The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen (translated by David Hackston)

Today I am absolutely delighted to be sharing my review of The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen and translated by David Hackston. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy. I have also bought my own print copy.

The Blurb

Award-winning author Antti Tuomainen launches his first series with The Rabbit Factor, an energetic black comedy, currently being adapted for the screen by Amazon/Mandeville Films with Steve Carell to star, and Antti executive producing.

What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal. Until he is faced with the incalculable, after a series of unforeseeable events.

After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from some dangerous men who are very keen to get their money back. 

All improbable and complicated problems. But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, a happy-go-lucky artist with a chequered past, whose erratic lifestyle bewilders him. As the criminals go to increasingly extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri’s relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets...

The Rabbit Factor is published by Orenda Books and is out today!

My Review

This is the second book of Antti Tuomainen's that I've read following the excellent Little Siberia, which I really enjoyed. But I enjoyed this one more. I am so tempted for my review just to say this book is perfect and I loved it and leave it there,  because it is and I did! But I'll say a little more...I smiled most of the way through reading it, laughed out loud occasionally and read bits out to people. 

Growing up in a chaotic environment, young Henri Koskinen finds comfort in the order of mathematics and it becomes a major part of his life - he applies mathematical principles and calculations to pretty much every area of his life - how much furniture he buys for his apartment, his route to work and the time he leaves, his efficiency at work and the fact he has no time for small talk. It is no surprise to find him working as an actuary, and a very good one at that, until he unexpectedly loses his job. Shortly after this, he learns he has inherited an adventure park - not an amusement park, to be clear - from his free spirited brother, Juhani. A quick look at the park's books shows that all is not how it seems financially, and unsavoury men start calling at the park looking for Juhani. Henri also inherits all the staff at the park with their idiosyncratic ways and suddenly finds his life descending into a level of chaos, and danger, that maths cannot solve... 

Henri is a fabulous character. I love how quirky he is. Although it says nowhere in the book, I wonder if he is on the autistic spectrum with his obsession with mathematics and lack of social skills, but I loved how he grew during the course of the book. And he's fabulously funny, although often without meaning to be. There's a moment early on when he's passing comment on a colleague's relationship history that had me laughing out loud and reading the passage out to others. His treatment of telesales people was another section that had me laughing out loud, although Henri sees nothing funny about it himself, he just does what he feels is logical. Such as tell a story about Wertheimer and Einstein when in a sticky situation - although I'm not sure Henri realises how sticky it is - with a couple of criminal types. He just does what comes naturally to him. 

But as we see in the book, inheriting the adventure park with its staff and apparent debt, causes Henri to occasionally turn away from the safety of maths and he begins to subtly change. He discovers art, and how it makes him feel new things, about making people happy and a little about love. His conversations with colleagues are often funny - I'm thinking particularly of Henri channelling his former boss (whose motivational speech he had described as 'somewhere between reading a bedside story and negotiating a hostage situation') when in conversation with new employee Krisitian - but they feel real, sometimes poignant and well observed. And he learns how to negotiate too.

There is a quirky cast of supporting characters here, all richly described and brought to life. The most obvious to bring up is Laura as she has the most impact on Henri, and I loved how they were complete opposites. And I loved seeing the impact she has on him. But the other adventure park employees are equally colourful and every one of them has their part to play. The bad guys too are brilliantly described and suitably sinister. But I think one of my favourite characters was policeman Osmala - he brought to mind TV cop Columbo a little.

I'm not going to tell you much about the story because, honestly, you need to read it for yourself, but it features spreadsheets, sinister cinnamon rolls, loan sharks, a three metre high plastic rabbit, freezers and love. It's quite a ride! And the ending is just perfect.

The Rabbit Factor is an absolute gem of a book. Antti Tuomainen has brought together the slightly absurd and the everyday and created a fantastic story with a brilliant central character. Who else would write a crime story where the hero is an actuary?! This is a beautifully told tale, full of humour and warmth, and jeopardy, with keen observations on society and relationships. There was absolutely nothing I didn't like. It was just perfect and I loved it. Roll on the next book! 

Just before I go, a big shout out to translators, because I don't mention them often enough. Reading translated fiction has opened up a whole new world to me and I wouldn't be able to do that without these talented individuals, in this case David Hackston, so a huge thank you to him and translators everywhere. Keep up the good work! 

The Author

Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author in 2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards. A TV adaptation is in the works, and Jussi Vatanen (Man In Room 301) has just been announced as a leading role. Palm Beach Finland was an immense success, with Marcel Berlins (The Times) calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’. His most recent thriller, Little Siberia, was shortlisted for the CWA International Dagger, the Amazon Publishing/Capital Crime Awards and the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year. In total, Antti Tuomainen has been short- and longlisted for 12 UK awards.

Remember to check out the rest of the tour!

Cold as Hell by Lilja Sigurðardóttir (translated by Quentin Bates)

I'm delighted to be sharing my review today of Cold as Hell, the new one from one of my favourite people, Icelandic author Lilja Sigurðardóttir, which has been translated into English by Quentin Bates. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the tour and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb

With rights sold in 14 countries, Cold as Hell is the first in the riveting, atmospheric and beautifully plotted five-book series An Áróra Investigation, from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers. Estranged sisters Áróra and Ísafold live in different countries, and are not on speaking terms. When their mother loses contact with Ísafold, Áróra reluctantly returns to Iceland to look for her. But she soon realises that her sister isn’t avoiding her … she has disappeared, without a trace. As she confronts Ísafold’s abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend Björn, and begins to probe her sister’s reclusive neighbours – who have their own reasons for staying out of sight – Áróra is drawn into an ever-darker web of intrigue and manipulation. Baffled by the conflicting details of her sister’s life, and blinded by the shiveringly bright midnight sun of the Icelandic summer, Áróra enlists the help of police officer Daníel, to help her track her sister’s movements, and tail Björn. But she isn’t the only one watching…

Cold as Hell is published by Orenda Books and will be out in paperback on 28th October.

My Review

I always look forward to a new book from Lilja as I love her writing. She always creates fabulous characters. You can see my reviews of her previous books by clicking through the links - Snare, Trap, Cage and Betrayal. Coming back to this one, I heard her speaking (online) about it and she was inspired because there are not a lot of murders in Iceland but an awful lot of people disappear without a trace. 

Áróra has a good life in the UK, earning good money as a financial investigator, finding money which has been hidden away. A child of an Icelandic father and British mother, she has always felt more British. Sister Ísafold, on the other hand, always felt the pull of Iceland, made a life there and found a boyfriend, Björn and seemed happy. But arguments between the sisters meant they hadn't spoken for some time, so when their mother tells Áróra her sister is missing she is keen to dismiss it, sure that Ísafold will show up eventually. It is only because of her mother's desperation that she finds herself, reluctantly, in Iceland, once again. 

I loved Áróra. I liked seeing her relationship with Iceland, coming back after years away, now an outsider. I enjoyed her seeing the country, and its people, through new eyes. And, for this reader who has never been to Iceland, I loved learning about the country and its customs. 

There is a small, tight cast of characters, all of whom I enjoyed getting to know. Stand outs for me were Ísafold's neighbours Olga and Omar, and the beautiful relationship that Lilja has built between them. There is also Grímur, a withdrawn and unusual young man who is obviously fond of Ísafold and has supported her where he can. He was painted so vividly! And I can't go without mentioning policeman Daníel, who I very much hope will be in the future books in this series, I liked him. A lot! 

The story is told through several points of view, moving between the main characters. This is effective here as it not only moves the story forward, it also fills in the background, and always keeps the interest. This is not a fast moving, action packed story, it's more of a slow burner, but is tense throughout, full of meaning and heavy with dread. And I loved how Iceland played its part, was fascinated by the lava fields.

In this book Sigurðardóttir has delivered far more than a missing person investigation. Cold as Hell is a study of the fragility of relationships, the beauty of friendship and love, of the importance of keeping people close, of not giving up. It's about perseverance, revenge and maybe a little redemption. It's the tale of an outsider returning home. And it's all told through a cast of beautifully crafted characters. It's dark and unsettling and sad, but wonderfully written. Can't wait for the next one! 

The Author

Icelandic crime writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written four previous crime novels, with Snare, her English debut shortlisting for the CWA International Dagger and hitting bestseller lists worldwide. Trap soon followed suit, with the third in the trilogy Cage winning the Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year, and was a Guardian Book of the Year. Lilja’s standalone Betrayal, was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel. The film rights have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. Lilja is also an award-winning screenwriter in her native Iceland. She lives in Reykjavík with her partner.

You Need Me by Sharon Bairden

I am delighted to be helping to open the blog tour for You Need Me, the new one from blogger extraordinaire turned author Sharon Bairden which is out today. Happy Publication Day, Sharon! You Need Me is her second novel, following last year's debut Sins of the Father. Thanks to Sean at Red Dog Press for the invitation and for my review copy. Looking forward to picking up a paperback copy soon!

The Blurb

ALL SHE WANTS IS THE PERFECT FAMILY… NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES

‘Your secret didn’t die with me.’

The mysterious note tucked inside the pages of a recently returned book leaves librarian, Morag McLaughlin, chilled to the bone. She knows it was meant for her.

Someone out there knows her darkest secrets and they could destroy everything.

Torn apart from her own family, she will stop at nothing to create a perfect new one.

Why are they all so ungrateful? She’s only looking after them...

Isn’t she?

You Need Me is out today from Red Dog Press. You can purchase direct from the publisher here or buy a numbered, limited edition hardback with a signed and dedicated bookplate here. It is also available in bookshops and online at Kobo, Google and Amazon. 

My Review

Morag is a middle aged, single woman working in a library. She enjoys her work, although her efforts at friendship with her colleagues have fallen flat. Over time, the library has attracted a few misfits and lonely people - it's warm, welcoming and free - and Morag has welcomed them all, starting a wee group which meets every week. Welcomed them all, that is, except Jess, the young woman who works in the local cafe. So whilst Morag goes out of her way to look after her wee group, Jess is excluded. But, as we discover, Morag has secrets she doesn't want uncovered...

If you've read Sins of the Father (and if you haven't, you should) you will already know that Sharon likes her crime fiction on the darker side. And this book is another slice of noir. Told from several points of view - mainly Morag's but also Jess's and some of the members of the Tuesday group - and taking place over an unspecified time (doesn't feel like too long though), this is an atmospheric read. The first chapter, with Morag alone in the library, is fantastic, richly descriptive and a little bit creepy. This really sets the tone for the rest of the book with wonderful characterisation and scene setting throughout. The book is set in a small town and Bairden describes the streets, buildings and interiors with just enough detail - the library, the cafe, Morag's house and various other locations - for us to be able to picture them but without ever overdoing it. 

The characterisation is another really strong point, a really well drawn cast. But these are not characters who are easy to like! Morag, particularly, was beautifully described. For me, Susan was probably the most sympathetic character, and one I felt desperately sorry for. And I loved Wireless Joe. He's not a major character but Bairden has taken care to draw him with as much care as the main cast. 

I had a growing feeling of unease reading this, knowing something was coming but not knowing what until it finally began to click. I think Sharon's writing has matured in the last year or so and this is a well planned, well rounded story. It is very dark and bleak though, with no real lighter moments, which I would have welcomed. That said, I enjoyed it, as I tend to read more on the darker side of crime anyway. 

In You Need Me, Bairden has given us a study in family and  friendship, healthy and toxic, in a story of wanting to belong, manipulation, revenge and redemption. The characters are brilliant and the descriptive writing is great. Looking forward to the next book! 

The Author

By day Sharon Bairden is the Services Manager in a small, local independent advocacy service and has a passion for human rights; by night she has a passion for all things criminal. She blogs over at Chapterinmylife and is delighted to be crossing over to the other side of the fence to become a writer.

Sharon lives on the outskirts of Glasgow, has two grown up children, a grandson, a Golden Labrador and a cat. She spends most of her spare time doing all things bookish, from reading to attending as many book festivals and launches as she can.

She has been known to step out of her comfort zone on the odd occasion and has walked over burning coals and broken glass – but not at the same time!

The Huntsmen by Tony Forder

I am delighted that today is my stop on the blog tour for The Huntsmen by Tony Forder. This is the start of a new series featuring DS Royston Chase. My thanks to Tony for inviting me and for my review copy. Many of you will remember how much I loved last year's standalone Fifteen Coffins and earlier this year I read The Autumn Tree, the eighth DI Jimmy Bliss book (still to catch up on the rest) so it was interesting to see something completely new.

 

The Blurb

Book 1 in the DS Royston Chase series.

When DS Royston Chase is called to the scene of a fatal road collision, his task is to identify the girl who died alongside the ex-Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police. Paired with the bold and strident DC Claire Laney, Chase is given the task of closing the case quickly and quietly.

But when the girl’s DNA provides a familial link to a child who vanished from her home twenty years earlier, Chase and Laney refuse to accept the coincidence. The pair start looking harder at the ex-cop’s life, at which point they encounter serious opposition. Perhaps deadly serious.

Because the establishment looks after its own, and soon it’s not only their bosses getting in the way of a thorough investigation. Chase and Laney find themselves seemingly at odds with everyone, fighting to save their own reputations as well as the case. But neither will rest until they identify their young victim, no matter what the cost...

The Huntsmen was published yesterday and is available here.

My Review

Well, I was hooked by the end of the first chapter! The prologue is super creepy, I was holding my breath through most of it, I think, then there was a huge shock at the end of the first chapter! I re-read it to make sure. Bam, that was me well and truly hooked.

DS Royston Chase is a good policeman with a stable family life, no dodgy skeletons in the closet. But due to a previous brain injury, he can be a bit... forthright. He doesn't check what he's going to say before it comes out of his mouth. He's been sent to man a small station with just PCSO Alison May for company. Nothing much happens on his patch, until it does. Although another team are dealing with the accident itself, it is down to Chase to find the identity of the young girl travelling with the ex Chief Constable at the time of the crash. He is sent help in the form of DC Claire Laney and their investigation goes in a direction they never expected.

So, I like Chase, you know what he's thinking. His upfrontness is refreshing. And I like that he has a strong, stable family. You don't seem to get much of that in crime fiction. But, my goodness, I loved Claire Laney! She has no excuse for her brashness and she doesn't care. Royston and Claire meeting for the first time is hilarious. She's larger than life and he just doesn't know what to do. Brilliant. But they make a really good team and I enjoyed watching them bond. It's so great to read such brilliant, fresh, down to earth characters and you can't help but root it for them.

So there is humour and some light hearted moments but this is a dark, sad story with a denouement that manages to be horrifying, happy and heartbreaking all at the same time. you'll see what I mean when you read it. The story of how the team get there is beautifully written, with great characters featuring along the way. It's one that, for both the reader and the investigating team, just gets bigger and bigger. I loved the mysterious Maurice, have a fabulous picture of him in my head. I don't know where Tony gets his ideas but I think it's a dark place! 

I'm worried I've made it sound miserable and it isn't that at all. The subject matter is dark and may not be for everyone but this a cracking story told well. The Huntsmen is a really strong start to the new series introducing a unique partnership in Chase and Laney and delivering a beautifully written piece on family, love, pain, evil and redemption. There's a crime or two in there too! 

The Author

Tony J Forder is the author of the bestselling DI Bliss crime thriller series. The first seven books, Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, If Fear Wins, The Reach of Shadows, The Death of Justice, Endless Silent Scream, and Slow Slicing, were joined in December 2020 by a prequel novella, Bliss Uncovered. The series continued with The Autumn Tree in May 2021.

Tony’s other early series – two action-adventure novels featuring Mike Lynch – comprises both Scream Blue Murder and Cold Winter Sun. These books were republished in April 2021, and will be joined in 2022 by The Dark Division.

In addition, Tony has written two standalone novels: a dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, and a suspense thriller set in California, called Fifteen Coffins.

The Huntsmen, released on 4 October 2021, is the first book in a new crime series, set in Wiltshire. It features DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and PCSO Alison May.

Tony lives with his wife in Peterborough, UK, and is now a full-time author.