SEE NO EVIL
Eyes missing, two bodies lie deep in the forest near a remote Swedish town.
HEAR NO EVIL
Tuva Moodyson, a deaf reporter on a small-time local paper, is looking for the story that could make her career.
SPEAK NO EVIL
A web of secrets. And an unsolved murder from twenty years ago.
Can Tuva outwit the killer before she becomes the final victim? She’d like to think so. But first, she must face her demons and venture far into the deep, dark woods if she wants to stand any chance of getting the hell out of small-time Gavrik.
Next up in my catch-up of missed reviews from 2018 is Dark Pines. Now here’s a question. Will Dean has published two books in his Tuva Moodyson series. So how the hell do I find myself with five different versions? It’s actually quite straight-forward (and with books being the only vice I’m going to admit to, it’s fair enough, I think). I bought Dark Pines on Kindle, but didn’t get around to reading it, even after hearing great things. Because I did hear great things, I got a signed paperback at CrimeFest in 2018. Still didn’t read it, but when I saw the Audible companion for a bargain price, I picked that up to (three versions now). That was my mistake.
Why a mistake, I hear you ask? I’ll tell you why. Because Dark Pines is read by Maya Lindh, and it is a fantastic narration. Maya’s voice is Tuva’s. Maya is a Swedish actress living in London, and her accent is perfect for the book. Even the odd word pronounced differently to how I’d pronounce it, makes me smile in a good way.
So when I picked up a signed copy of Red Snow at a Waterstones event in Picadilly a couple of weeks back (with Will Dean on the left of this photo, who isn’t the giant this photo seems to show!), I just had to spend an Audible credit on an audio copy too, just so that Maya can read it to me. Five versions!
Anyway, this is supposed to be a review of Dark Pines, but it’s going to be brief:
Fantastic atmospheric Scandi noir crime book. Tuva Moodyson is a wonderful protagonist, and the portrayal of her deafness feels very authentic and allows the author to put her in some sticky situations. The story is great, with plenty of suspects to keep you guessing, and going back to the word atmospheric, Will creates a very real feeling of claustrophobia in ten thousand acres of forest. I’m guessing living in a log cabin in a forest in the middle of Sweden will give you that sense of authenticity. Brilliant book – go buy it. I’m about to cue up Maya to read Red Snow to me!
djpaterson 