The setting is late 17th century Iceland. Rosa, until recently a spinster, has agreed to marry a rich man from a remote village in order to support her mother after her father's death. She finds her husband distant and domineering, in particular forbidding her to enter the locked room in his loft or to associate with the other women of the village. From what contact she does have with them, she comes to realize that all may not be as it seems regarding the death of his first wife.
My immediate thought when I picked up this book was "So, it's Rebecca in Iceland." And essentially it is, although I found Rosa to be a more compelling character than the unnamed narrator of Rebecca. (In general, I find I like other Rebecca-esque gothic novels better than their predecessor, due to narrators that are typically stronger personalities.) The setting helps to develop the sense of isolation and menace, and the conflict between Christianity and Paganism adds another layer of tension between Rosa and the world to which she is asked to conform herself.
A rich, historical tale with an interesting setting for fans of gothic suspense.
Oveall: A-