Blood Song by Johana Gustawsson

Blood Song
By Johana Gustawsson 
Translated by David Warriner
Published by Orenda Books (E-book - out now; Paperback - 19 September 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher

Publisher's description

Spain, 1938: The country is wracked by civil war, and as Valencia falls to Franco’s brutal dictatorship, Republican Therese witnesses the murders of her family. Captured and sent to the notorious Las Ventas women’s prison, Therese gives birth to a daughter who is forcibly taken from her.

Falkenberg, Sweden, 2016: A wealthy family is found savagely murdered in their luxurious home. Discovering that her parents have been slaughtered, Aliénor Lindbergh, a new recruit to the UK’s Scotland Yard, rushes back to Sweden and finds her hometown rocked by the massacre.

Profiler Emily Roy joins forces with Aliénor and soon finds herself on the trail of a monstrous and prolific killer. Little does she realise that this killer is about to change the life of her colleague, true-crime writer Alexis Castells. Joining forces once again, Roy and Castells’ investigation takes them from the Swedish fertility clinics of the present day back to the terror of Franco’s rule, and the horrifying events that took place in Spanish orphanages under its rule.

My verdict
Yet again, Johana Gustawsson has astounded me with her fabulous ability to intertwine crimes of the past with crimes of the present, seamlessly weaving multiple threads together to create a well-plotted, intelligent thriller.

Blood Song has been translated from French to English extremely well by David Warriner, not just showcasing the author's vivid prose but also her visceral writing. It focuses on a period of history I know little about - Franco's brutal dictatorship - and led me to Google to learn more. I love the use of multiple locations - London, Sweden and Spain - to enrich the story with culture and history.

Johana Gustawson's books are more than just crime thrillers. Each one has been written from the heart. Blood Song, in particular, is filled with emotion - from the brutality of Franco's dictatorship and shocking conditions in 1930s Spanish prisons & orphanages to the heartache of families attending modern-day fertility clinics, alongside the savage murder of a wealthy family in Sweden. It's based on the author's own experiences and her family history, and this shines through in her writing - it's personal and raw.

Blood Song is tragic and heartbreaking - a book of love, loss and hope and a book to make you cry and make you think. Yes, the crimes are dark, but the author manages to cover them with sensitivity and delve deeper into the 'why?' as well as the 'what?', 'how?' and 'who?'. Plus the crime element is fascinating and intriguing, right up to the big reveal - how are all of the threads linked together and why is it such a personal one for the team of investigators?

Bring on the next Roy & Castells book!

After She's Gone by Camilla Grebe

After She's Gone
By Camilla Grebe
Published by Zaffre (March 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher

Publisher's description

A case as cold as the season. A profiler who can't remember. A killer ready to strike again.

Psychological profiler Hanne Lagerlind-Schön and her partner, investigator Peter Lindgren are invited to the small, sleepy industrial town of Ormberg to investigate a cold case: ten years earlier a five-year-old girl's remains were found in a cairn near the town.

But when a recurring memory problem resurfaces, Hanne struggles to keep track of the case. She begins keeping a diary, noting down everything she is likely to forget to keep up appearances so she doesn't lose her job. 

When the body of a woman is found at the cairn and one of Hanne's shoes is found nearby covered in the victim's blood, can Hanne's diary hold the key to what happened? How does this new murder connect to their old one? 

How can you put together what happened when the pieces keep fading away?

My verdict
I really enjoy Nordic Noir and always welcome the opportunity to find a new author to add to my list.

After She's Gone is highly chilling, not just in plot but also in setting. Set in a small Swedish town and depopulated highly forested area, the story focuses on a cold case, in which a young girl's remains were found but never identified. This discovery in the past is soon linked to crimes in the present.

The plot is complex, though certainly not too complex to follow, and focuses on various contemporary issues (which I can't reveal as I don't want to give away any spoilers). As with all good Nordic Noir, the atmospheric setting and inclement weather are as essential to the plot as the characters themselves. I tried to read between the lines and solve the case myself.

After She's Gone offers everything I look for in good crime fiction - an intelligent multi-layered plot, intriguing mystery, well-developed characters, realistic dialogue and good writing. I haven't read the first book in the series and, while I did have a few questions about the main character, this can easily be read as a standalone.

Red Snow by Will Dean

Red Snow
By Will Dean
Published by Point Blank (10 January 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.

Publisher's description

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 verdict
Dark Pines was one of my favourite books of 2018. And yet again, Will Dean has written a compelling and more-than-slightly-bizarre character-led crime novel featuring deaf reporter Tuva Moodyson. Red Snow follows on from Dark Pines, but could probably be read as a standalone.

Tuva is investigating an apparent suicide and murder at the local liquorice factory. The clock is ticking, as she leaves the small Swedish town of Gavrik to start a new job in the larger town of Malmo in just two weeks. The liquorice factory is very much the centre of the local community, as it's one of the main employers, and is also very much the centre of the book. The local ghostwriter is writing about the history of the factory and asks Tuva to help him research the Grimberg family who own it. Tuva sees this as the perfect opportunity to get to know the usually private family better, hoping this will help her to investigate the recent deaths.

Red Snow is written at a slower pace than the previous book but with the same beautiful descriptive writing and array of quirky characters. It's highly atmospheric, highlighting the remoteness and claustrophobic feel of Gavrik during the winter months with a blizzard moving in. I loved reading about how people living there cope with the bitter temperatures and the lack of daylight - the use of UV lamps to cope with seasonal affective disorder, for example. Tuva's deafness doesn't usually affect her daily life, but it can become more of a challenge when she removes her hearing aids to protect them from the damp, icy or snowy weather when she's outdoors.

The book manages to entertain as well as chill. Will Dean's characters remind me of Willy Wonka and some of the other members of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cast, especially the Grimberg family who are not only eccentric but also slightly menacing at times. The dialogue is spot on, with dark humour and quick witty retorts, providing great character dynamics. Some of the characters were present in Dark Pines, but there are also some new ones, including a police officer to provide Tuva with a love interest.

I look forward to see what's next as Tuva heads to pastures new.

Will Dean is one of the First Monday Crime's February panel members (on 4th February 2019 at City University, London). The other panel members are Christopher Fowler, Gytha Lodge and Lucy Foley, moderated by Barry Foresaw  For more details and to reserve your seat, click here.

Dark Pines by Will Dean

Dark Pines
by Will Dean
Published by Point Blank (4 January 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Publisher's description

An isolated Swedish town.

A deaf reporter terrified of nature.

A dense spruce forest overdue for harvest.

A pair of eyeless hunters found murdered in the woods.

It’s week one of the Swedish elk hunt and the sound of gunfire is everywhere. When Tuva Moodyson investigates the story that could make her career she stumbles on a web of secrets that knit Gavrik town together. Are the latest murders connected to the Medusa killings twenty years ago? Is someone following her? Why take the eyes? Tuva must face her demons and venture deep into the woods to stop the killer and write the story. And then get the hell out of Gavrik.

My verdict

Dark Pines is an atmospheric whodunnit set in wintry Sweden.

This book was certainly a page-turner, with a plot that moved along at a steady pace, slower at first and then faster as the tension built up towards the end. The writing is stunning, with the depth of detail enhancing the story without detracting from it. Not only does the small cast of characters give the book a claustrophobic vibe, but vivid descriptions of the dark pine forests, and also the climate, create a chilling setting.

Bodies have been discovered with gunshot wounds and their eyes removed - the same as Medusa murders in the area in the 1990s. Is it the same killer or a copycat? Not all of the locals are happy about local journalist Tuva Moodyson investigating, dredging up the past and also potentially portraying the small close-knit town in a bad light. But Tuva is an independent and determined character.

Tuva's deafness gives her vulnerability, creating a sense of danger throughout the book. She has to rely on her sight when her hearing aid batteries are failing or when she removes them in the rain. Not ideal when you're stumbling in the darkness in wintry conditions, and also fear nature and the forest environment. I admit that I did get a little frustrated when the batteries kept failing and she didn't automatically have spares with her at all times - I would have expected this to be second nature to her. However, the details of her maintaining her hearing aids, and how she deals her deafness, were well-integrated into the story. And her deafness has certainly not held her back in any way.

The book features some very distinct quirky characters and also some very sinister ones - they are well described and well placed, bringing the whole book to life. All quite possibly could be the Medusa killer that Tuva (and the local police) are seeking. Like Tuva, I found myself stumbling around in the darkness as I tried to put together the clues.

Dark Pines kept me guessing, with some great twists, turns and red herrings. Suspense seeped through the pages. I predict lots of award nominations, shortlists and possibly top prizes for this book, with great times ahead. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

BEST OF CRIME with Will Dean

Welcome to my latest BEST OF CRIME feature, looking at crime writers' top picks, from their favourite author and fictional detective to their best writing tip. 

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

WILL DEAN

for his Dark Pines blog tour

to share his BEST OF CRIME ...

... AUTHORS
Shirley Jackson, Cormac McCarthy, Stephen King, Yaa Gyasi, Patricia Highsmith, Sarah Waters, Val McDermid, Gillian Flynn, George Saunders, Abir Mukherjee, Muriel Spark, Thomas Harris, Samanta Schweblin, Susan Hill, Helen McDonald, Chris Whitaker, Agatha Christie, Jon McGregor, Roald Dahl, Ottessa Moshfegh, Michel Faber, Imran Mahmood, Michelle Paver. 
I enjoy atmospheric, unnerving, immersive fiction. I read about two books per week and I like to be anchored to the story within a few pages – either by the setting, or the voice, or the character relationships.

... FILMS/MOVIES
Fargo, The Shining, The Godfather, The Silence of the Lambs, Labyrinth, The Road, Alien, The Hurricane, Jaws, No Country for Old Men, Leon, Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Let The Right One In, The Deer Hunter, Into the wild. 

The gradual development of Michael Corleone (The Godfather) from innocent hero to villainous Don is exquisitely done.

... TV DRAMAS
The Sopranos, Twin Peaks, Luther, Mad Men, Hannibal, The Good Wife, Broadchurch.
Twin Peaks is weirdly beautiful. I love the music and the sense of place and the minor characters.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS
Merricat, Hannibal Lecter, Anton Chigurh, Jaws, Lizzie Borden, Tom Ripley, Annie Wilkes.
I think Chigurh and Lecter are both INCREDIBLY chilling.

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES 
Clarice Starling, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, Dale Cooper, Karen Pirie, Tony Hill, Carol Jordan, Harry Hole, Zigic & Ferreira, Captain Sam Wyndham, Sergeant Banerjee, Sherlock Holmes, Jack Reacher, Inspector McLean. The interplay between Starling and Lecter is so well-crafted. She’s a fantastic character.   

... MURDER WEAPONS
Air-powered cattle bolt gun (No Country for Old Men). Such an interesting, horrific murder weapon. It’s confusing for police (entry wound, no exit wound, no bullet), and shocking for readers/viewers partly because it’s so unexpected, and partly because Chiguhr has to be in close physical contact with a victim in order to effectively discharge the weapon.

... DEATH SCENES
Terminator II (thumbs up). So bittersweet!   

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES
No blogs/websites for research, but I love On Writing by Stephen King & Stiff by Mary Roach.

... WRITING TIPS
I think about Stephen King’s quote before I start each new story: ‘You must not come lightly to the blank page’. Also: read as many good books as you can. Read your genre. Read outside of your genre. Read books published last week. Read books published a hundred years ago. Read books written by people who don’t look or sound or write or think like you.

... WRITING SNACKS
Gott & Blandat super sour Swedish sweets (very important for editing)    

About WILL DEAN

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

Find Will Dean on Twitter - @willrdean

About DARK PINES

Publisher's description

An isolated Swedish town.

A deaf reporter terrified of nature.

A dense spruce forest overdue for harvest.

A pair of eyeless hunters found murdered in the woods.

It’s week one of the Swedish elk hunt and the sound of gunfire is everywhere. When Tuva Moodyson investigates the story that could make her career she stumbles on a web of secrets that knit Gavrik town together. Are the latest murders connected to the Medusa killings twenty years ago? Is someone following her? Why take the eyes? Tuva must face her demons and venture deep into the woods to stop the killer and write the story. And then get the hell out of Gavrik.

Dark Pines was published by Oneworld Publications on 4 January 2018. 

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

Click here to read more BEST OF CRIME features.

Follow the Blog Tour

Block 46 by Johana Gustawsson - republished review

Block 46
By Johana Gustawsson
Translated by Maxim Jakubowski 
Published by Orenda Books (E-book - out now; Paperback - 15 May 2017)

Publisher's description

Evil remembers...

Falkenberg, Sweden. The mutilated body of talented young jewellery designer, Linnea Blix, is found in a snow-swept marina.

Hampstead Heath, London. The body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea's.

Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1944. In the midst of the hell of the Holocaust, Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again.

Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald?

Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea's friend, French truecrime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light.

My verdict
Block 46 is very 'Orenda Crime', with short chapters, beautiful writing and a compelling fast-paced plot. It's been translated seamlessly from the original French by Maxim Jakubowski. I loved the plot, characters and setting, and I'm not surprised that Block 46 has won awards in France.

Shocking and dark from the outset, the book begins with the death of a young jewellery designer who splits her time between London and Sweden. When a young boy's body is discovered with similar wounds, it seems that there is a calculating serial killer on the loose - one whose passion for murder may be linked to the 1940s Buchenwald Concentration Camp in Germany.

I was so intrigued to see where Block 46 was going. Yet after just a few pages, I had to put the book down for a while, needing a break. I desperately wanted to read more, but also didn't. Those who know me well will know that books don't often have such an impact on me. And not many books make me email a publisher with the expression 'OMG'!

The murder scenes are gruesome - no holds barred - and really get under your skin. But for me, it was the Holocaust scenes that were the most visual and disturbing, with graphic and hard hitting descriptions of tragic scenes that could have, and probably did, happen in Nazi Germany. These scenes may seem exaggerated to some people, but sadly I knew they were realistic, having read many Holocaust books and listened to testimonies of Holocaust survivors.

Block 46 contains everything I want in crime fiction, including twists, turns and surprises. It totally broke me for a while at the end and is certainly not a book that I'll forget. I sat thinking about it for a long time afterwards and couldn't pick up another book straight away. I was worried that I would never be able to read again. Sadly I don't tend to read 'light and fluffy' so just had to wait for my reading mojo to return.

Perfect for those who like intelligent hard hitting crime with a hint of horror, Block 46 is chilling, creepy and spine tingling. Brilliant! And the best news of all is that it's the start of a series, so there's another one on the way!

I received an Advance Reader Copy.