highly atmospheric and cleverly constructed gothic thrillers. A word of thanks to David Warriner is also in order for the flawless translation, enabling me to read this French masterpiece.

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