March 25

Black River – Will Dean

Black River is an electrifying return for relentless reporter Tuva Moodyson, from the author of Dark Pines and Red Snow.

FEAR

Tuva’s been living clean in southern Sweden for four months when she receives horrifying news. Her best friend Tammy Yamnim is missing.

SECRETS

Racing back to Gavrik at the height of Midsommar, Tuva fears for Tammy’s life. Who has taken her, and why? And who is sabotaging the small-town search efforts?

LIES

Surrounded by dark pine forest, the sinister residents of Snake River are suspicious of outsiders. Unfortunately, they also hold all the answers. On the shortest night of the year, Tuva must fight to save her friend. The only question is who will be there to save Tuva?

 

Huge thanks to publishers Point Blank for my review copy and to Anne Cater at Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the Black River blog tour

 

Black River brings another very welcome return for journalist Tuva Moodyson. Tuva has appeared twice before but if you haven’t had a chance to read any of Will Dean’s previous books (both highly recommended) the good news is that Black River works great as a stand alone title.

Returning readers will be delighted to learn that Tuva has achieved career progression and moved South, away from Gavrik and it’s deep, dark forests to take up a new role. However, Tuva receives a call to advise all is not well in Gavrik as her best friend Tammy has disappeared and the police do not seem to be treating the matter as a crime.  Tuva immediately gets into her car and drives North – she will find her friend.

The Gavrik police point out that Tammy is an adult and has not been gone for long, they make it clear adults drop off the grid for no reason all the time.  Tuva is not convinced – Tammy’s mobile food hut hasn’t been properly closed down, her bag and purse remain and there is a small drop of blood found at the place she was last seen. Tammy wouldn’t just vanish and leave behind all her possessions.  Tuva is soon back doing what she does best, asking questions, probing and leaving no stone unturned.

I found it very poignant when Tuva was interviewing people she didn’t previously know and they painted her a picture of her best friend’s life – a girl Tuva no-longer recognized.  Tammy is described as lonely, she was “missing a friend who moved away” and was using dating apps and going out with guys that Tuva didn’t feel were good matches for her friend. Guilt only increases Tuva’s worry for her friend.

Circumstances will soon change and the police will take a much more active role in searching for Tammy.  But Tuva has her own suspicions and her investigations will bring her back into contact with some of Will Dean’s wonderfully unusual and quirky characters.

The Tuva Moodyson books are already one of the new releases I look forward to each year. Will Dean is building a cracking series and Black River only enhances the collection thus far. Highly recommended.

 

Black River is published by Point Blank and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-River-Will-Dean-ebook/dp/B07XYD9HKN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1584720019&sr=1-1

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January 7

Red Snow – Will Dean

TWO BODIES

One suicide. One cold-blooded murder. Are they connected? And who’s really pulling the strings in the small Swedish town of Gavrik?

TWO COINS

Black Grimberg liquorice coins cover the murdered man’s eyes. The hashtag #Ferryman starts to trend as local people stock up on ammunition.

TWO WEEKS

Tuva Moodyson, deaf reporter at the local paper, has a fortnight to investigate the deaths before she starts her new job in the south. A blizzard moves in. Residents, already terrified, feel increasingly cut-off. Tuva must go deep inside the Grimberg factory to stop the killer before she leaves town for good. But who’s to say the Ferryman will let her go?

 

My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the chance to join the blog tour.

 

We first met Tuva Moodyson in Dark Pines – a book I included in my Top Ten Reads of 2018.  Tuva’s debut appearance was a shining example of how to make your lead character instantly memorable and entirely likeable. I have been really looking forward to her return in Red Snow and I was not disappointed with Will Dean’s latest release.

Tuva is leaving town, she is counting down the days left at work, has agreed the end of the lease on her car and is saying her farewells to colleagues and friends.  However, Tuva is not going to get the chance to slip away quietly. She finds herself outside the large liquorice factory (the business which employs most of the townsfolk) just as the factory owner leaps to his death from the highest chimney of his plant. He dies at Tuva’s feet.

Tuva will find herself drawn back to the Grimberg liquorice factory and while being taken on a tour of the facility she makes a shocking discovery.

To uncover the truth Tuva will need to get close to the owners of the factory, however, they are notoriously secretive and are not keen to have Tuva disrupting the workings of their factory…too many jobs rely upon business as usual.

I loved Red Snow. The small town in what w to be a perpetual ice block gives the story a cold, atmospheric feel which is perfect for the sinister tale Will Dean is spinning. Tuva is a delight to read about, her determination and focus delightfully balanced by wobbly nerves when she gets flustered by a new crush.

Will Dean is creating wonderful stories, you really should read them as I know you will enjoy them.

 

 

Red Snow is published on 10 January 2018 by Point Blank and will be available in hardback, digital and audiobook.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Snow-Tuva-Moodyson-Mystery/dp/1786074796/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1546790529&sr=8-1

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