Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Silent Bones by Val McDermid

Published October 23rd, 2025 by Sphere
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Series

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:THE POWERFUL NEW THRILLER IN THE KAREN PIRIE SERIES, NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES

‘Beautifully structured, witty and twisty’ ANN CLEEVES
‘A perfect crime novel’ KATE MOSSE
‘Powerful, moving and wise’ HARLAN COBEN
‘Full of humour, heart and trademark twists’ CHRIS WHITAKER
____________

The truth is buried just beneath the surface . . .

When torrential rain causes a landslide on a motorway in Scotland, it reveals a crime scene: someone hid a body in the tarmac eleven years before. Journalist Sam Nimmo had been the prime suspect in the murder of his fiancée when he disappeared, and now DCI Karen Pirie and her Historic Cases Unit must find out who buried him, and why.

Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, new evidence reopens a closed case and the accidental death of a hotel manager starts to look like murder. But what did Tom Jamieson’s book club have to do with his demise – and what will they do to keep their secrets?

Karen and her team begin to untangle a web of lies, one that connects their murder cases with Scotland’s rich and powerful. They will be tested to their limits – and possibly beyond . . .

********

MY REVIEW:

When torrential rain causes a landslide on a Scottish motorway it uncovers human remains that are soon identified as belonging to journalist Sam Nimmo, who disappeared eleven years earlier after the murder of his pregnant fiancée. He was the prime suspect, but now Karen Pirie and her Historic Cases Unit must discover how and why he was buried beneath the tarmac. 

Meanwhile, the team are reopening the investigation into the accidental death of hotel manager Tom Jamieson after his brother comes in with new evidence that seems to point to foul play. Soon, the evidence leads them to the elite book club Tom had joined shortly before his death. What are they hiding and just how far will they go to keep their secrets?

The SquadPod’s Book Club pick for October was the eighth instalment in the Karen Pirie series. Intriguing, mysterious and suspenseful, this enthralling thriller had me glued to its pages. Val McDermid is a crime fiction powerhouse so I jumped at the chance to read this book, even though it had been a while since I’d read this series. But I never felt lost or confused as McDermid succinctly catches the reader up with past events and the lives of Karen and her team. I was quickly immersed in this twisted web of power, corruption, secrets, lies, deceit and murder.

Expertly written, shrewdly choreographed, perfectly paced and full of heart and humour, McDermid’s crime-writing credentials are evident on every page. The book is filled with a cast of compelling characters that I loved reading. I loved the camaraderie and banter of Karen and her team, and how deftly they solve these old crimes. I liked that McDermid includes just the right amount of their personal lives to help us develop a connection with them that will keep you coming back for another instalment. The background characters are also fascinating to read and there were some unscrupulous characters that I couldn’t wait to see punished for their crimes. My heart raced and I was on the edge of my seat as Karen and her team untangled the intricate web to find the truth and finally get justice for these victims.

A must-read for anyone who enjoys a tense and twisty police procedural.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰ 

Thank you to Sphere for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Val McDermid is a number one bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than forty languages, and have sold over eighteen million copies. She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009, was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger in 2010 and received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award in 2011. In 2016, Val received the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and in 2017 received the DIVA Literary Prize for Crime, and was elected a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Val has served as a judge for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Man Booker Prize, and was Chair of the Wellcome Book Prize in 2017. She is the recipient of six honorary doctorates and is an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda’s College, Oxford. She writes full-time and divides her time between Edinburgh and East Neuk of Fife.

********

*The puchase link in this review is an affiliate link

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: How To Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson

Published March 12th, 2026 by Bantam
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this astonishing debut. Thank you to Alsion at Bantam books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Denver Brady claims to be the most successful serial killer of our time – and that’s precisely why you’ve never heard of him.

But with the publication of his manual for aspiring serial killers, How to Get Away with Murder, that’s about to change.

When a copy is found at the home of a girl who was tragically murdered, DI Samantha Hansen is given the job of tracking down the elusive author.

As Denver and Sam’s stories unfold and converge, it becomes clear that there’s more to both than meets the eye. And once Denver’s book goes viral, the pressure to find and bring him to justice brings Sam close to breaking point.

But who is hunting whom?

********

MY REVIEW:

My name is Denver Brady, and I am a serial killer.”

With an opening line like that I just knew that I was going to LOVE this book. And I was right. Deliciously dark, sinister, suspenseful and unsettling, this is an outstanding and inventive debut thriller.

Denver Brady claims that he’s the most successful modern serial killer and has written and published a guide for aspiring killers telling them how they can get away with murder. When a copy of that book is found at the home of a young murder victim, DI Samantha Hansen is put in charge of finding the elusive order and bring him to justice. And when Denver’s book goes viral, that pressure ramps up, leaving Sam with a race against the clock to find him.

This astonishing debut is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I loved its malevolent tone and the dark humour that was sprinkled throughout. I was pulled into the story from its opening line and it didn’t let go until the last, devouring it in under a day as it was impossible to put down. Rebecca Philipson showcases herself as a thriller author to watch with her skillful dark storytelling, clever clues, red herrings and surprising twists. It’s one of those books where you have to pay attention to every word as the clues are spread like breadcrumbs throughout the narrative but they are carefully hidden, mixed with lies or red herrings to help disguise them or throw you off the scent and very easy to miss. I admit, Ms. Philipson played me like a fiddle and I missed many of them. But I loved that as there’s nothing better than a book that surprises you with revelations that hit like a bolt out of the blue. And that ending! I am still thinking about it weeks later.

The story is told in alternating chapters by two narrators: serial killer Denver Brady and DI Samantha Hansen. I enjoyed these dual narratives and the decision to tell the killer’s perspective in the form of Denver’s manuscript. This is an original idea that helps this book stand out from other thrillers while we still get the joy of traditional narration from Sam’s chapters. I admit, I’m a sucker for unreliable narrators and chapters from the killer’s perspective, so I loved that not only did we get those but this book took them further and gives us a whole book written by a serial killer. Denver’s how-to guide is a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of a devious, dark, depraved and remorseless killer. He delighted in his murderous exploits and to be passing on his wisdom to burgeoning killers. But there is always the thought in the back of your mind when reading that we don’t know how much of this is fantasy and how much is true. Like Sam, we are looking for clues of its validity and the author’s identity. Then there is Sam who is an unreliable narrator because of her PTSD, so much so that she doesn’t trust herself some of the time. I loved that it added to the tension to never know if what we were reading was actually true or a clever game that the narrator was playing.

One of this book’s strengths is in the characters that Philipson has created, particularly her narrators. They are dynamic, charismatic, complex and nuanced characters who have so much more to them than what we see on the surface. Sam is easy to like and someone I had a lot of sympathy for as I personally know the struggles that come with breakdowns and PTSD. She was well written, expertly conveying her mental health struggles whilst also making her likeable and someone we can root for at every step. Meanwhile Denver is a cold, calculated and twisted killer who also considers himself an empath – something that feels at odds with being a serial killer. But despite his villainy, Denver is compelling and he held me in his thrall at every step. 

Heart-pounding, propulsive and addictive, this unforgettable debut is a must for every thriller lover’s 2026 TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

BUY THE BOOK:

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Jayne Philipson grew up in a mining town in County Durham, where she still lives. Educated in a small convent, she deferred her university degree to set up her own business at 21. Rebecca went on to become North East Young Entrepreneur of the Year and won the Artemis Award for inspirational women in business.

Having sold her business in 2020, Rebecca is now devoted to her writing career. She graduated from the University of East Anglia (UEA) Masters Program in 2024 and won a scholarship to Liverpool University where she will be reading for a PhD in Creative Writing.

In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys all things book-related, netball, travelling and spending time with friends and family.

********

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen

Published October 23rd, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Suspense, Humourous Fiction, Translated Fiction

Welcome to my review for this chaotic and comedic crime caper. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part an to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A desperate father’s Christmas promise sparks a wild Finnish road trip involving an antique sofa, unexpected passengers and danger … A darkly humorous and warmly touching suspense novel about friendship, love and death, The Winter Job flies at 120 kilometres an hour straight into the darkest heart of a Finnish winter night. 

Fargo meets Carl Hiassen and Fredrik Backman … via the Coen Brothers

____

Sofas, secrets and a snowbound road to trouble…

Helsinki, 1982. Recently divorced postal worker Ilmari Nieminen has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas, but with six days to go – and no money – he’s desperate. 

A last-minute job offers a solution: transport a valuable antique sofa to Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost town in Finland. 

With the sofa secured in the back of his van, Ilmari stops at a gas station, and an old friend turns up, offering to fix his faulty wipers, on the condition that he tags along. Soon after, a persistent Saab 96 appears in the rearview mirror. And then a bright-yellow Lada.

That’s when Ilmari realises that he is transporting something truly special. 

And that’s when Ilmari realises he might be in serious trouble…

A darkly funny and unexpectedly moving thriller about friendship, love and death – The Winter Job tears through the frozen landscape of northern Finland in a beat-up van with bad steering, worse timing, and everything to lose…

********

MY REVIEW:

The king of the comedy crime caper has knocked it out of the park once again with this atmospheric, quirky, witty and addictive that’s as dark and forbidding as the Finnish winter.

Helsinki, 1982. Postal worker Ilmari Nieminen is down on his luck. But when his twelve-year-old daughter tells him she wants a piano, he vows to get it for her for Christmas. As the deadline approaches, Ilmari’s financial woes continue so he accepts a job transporting an antique sofa that is at the centre of a family dispute. But he soon realises that this job isn’t all it seems. Shortly after bumping into an old school friend who helps fix his wipers, Ilmari notices that two cars are pursuing him and seem eager to get their hands on the sofa, too. But why? Whoever heard of armed robbing a sofa? The friends take a closer look at the sofa and are shocked at what they found. This is no ordinary sofa and Ilmari realises he could be in trouble. What follows is a cat-and-mouse chase across the country in a snowstorm that leaves us wondering if Ilmari will be able to deliver his cargo and keep his promise to his daughter.

Antti Tuomainen is an author who never misses. This is my fifth time reading one of his books and I’ve loved every minute of reading them. Full of dark humour, sinister deeds and memorable characters, Tuomainen knows how to hold his reader in his thrall, keeping them guessing and on the edge of their seat right to the very last page. And he does just that with his latest offering, The Winter Job, a high-speed chase across snowy Finland to take possession of a sofa that also explores themes of love, death, loneliness, trust and friendship. It’s chaotic, cryptic, unorthodox, unpredictable, suspenseful, and bloody brilliant. And it more than lives up to Tuomainen’s reputation for original, madcap stories that work thanks to his accomplished storytelling, witty observations and adventure-filled storylines interwoven with a sense of danger. That sense of peril and danger is elevated in this book by the dark and snowy landscape as it creates greater obstacles for the characters to overcome. And don’t get me started on his red herrings. Antti, you totally had me going there more than once!

The book is filled with a motley crew of characters who are unique and unforgettable. Some of them likeable, others detestable, but they are all a delight  to read and add something essential to the story. These are flawed people who are dealing with varying issues, trying to survive and do what is right to them. Ilmari was a great protagonist who was likeable, easy to root for, and I enjoyed watching him rediscover a friendship with Antero. Meanwhile the villains were easy to dislike but fun to read, especially Otto. He was one crazy psycho! Someone I’d hate to meet in real life but love reading in a book. 

Wildly entertaining, surprising and compelling, this book is perfect for thriller fans who are looking for something a bit different. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when we made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for Best Finnish Crime Novel and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. 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 BeachFinland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’, and Little Siberia (2019) was shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards, the Last Laugh Award and the CWA International Dagger, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. The Rabbit Factor, the prequel to The Moose Paradox, will soon be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios.

********

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

David Hackston is a British translator of Finnish and Swedish literature and drama. Notable publications include The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy, Maria Peura’s coming-of-age novel At the Edge of Light, Johanna Sinisalo’s eco-thriller Birdbrain, two crime novels by Matti Joensuu and Kati Hiekkapelto’s Anna Fekete series (which currently includes The HummingbirdThe Defenceless and The Exiled, all published by Orenda Books). He also translates Antti Tuomainen’s stories. In 2007 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translation. David is also a professional countertenor and a founding member of the English Vocal Consort of Helsinki.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*thsese are affiliate links

********

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: Snow Blind by Ragnar Jonasson

Published October 23rd, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Translated Ficiton, Icelandic Noir

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the dark and sinister Snowblind. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The seminal, multi-million-copy Icelandic bestseller, Snowblind, celebrates its tenth anniversary, including a never-before-published Ari Thór prequel, Fadeout.
 
**Introduction by Anthony Horowitz***
 
The blizzard returns…
 
‘A modern Icelandic take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom…’ Ian Rankin
 
‘Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty’ Peter James
 
‘Seductive … Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully’ Ann Cleeves
 
‘A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens. First rate and highly recommended’ Lee Child
 
***More than 5 million copies sold worldwide***
 
_____
 
Snowblind
 
Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life.
 
An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.
 
Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.

********

MY REVIEW:

“The red stain was like a scream in the silence.”

With an opening line so chilling and having had this book and the entire series recommended to me many times, I knew I was in for a treat when I started this book. And it didn’t disappoint.

Rookie policeman Ari Thor Arason moves to Siglufjörður, a quiet and idyllic fishing village in Northern Iceland to begin his career. This is a place where everybody knows everybody and nobody bothers to lock their doors as it’s so safe. Suddenly, Arit Thor finds himself thrust into two major investigations when a famous, elderly writer falls to his death in the theatre and a young woman is found half naked and unconscious, bleeding in the snow like a macabre snow angel. And as the snowstorm rages outside, the investigation deepens, secrets and lies from the past haunt the present, things get personal for Ari Thor and he faces a race against the clock to get to the truth.

Sinister, dark, atmospheric and twisty, Snowblind is a bingeable thriller that had me hooked from start to finish, inhaling it in just two sittings. I finally get the hype for Ragnar Jonasson and his Dark Iceland series and am excited to read the rest of the series after enjoying this one so much. Expertly written, tightly plotted, fast-paced and full of evocative imagery Jonasson creates a menacing and forbidding tone from the first line and keeps you in his thrall until the heart-stopping conclusion.

The scene setting is a huge part of this book’s atmosphere. Siglufjörður is a small, isolated village with a close-knit community. Everybody knows everybody and they all know each other’s secrets and history. Ari Thor is the newcomer, isn’t exactly met with open arms and we see how hard it can be to integrate into a tight-knit community. It adds to the claustrophobic and isolated vibes, making the stakes feel even higher for Ari Thor.

And speaking of Ari Thor, a good series needs a great protagonist, and Jonasson delivers that with Ari Thor. Likeable, relatable and flawed, he is easy to root for and has a compelling backstory that makes you want to know more about him. I was fortunate to have the prequel, Fadeout, to read as part of the 10th anniversary edition of this book, and I loved knowing more about who Ari Thor is before starting to read Snowblind. The background characters are equally compelling and it felt like everyone was a suspect, which I loved because it kept me guessing right up until the big reveal.

So if you’re looking for a dark and sinister thriller you can really sink your teeth into, Snowblind is the book for you!Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Icelandic crime writer Ragnar Jónasson was born in Reykjavík, and currently works asa lawyer, while teacher copyright law at the Reykjavík University Law School. In the past, he’s worked in TV and radio, including as a news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Before embarking on a writing career, Ragnar translated fourteen Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic, and has had several short stories published in German, English and Icelandic literary magazines. Ragnar set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA (Crime Writers’ Association) in Reykjavík, and is co-founder of the International crime-writing festival Iceland Noir. Ragnar’s debut thriller, Snowblind became an almost instant bestseller when it was published in June 2015 with Nightblind (winner of the Dead Good Reads Most Captivating Crime in Translation Award) and then BlackoutRupture and Whiteout following soon after. To date, Ragnar Jónasson has written five novels in the Dark Iceland series, which has been optioned for TV by On the Corner. He lives in Reykjavík with his wife and two daughters.

********

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

Larissa Kyzer is an Icelandic to English literary translator, writer, and editorial professional.

Currently based in Brooklyn, New York, she lived in Reykjavík for five years after receiving a Fulbright grant in 2012. She holds a BA in Comparative Literature, an MS in Library and Information Science, and an MA in Translation Studies, which she earned at the University of Iceland.

Her translations include children’s books and chapter books for young readers, short stories, poetry, essays, plays, nonfiction, and novels, most notably Fríða Ísberg’s The Mark, which has been longlisted for the 2025 Dublin Literary Award, and Kristín Eiríksdóttir’s Nordic Council Literature Prize-nominated A Fist or a Heart, which was named one of Library Journal’s 10 Best World Literature titles in 2019. Larissa was awarded the American-Scandinavian Foundation’s Nadia Christensen Translation Prize for her translation of this remarkable work.

In addition to receiving grant funding and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, European Union Prize for Literature, the Fulbright Commission, the Icelandic Ministry of Education and Culture, the Icelandic Literature Center, and Finland’s Kone Foundation, Larissa was Princeton University’s Fall 2019 Translator in Residence and has since taught translation workshops to undergraduate and graduate students at Princeton and New York University. She’s a member of Ós, an Iceland-based international and literary collective, an at-large board member for the American Literary Translators Association, an organizer on the National Writers Union’s Translator Organizing Committee, and a former co-chair of PEN America’s Translation Committee. In her spare time, Larissa runs Jill!, a virtual Women+ in Translation reading series that spotlights women, trans and/or nonbinary translators and authors.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Howling (Annie Jackson Mysteries, Book 3) by Michael J. Malone

Published September 11th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Series, Gothic Ficiton, Contemporary Horror

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this nerve-shredding gothic mystery. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Orenda books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Annie and Lewis search for the son of an old enemy, who may hold the key to ending Annie’s curse. Their investigations lead back to the past, uncovering something that could destroy the most powerful people in the country. The compelling, chilling next instalment in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series…

‘A tense, creepy page-turner’ Ian Rankin

‘Spine-tinglingly thrilling with an extraordinary sense of place’ Caro Ramsay

‘A master storyteller at the very top of his game … mesmeric and suspenseful’ Marion Todd

‘The past echoing in the present. A whisper of the supernatural. Strong characters. Evocative prose … What is there not to like? Impressive’ Douglas Skelton

–––––––

Two men, centuries apart, dream of being a wolf. 

One is burned at the stake.

Another is locked in a psychiatric hospital for most of his life.

And Annie Jackson is about to find out why…

Vowing once again to remove herself from society, Annie is back living alone in her little cottage by the shores of a loch. But when an old enemy – now locked up in a high security hospital – comes calling, begging her to find the son that she was forced to give up at the age of seventeen, Annie is tempted out of seclusion. The missing boy holds the key to ending Annie’s curse, and he may be the only chance that both she and Lewis have of real happiness.

Annie and Lewis begin an investigation that takes them back to the past, a time etched in Scottish folklore, a period of history that may just be repeating itself. And what they uncover could destroy not just some of the most powerful people in the country, who will stop at nothing to protect their wealth and their secrets, but also Annie’s life, and everything she holds dear…

Dark, immersive, and utterly compelling, The Howling is a story of deception, betrayal, and misplaced power, and a reminder that the most public of faces can hide the darkest of hearts…

********

MY REVIEW:

Michael J. Malone has knocked it out of the park yet again with this darkly atmospheric and nerve-shredding thriller where ghosts of the past echo in the present and dark secrets threaten to destroy some of the country’s most powerful men. Two men separated by centuries dream of being a wolf. One of them is burned at the stake. Whilst the other is locked in a psychiatric hospital. And Annie Jackson is about to find out why as she searches for the son of her enemy in this gripping gothic mystery. 

The Annie Jackson Mysteries have quickly become one of the highlights of my reading year. I know as the leaves start to turn and the cardigans get chunkier that I will be reading a chilling and sinister story that will have me on the edge of my seat. The Howling lives up to that reputation and Malone has delivered another first-rate thriller. Told by multiple narrators in multiple timelines, the story transports us between 1709, 1979 and 2024, bringing both past and present to life in vivid detail. It’s a complex, intricate and urgent mystery, full of curses, sinister suspense and whispers of the paranormal that is woven into every facet of the story and we get a real sense of the loneliness, isolation, fear and torment that those affected by them endure. As always, Malone’s storytelling is outstanding, while a strong sense of place draws you in as he expertly intertwines the multiple timelines, dropping clues like breadcrumbs throughout the narrative for us to follow. I had some predictions but my jaw dropped when the truth was finally revealed. 

One of my favourite things about a series is revisiting characters I love, and Annie and Lewis are two of my favourite, and probably most original, protagonists. I love their strong bond and the way they work together to solve the crimes. They are strong, memorable and richly drawn, as are all of the characters in this book. It is easy to like and root for them while Malone also delivers villains, like the chilling Sylvia, who will make your skin crawl.

So, if you’re looking for an unsettling, heart-stopping and immersive mystery this spooky season, pick up this book. It could be read as a standalone, however I highly recommend reading the others in the series as not only is what happens woven into this story, but they are magnificent reads.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought upin the heart of Burns’ He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing ScotlandPoetry Scotland and MarkingsBlood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s CallA Taste for MaliceThe Guillotine ChoiceBeyond the RageThe Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Uncategorised

BLOG TOUR: Deadman’s Pool by Kate Rhodes

Published September 25th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Crime Series, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this nerve-shredding thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Ben Kitto discovers the body of a young woman, buried near the ruins of an old isolation hospital on the island of St Helen’s, he is convinced the killer is hiding in plain sight … and determined to take more lives. The breathtaking, gripping new instalment in the Isles of Scilly Mysteries series…

‘A classy, edge-of-the-seat thriller which will keep you guessing throughout!’ B.A. PARIS

‘An absolute master of pace, plotting and character’ ELLY GRIFFITHS

‘Rhodes does a superb job of balancing a portrayal of a tiny community oppressed by secrets with an uplifting evocation of setting’ Sunday Express 

‘Dark, intense, and expertly crafted’ RACHEL ABBOTT

–––

DI BEN KITTO RETURNS…

A SACRED ISLAND

Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly, when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands’ priest to St Helen’s. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben’s dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman.


A SHOCKING MURDER


The discovery chills Ben to the core. The victim is Vietnamese, with no clear link to the community – and her killer has made sure that no one will find her easily.

A KILLER ON THE LOOSE

The storm intensifies as the investigation gathers pace. Soon Scilly is cut off by bad weather, with no help available from the mainland. Ben is certain the killer is hiding in plain sight. He knows they are waiting to kill again – and at unimaginable cost.

********

MY REVIEW:

Jumping into a series on the eighth book isn’t something I’d usually do. But – full admission here – I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series when I asked to join the blog tour. I was nervous about starting a series so late and worried I’d feel lost or find it hard to connect with the characters. But Kate Rhodes made it easy by crafting a story that is expertly paced and plotted and richly drawn characters that she brings the reader up to speed on the backstories of so that we never feel out of the loop. 

A winter storm rages on the Isles of Scilly and DI Ben Kitto makes a shocking discovery: a child’s body wrapped in a shroud and buried in the sand. Evidence shows that the victim was kept in a dark place for years. Things take another chilling turn when a newborn baby is left in a box outside the police station. How could a child be kept captive and a pregnancy hidden in such a small, close-knit community? As links between the two cases are confirmed, Ben and his team must battle the elements to find the baby’s mother and to stop a killer before they have the chance to kill again.

Atmospheric, dark, intense and unpredictable, this had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A vivid sense of place and character makes the islands and their inhabitants come alive and made me lose myself in this small community and the hunt for a depraved killer and vulnerable new mother. DI Ben Kitto is a likeable protagonist who obviously cares a lot about his job and his home and I was behind him at every step. The inclusion of Mai’s story added an extra layer of tension that made the stakes even higher and her emotions were palpable. I was on tenterhooks with my heart racing, unable to put the book down as I desperately needed to know if they would find her before it’s too late. Rhodes provided multiple possible culprits, planting seeds of doubt that could have been clues or read herrings that kept me guessing right up until the shocking truth was unveiled. 

Nerve-shredding and totally superb, I’m so glad that I finally discovered this series and can’t wait to read the backlist. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet, selected by Val McDermid’s New Blood panel at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival for her debut, Crossbones Yard. She has been nominated twice for the prestigious CWA Dagger in the Library award, and is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker Dave Pescod, and visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child, which gave her the idea for the critically acclaimed Isles of Scilly Mysteries series

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

********

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards

Published September 11th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Puzzle

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this cryptic whodunnit. Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Can you find the clues and solve the murder first?

Six people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust.

Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote village in north Yorkshire and win a life-changing prize.

Each guest has been meticulously vetted by the shadowy Trust, which has staff on-hand to make sure everyone plays fair. But with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, they must be extra vigilant.

The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.

And when the prize is to die for, it’s so tempting to inject a little murder into the mystery…

With clues for you to find along the way, this is a traditional murder mystery with a delightful twist by a master of the crime genre, perfect for fans of Janice Hallett, Alexandra Benedict and Alex Pavesi.

********

MY REVIEW:

Six strangers with links to the crime writing world have been invited to the remote village of Midwinter, North Yorkshire to play a game. They must follow the clues and solve the murder mystery that has been set for them by the enigmatic Midwinter Trust for the chance to win a life-changing prize. As the players arrive a storm moves in and they soon find themselves isolated and cut off. But then people start to die and they begin to wonder if they are trapped with a real-life murderer…

Cryptic, clever, tense and twisty, Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is a gripping whodunnit that keeps you guessing until the last page. Skillfully written and cunningly choreographed, Martin Edwards’ masterful storytelling is evident from start to finish. He knows how to craft an unpredictable mystery, keeping the reader on their toes with red herrings and misdirection. I’ll admit, I didn’t manage to predict or solve most of the clues, but I thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn that came my way. I was hooked, eager to figure out what was really going on in Midwinter. Somehow, despite his illustrious crime writing career, this is my first time reading a book by this author. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long! But on the bright side that means I now have all of his backlist books to add to my TBR. 

Two of my favourite tropes are locked-room mystery and unreliable narrators, both of which this book has in abundance. Not only is the book set in a tiny and remote fictional village, but a huge snow storm leaves everyone trapped. It’s a tense situation to begin with that is heightened when the bodies start turning up. Are they accidents and unlucky coincidences, or is something more sinister afoot? 

From the first page we are told that we shouldn’t trust anyone or anything, leaving us with a whole book full of possibly unreliable narrators. I loved trying to figure out who or what we could trust and how it added another layer of mystery and suspense to the story.

The story is told by multiple characters and narrators using traditional narration, extracts from the diaries of two of the players, and clues to help both us and them solve the game. The characters are motley crew of strangers that were flawed, fallible, entertaining and richly drawn. The staff working for the Midwinter Trust hint at tragic events five years earlier that they are keen to forget, hinting at dark secrets and giving an air of foreboding. Meanwhile, the six game players all have links to the crime writing world and have suffered a blip in their careers lately. They also seem to have their share of secrets, have little to no family and are eager for the chance at a fresh start, making them the perfect candidates for the game. I loved reading all the characters but it was the self-depreciating Harry Crystal that really stood out.

Immersive, surprising and unpredictable, this captivating whodunnit offers you the chance to solve two mysteries in one book. Perfect for anyone who enjoys a well-written mystery. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Martin Edwards has received the CWA Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in British crime writing, given for the sustained excellence of his contribution to the genre. His latest novels are the stand-alone puzzle mystery Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife and the Rachel Savernake books, most recently Hemlock Bay. The Rachel Savernake series has received two nominations for the CWA Historical Dagger and three shortlistings for the eDunnit award for best crime novel. British librarians awarded him the CWA Dagger in the Library in 2018 in recognition of his body of work. His eighth and latest Lake District Mystery is The Crooked Shore and earlier books in the series include The Coffin Trail, short-listed for the Theakston’s prize for best British crime novel. Seven books in his first series, featuring Liverpool lawyer Harry Devlin, starting with the CWA John Creasey Dagger-nominated All the Lonely People, have been reissued by Acorn in new editions with introductions by leading writers including Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid.

Martin is a well-known crime fiction critic, and series consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics. His ground-breaking study of the genre between the wars, The Golden Age of Murder won the Edgar, Agatha, H.R.F. Keating and Macavity awards. The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books won the Macavity and was nominated for four other awards, while Howdunit, a masterclass in crime writing by members of the Detection Club, won the H.R.F. Keating prize and was nominated for five other awards. His ground-breaking history of the genre, The Life of Crime, won the Edgar, H.R.F. Keating, Macavity, and Anthony awards.

In addition, Martin has won lifetime achievement awards for his short fiction (the Golden Derringer), his non-fiction (the Poirot award) and his scholarship (the George N. Dove award). He has written a stand-alone novel of psychological suspense, Take My Breath Away, and a much acclaimed novel featuring Dr Crippen, Dancing for the Hangman. He also completed Bill Knox’s last book, The Lazarus Widow. He has published many short stories, including the ebooks The New Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Acknowledgments and other stories. ‘The Bookbinder’s Apprentice’ won the CWA Short Story Dagger, for which he has been nominated for three other stories.

He has edited over 50 anthologies, which have yielded many award-winning stories, and published diverse non-fiction books, including a study of homicide investigation, Urge to Kill. An expert on crime fiction history, he is archivist of both the Crime Writers’ Association and the Detection Club. He was elected eighth President of the Detection Club in 2015, spent two years as Chair of the CWA, and posts regularly to his blog, ‘Do You Write Under Your Own Name?’ He is consultant to the bestselling British Library Crime Classics.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SuqadPod Featured Book: Watching You by Helen Fields

Published August 28th, 2025 by Avon Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A face in the crowd. A killer in the shadows…

________

On the dark streets of Edinburgh, a killer is waiting.

When a body is found, it is only the beginning. Soon there will be seven more.

In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving.

Her beloved only daughter fell prey to a vicious stalker a year previously – and now he’s coming for her too.

Edinburgh’s police are desperate.

After one body comes another, and then another. The brutal deaths are all seemingly unconnected, yet DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are dealing with a serial killer – they just need to prove it.

But time is running out, and Beth Waterfall already looks set to be the next victim…

The million-copy international bestseller returns with a gripping serial killer thriller that will have you hooked from the first page to the very last.

********

MY REVIEW:

In Edinburgh, a killer is watching. Waiting for the right time to strike. A body is found but there will be seven more that soon follow. The brutal murders seem unconnected, but DS Lively and Dr Connie Woolwine are sure they are dealing with a serial killer. 

A new Helen Fields book is always an event. A crime fiction powerhouse, Helen always delivers books that are sinister, suspenseful, twisty, menacing and addictive. Her latest novel, Watching You, delivers all that and more. Dark and gritty, there’s an oppressive sense of foreboding from the start and a chilling unease as we become aware of the killer hunting and watching his prey. It’s expertly written, skillfully plotted, full of red herrings, shocking twists and nerve-shredding moments that have you on the edge of your seat.

Fields’ books are always filled with richly drawn and compelling characters but this time she’s gone one better and packed it to the brim with characters that regular readers will recognise from both of her series. Not only are profiler Connie Woolwine and Brodie Barda back, but DS Sam Lively and DS Christie Salter from the DI Callanach series returns and there are mentions of other familiar characters. Dare I hope that soon we might get a book where Luc, Ava, Connie and Brodie all appear together? PLEASE make that happen, Helen! 

The return of Connie Woolwine means more strange moments with corpses and a crime that explores another rare brain condition. I love these aspects of this series and always particularly look forward to learning about another obscure condition thanks to Ms. Fields. Another thing I love about her books is how she humanises the victims, making us care about them and see them as real people before they are then brutally murdered. I also like that she also includes the perspective of the villain, this time making my skin crawl as I witnessed him stalking his victims, all while they are completely unaware he is watching. 

A heart-stopping thriller that is scalpel-sharp, dark and devious, Watching You is a must for any thriller lover. And though it is technically part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend all of Helen’s books as they are first-class thrillers you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Sunday Times and million copy best-selling author, Helen is a former criminal and family law barrister. Every book in the Callanach series has claimed an Amazon #1 bestseller flag. ‘Perfect Kill’ was longlisted for the Crime Writers Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger in 2020, and others have been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize, Scottish crime novel of the year. Helen also writes as HS Chandler, and has released legal thriller ‘Degrees of Guilt’. In 2020 Perfect Remains was shortlisted for the Bronze Bat, Dutch debut crime novel of the year. In 2022, Helen was nominated for Best Crime Novel and Best Author in the Netherlands. Now translated into more than 20 languages, and also selling in the USA, Canada & Australasia, Helen’s books have won global recognition. She has written standalone novels, The Institution, The Last Girl To Die, These Lost & Broken Things and The Shadow Man. She regularly commutes between West Sussex, USA and Scotland.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Featured Books

BOOK REVIEW: The Game is Murder by Hazell Ward

Published August 21st, 2025 by Michael Joseph
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Ficiton, Historical Mystery

Welcome to my bookish thoughts about The Game is Murder. Thank you Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THIRTEEN GUESTS. THIRTEEN SUSPECTS. AN IMPOSSIBLE MURDER.
A MYSTERY YOU MUST SOLVE – OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES…


What if a Great Detective reinvestigated the most famous unsolved murder case of the century?
What if that Great Detective was you?

You have been invited to a very special murder mystery party.
Thirteen guests have been gathered – rather, thirteen suspects.
But only one of them is a murderer. And only you can find them.

Your task is simple. Listen to the witnesses, examine the evidence, and solve the case.
Be careful. Trust no one. In this story, all may not be as it seems.

The ultimate murder mystery is yours to solve.
A word of warning, though – catch the killer, or face the consequences…

********

MY REVIEW:

You are invited to a murder mystery evening at a London home. But soon you realise that this night is not going to be your typical murder mystery evening. Because tonight you are being asked to solve a real murder – or face the consequences. There are thirteen guests and thirteen suspects. Can you unmask the killer?

YOU are the Reader and the Great Detective in this inventive murder mystery debut. Atmospheric, inventive and original, this isn’t your usual whodunnit. It starts out strong: full of mystery as you arrive at the home and take your seat at the table. You learn that the murder you will be solving is the murder of Sally Gardner, who was bludgeoned on November 7th, 1974 in this very house. The suspect in the crime, Lord John Verreman, vanished the next day. Now his son wants you to examine the evidence and decide if his father really did kill his nanny on that cold night all those years ago.

Debut author Hazell Ward has crafted a novel that feels unique. She grabs your attention from the start by talking directly to the reader, making you a part of the case and invested in solving it. And I felt even more invested as the crime in the story is based on the real life case of Lord Lucan, a case that has long fascinated me. There is a large cast of characters that I enjoyed reading for the most part, though it did sometimes get confusing. I liked how Ward captured the feeling of a 1970s dinner party with Babycham and cocktails, transporting me back fifty years to the night of the crime and adding an authenticity to the story.

The inspiration from classic detective fiction is evident throughout the book, with many references to the rules of these books and to titles and authors. Ward has taken these rules and added her own to create a new kind of narrative that puts the reader at its centre. It’s multi-layered, complex, full of red herrings and misdirection. You have to pay attention and I found it a bit confusing after a while.

The Game Is Murder is a creative and twisty debut that would be great for fans of books such as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Rating: ✮✮✮✰✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hazell Ward spent years as an adult education teacher, before completing an MA in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. She enjoyed it so much, that she is now working for a PhD. She was shortlisted for the Margery Allingham Short Story Competition in 2021, and won the CWA Short Story Dagger in 2023 for her story, Cast A Long Shadow, published by Honno Press.

She lives and works in Wrexham, Wales.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen

Published August 14th, 2025 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Humour, Translated Ficiton

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this addictive dark comedy. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A top saleswoman at a Finnish sauna company must outwit the police and a murderer when her boss is found dead … in a sauna. A darkly funny, tense new thriller from ‘The funniest writer in Europe’ (The Times)
 
‘The best comic crime novel you’ll read this year’ Abir Mukherjee
 
‘Suspense is uppermost in this adroit mix of psychological thriller, whodunnit and middle-aged rom-com. Comedy is still pervasive … the novel’s glorious gallery of weirdos’ Sunday Times Book of the Month 
 
‘Finnish author Tuomainen has a talent for creating offbeat characters … [a] tense, pacy novel, laced with the author’s trademark laconic humour’ Guardian Book of the Month 
 
‘It may seem hard to find good comic crime-writers, but clearly we haven’t been looking in Finland … simultaneously thrilling and evocative of the mundanity of life, and also very funny indeed’ Telegraph
  
______ 

Love, murder, middle age, and a sauna to die for…
 
A cold-blooded killer strikes at the hottest moment: the new head of a sauna-stove company is murdered … in the sauna. Who has turned up the temperature and burned him to death?
 
The evidence points in the direction of Anni Korpinen – top salesperson and the victim’s successor at Steam Devil.
 
And as if hitting middle-age, being in a marriage that has lost its purpose, and struggling with work weren’t enough, Anni realizes that she must be quicker than both the police and the murderer to uncover who is behind it all – before it’s too late…
 
From the international bestselling author of Little Siberia and The Rabbit Factor, comes a darkly funny, delightfully tense new thriller that showcases humanity at its most bare – in middle age, suspected of murder and, of course, in a sauna…

********

MY REVIEW:

A new Antti Tuomainen book is always something I look forward to. The King of Comic Crime, his books are deliciously absurd, quirky, and darkly funny thrillers that have me hooked from beginning to end. 

In his latest offering, we return to Finland for another caper. This time there is a killer who strikes when their victims are at their most vulnerable: in the sauna.  It starts with the death of an executive of Steam Devil who is found burned to death, the temperature in his sauna raised until he expired. The police think the evidence points to one person: Anni Korpinen, a top salesperson at Steam Devil and the victim’s successor. But Anni says she’s innocent. And now she must prove it. Juggling her own investigation into the crime alongside her job, middle-age, and a marriage that’s falling apart. 

Antti’s books are best read pretty blind as the joy is in the discovery of his wild and thrilling stories, so I’ll not tell you much more about the plot. What I will tell you is that when you pick this up you’re in for a treat; a crazy, rollercoaster ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat, make you angry, make you laugh when you shouldn’t, and keep you guessing right up until the big reveal. Just make sure you don’t have anything planned when you start reading, because you’ll not be moving again until you’ve finished. 

Original, hilarious, tense and addictive, pick up The Burning Stones is the perfect thriller for anyone looking for something a bit different but totally brilliant. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when we made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for Best Finnish Crime Novel and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. 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 BeachFinland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’, and Little Siberia (2019) was shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards, the Last Laugh Award and the CWA International Dagger, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. The Rabbit Factor, the prequel to The Moose Paradox, will soon be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios.

********

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

David Hackston is a British translator of Finnish and Swedish literature and drama. Notable publications include The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy, Maria Peura’s coming-of-age novel At the Edge of Light, Johanna Sinisalo’s eco-thriller Birdbrain, two crime novels by Matti Joensuu and Kati Hiekkapelto’s Anna Fekete series (which currently includes The HummingbirdThe Defenceless and The Exiled, all published by Orenda Books). He also translates Antti Tuomainen’s stories. In 2007 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translation. David is also a professional countertenor and a founding member of the English Vocal Consort of Helsinki.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

********

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.