The Moose Paradox by Antti Tuomainen (translated by David Hackston)

Today sees the paperback publication of The Moose Paradox, the madcap follow up to The Rabbit Factor, by Anti Tuomainen and translated by David Hackston. To help celebrate, I'm delighted to reshare my review, originally posted in October last year. My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation.

The Blurb

Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction? Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late. 

My Review

Actuary Henry's life is ruled by mathematics. Every decision is made after careful calculations, every problem dealt with in the most efficient way possible. He thrives on logic and order. All of that was thrown into chaos when he inherited an adventure (not amusement) park from his late brother, together with its quirky employees. His early adventures here are described in The Rabbit Factor. Six months on he has settled into his time and the park is running well. But to beat their competitors and increase visitor numbers, the park needs new equipment. Specifically, the Moose Chute. But Henri finds his previously good relationship with supplier Toy of Finland has soured since it was taken over by three new owners. And that's not how only problem. There are threats to him and threats to the park, a face from the past and rebellious staff. And a relationship to navigate. It's a lot.

I love, love, love Henri. He'd never admit it but he is just as quirky as his park employees. I love his ability to apply maths and logic to everything he faces, even the ridiculous. And how that calm, organised approach can get him out of the stickiest of situations. And, without realising it, he's very funny! So brilliant from Tuomainen. His description of being caught short when out an about, and also his parents' joint funeral are very chucklesome, especially when the latter really shouldn't be. But what I really love is his burgeoning relationship with artist Laura Helanto. Every mention of her includes both her first name and surname. Henri is new to the vagaries of love and we see him struggle with telephone conversations and text messages, which I agree are a total minefield! And his description of love making is... well, read it for yourself! 😂 But the effect Laura, and her art, have on him is beautiful to read. Time spent with her is 'fuller and denser than usual.' He's such a carefully created character and it feels like this was done with a real affection for him. Laura, of course, is another character I love, and amongst the park employees I have affection for Kristian, an eager young puppy, keen to learn, taking courses to improve himself, although not, it should be noted, Henri's course on 'The Fundamental Principles Of Adventure-Park Mathematics, and Head of Security Esa, who I suspect might be as mad as a box of frogs! 

But it's not all love and fun. Threats to YouMeFun come from every direction and Henri finds himself in some absurd, and dangerous, situations. He has to make some difficult, but always calculated, decisions and must decide how honest to be with DI Osmala, a big man with tiny feet! The descriptions of all these encounters are so entertaining, brilliantly written. 

This book is brilliatly written and skilfully translated by David Hackston. Amongst the giggles are some beautiful descriptions:

'...it's light was like an endless cascade of white gold and silk.'

'Outside it is dark, save for the illuminated windows of the building opposite, which seem to be floating in mid-air. Golden, multicoloured, dim, bright floating squares in a sea of black or in an endless universe, all set in soothing, regular formation.'

The Moose Paradox is madcappery and mayhem, with some genuine peril thrown in. Add to that an awkward love story and one of my favourite protagonists ever and it is everything I could ask for. Loved it! 

The Author

Finnish 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. Palm Beach Finland was an immense success, with Marcel Berlins (The Times) calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’. Little Siberia (2020), 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. The Rabbit Factor (2021), the first book in Antti’s first ever series, is in production by Amazon Studios with Steve Carell starring. The Moose Paradox is the second book in the series.

 

Penitent by Mark Leggatt

I'm absolutely delighted to be opening the blog tour for Penitent, The new book from Mark Leggatt. It's great to have a new book from him, it's been a while - he last featured on the blog in 2018! And the best thing is that Penitent is a cracker, and has been longlisted for the Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize for Crime Fiction, so that's really exciting. Huge thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb

Justice can be outwith the law.

Meet Hector Lawless. As a brilliant Edinburgh lawyer, Hector has a reputation for untangling the cases that no other lawyer can handle. But the obsessive-compulsive behaviour that’s made him a master of the law has also left Hector a pariah amongst his peers – a social outcast with crippling anxiety. The man with the perfectly ordered desk, the pristine notebooks, the strictly regimented working day and rituals that make sense only to him.

When Hector is approached by his boss, Lord Campbell, with a highly sensitive case that reaches from one of Edinburgh’s most exclusive private schools to 10 Downing Street, he relishes the chance to bring true evil to justice. But when he is betrayed and framed for murder, Hector must call on every one of the skills he has cultivated over a lifetime of being an outsider to survive.

Retreating into the shadows, Hector begins a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the police and MI5. They think they’ve got him cornered. But no-one really knows how far he will go for revenge. Justice will be served. The Penitent must accept their penance. As Hector’s enemies are about to discover, it really is the quiet ones you have to worry about.

PENITENT is a compelling, immersive thriller from Mark Leggatt, author of the acclaimed Connor Montrose series.

It's out on Thursday and you can pre-order/buy it here.

 

My Review

As I mentioned above, since I read it, Penitent has been longlisted for the prestigious McIlvanney Prize, the winner of which will be announced at the opening of the Bloody Scotland festival on 15th September. I am delighted, and think Penitent definitely deserves its place on that list. 

This is a hard book to talk about without giving spoilers! Hector Lawless - fabulous name for a lawyer - is completely rule and ritual driven and has been for a very long time. He's meticulous, organised and very good at his job. He has no friends. But was in love once. He is tasked with a highly important and very secretive assignment by his boss. An investigation that could rock parliament. And Hector is the man for the job because he is so thorough. He is also a planner, and this serves him well when things turn against him. The level of his planning will take your breath away. Well it did mine, anyway, maybe because I'm always so disorganised and chaotic it's a wonder I make it through the day! Hector is not like that. 

I like Hector. I'm always drawn to the quirky characters, and he's definitely one of those. He's a loner. Goes to work, comes home. Rinse and repeat. He doesn't socialise with colleagues - they don't like him, he's not bothered about them. He's fine as he is but he carries some sadness too. There is a moment with a pillow that I found quite heartbreaking - I know that sounds weird but you'll know exactly what I mean when you read it. He is so rigid in his thoughts and actions but fully fleshed out and beautiful described. I think he's fab. But I wouldn't want to wrong him. We see what happens when people do...

Also worth mentioning is DI Davey Gilfeather. Hardworking, determined but fair and with a decent sense of humour too. Someone else with a sense of humour is Eilidh, who might well be my favourite character, just the right level of sass. Lord Campbell invoked such a sense of anger in me, that had he been real, DI Gilfeather might well have been arresting me! And DC Fairbairn sounds vaguely familiar...

Considering this begins as a story of an obsessive compulsive man who does nothing other than go to work and home again, it's very tense and exciting as Hector is tested and we learn his hidden depths. There are plenty of humorous moments, although not often from Hector himself, and loads of twists and turns. And it is all beautifully written. Early on there is a devastating description of an abandoned church which probably says something about the author's opinion of organised religion. But what really stood out for me were the descriptions of Edinburgh, especially those of the city on a dark, wet night. Very atmospheric. 

Penitent is a totally immersive tale that just sweeps you along. I think I read it in two days. You will be confused by Hector, irritated maybe, but then you'll be rooting for him every step of the way. It's beautifully written and very original. I'd love to see it as a movie! It's great to have Mark back with a new book and even better that it's a brilliant one! 

The Author

Mark Leggatt is an author who’s twice topped Blackwell’s bestseller list. He’s the author of five books and is represented by literary agent Jon Wood at RCW. When Mark is not being an author, he is a freelance literary consultant and editor for several of the UK’s leading literary consultancies, providing editorial reports and manuscripts assessments. He has appeared at literary festivals in the UK, US and the EU. His earliest memory of writing was in Primary school, where the teacher handed out a random photo to each of the class and told them to write a story. Mark had a photo of a red phone box. Thirty minutes later, he’d worked out an entire saga and hadn’t even started the story. He was very angry when he was told to stop. He still is.

The Fascination by Essie Fox

This isn't a book I was likely to pick up, although it is beautiful - just look at the cover - but it comes from the ever dependable Orenda stable so it was worth taking a chance on. And, boy, an I glad I did! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Fascination by Essie Fox. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy.

 

The Blurb

Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London and darkness and deception that lies beneath…

Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn't grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father's quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’.

Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name.

Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts.

But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a dark web of deceits, exposing unthinkable secrets and threatening everything they know…

The Fascination will be published on 22nd June 2023 by Orenda Books. 

My Review

I mentioned in my intro that this isn't a book I'd naturally gravitate to. Regular visitors to this blog will know that I favour crime thrillers but have been reading more historical crime recently. The Fascination, set in and around Victorian London, was not billed as a crime thriller but I think I could argue that it is. It's certainly as dark in places as many crime novels I've read. What we have here, ladies and gents, is a gorgeous slice of gothic noir. 

Keziah and Matilda, or Tilly for short, are twins. Identical in every way except Tilly is the same height as she was when she was five. And we meet the twins when they are 15 years old, on the cusp of womanhood. The sisters are very close but living a miserable life with their awful father, touring fairs as he tried to sell his elixir. It is at such a fair that Theo first encounters the twins and is bewitched by them. Shortly afterwards, all their lives are changed: the girls are sold to the 'Captain' and Theo is disowned, disinherited and thrown out of the house with nothing by his evil grandfather. It is another five years until the three cross paths again. And here their lives change once again. 

Keziah and Tilly are gorgeous. Innocent, lovely, and devoted to each other. I was worried when they were sold to the Captain, fearful that they would become exhibits in some freak show, but he shows them kindness and care. He's such an interesting character - handsome, mysterious, caring but carrying much sadness. Theo too carries sadness, but also anger towards his grandfather when he and the housekeeper, Miss Miller, are cast out. But Miss Miller looks after Theo and finds him work in London with Dr Summerwell with his museum and shop. The museum is a tad macabre but Theo shows a talent for maintaining and improving the exhibits. But his thoughts often wander somewhere darker, recalling a traumatic childhood moment. All our main characters are troubled in some way and are written so beautifully that you will care what happens as you journey with them. I must also mention Martha and Alexski, both so wonderfully described I could easily picture them. And finally, Lord Seabrook. If this was a panto, he'd be the one we'd all be hissing and booing at. I was as invested in what happened to him as I was Keziah, Tilly and Theo, but for very different reasons!

This is a really immersive novel, rich in detail and the author's passion for this era shines through. Reading her notes at the end of the book, it's clear she has done detailed research and uses examples of real people, places and situations . It also focuses on the Victorian's love for a freak show. And here is where the book gets very dark, sometimes a little uncomfortable to read. But well worth persevering. 

The Fascination is a sumptuously written, descriptive and atmospheric, beautiful even in the horror. There are twists throughout and and a few surprises. It tells of the depravity of some people and the compassion of others. It tells of loss, grief, friendship, love and acceptance. It says it's OK to be different. And, most of all, that family is not always the one you're born into. Loved this book and now I'm off to find a copy of the Memoirs of Fanny Hill! 

The Author

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, and then book publishers George Allen & Unwin, before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design. Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian. She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London.

The Clear Method by Carolyn Creel

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Clear Method by Carolyn Creel. It's a book which wasn't quite what I was expecting but I enjoyed it and found it helpful. More on all of that below. Big thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review paperback.

The Blurb

The Clear Method is here to shake (and vac) up the way we have lived our lives for years - so much more than a book on cleaning your house; it will help you shift stuck energy and get into the flow.

On a practical level, it declutters the chaos of life. Energetically it helps you focus and see more clearly. Emotionally it helps to shift outdated ways of thinking that have kept you stuck in a rut.

Author Carolyn guides you through her tried and tested methods to Clear, Let go, Energise, Act and receive in all areas of life.

The Clear Method is published by Unbound Press and came out on 21st March 2023.


Buy Links

https://amzn.to/3zq39Af

My Review

The Clear Method appealed to me because my house is a bit of a disaster and my life isn't much better! 😂 I thought a book that showed me how to declutter my chaos and find my sparkle was exactly what I needed. When I said in my intro that it wasn't quite what I expected, I didn't know beforehand that as well as being a cleaning whizz and successful business woman, Carolyn is also clairvoyant and speaks to Spirit and brings that side of things into the Clear Metihod.  Now, full disclosure here - this is something I've always been more than a little sceptical about. But I went into this with an open mind and found it an enjoyable and beneficial read. And Carolyn herself said that although she is 'woo', she's only one woo, not two, which made me smile. 

The Clear Method is a book for everybody but particularly women, I think. It certainly appealed to me and I appreciated the section on the menopause. It's written in a very personal way, as if the author is just chatting to you.  This isn't just an instruction manual on cleaning your house, although that's certainly part of it, but more aimed at every area of your life - physical space, family and friends, relationships, job and finances.  The book is divided into five main sections - C, for Clear, Cleanse and Clarity, L is for Letting Go, E for Energise, Embody, Embrace and Empower, A for Action, Assessment and Alignment and R for Receive. The author refers to the process as a dance, with each area of our lives perhaps at a different part of the process and is also with us moving backwards and forwards. 

Amongst the talk of chakras and chi, which I'm not dismissing but which weren't a focus for me, there are fun quizzes to see where you're at, really helpful suggestions how you might be able to make improvements across all areas of your life and keeping a record of your progress. Also great ideas for breath work, meditation and general relaxation. There are certainly parts of the book I shall go back to and try to apply in my own house and my life more generally. There is mention of spirit guides and angels which is not my thing, but I must admit there is a certain appeal to screaming out for help to the universe and seeing what comes back to you. You never know, maybe this old cynic will try it yet! An interesting read. 

The Author

Carolyn Creel is the creator of The CLEAR Method, a Clairvoyant CLEARer and Spiritual Declutterer, bringing years of experience from her multimillion-pound commercial cleaning company and her clairvoyant and intuitive abilities to The CLEAR Method.

A down-to-earth, practical Yorkshire woman, Carolyn loves to help people declutter, clean and clear their lives. The CLEAR Method came into being when Carolyn saw that to access our intuition and inner knowing, we need to CLEAR ourselves, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Now she helps others declutter the chaos of life through her book and coaching sessions.

www.carolyncreel.com