I am delighted to join in the celebrations for the paperback publication of The Beaver Theory by Antti Tuomainen. This final volume in the Rabbit Factor trilogy is published today on July 18th. I am reposting my review.
Henri Koskinen, intrepid
insurance mathematician and adventure-park entrepreneur, firmly believes
in the power of common sense and order. That is until he moves in with
painter Laura Helanto and her daughter…
As
Henri realises he has inadvertently become part of a group of local
dads, a competing adventure park is seeking to expand their operations,
not always sticking to the law in the process…
Is
it possible to combine the increasingly dangerous world of the
adventure-park business with the unpredictability of life in a blended
family? At first glance, the two appear to have only one thing in
common: neither deals particularly well with a mounting body count.
In
order to solve this seemingly impossible conundrum, Henri is forced to
step far beyond the mathematical precision of his comfort zone … and the
stakes have never been higher…
Warmly
funny, quirky, touching, and a nail-biting triumph of a thriller, The
Beaver Theory is the final instalment in the award-winning Rabbit Factor
Trilogy, as Henri encounters the biggest challenge of his career, with
hair-raising results…
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell
My Thoughts
This
is the final novel in this quirky trilogy and although you can read it
as a standalone, it will always be more satisfying to read its
predecessors. Henri is a complicated character, who takes a black and
white approach to life. As an actuary, he is used to taking a very
logical and mathematical method to solve problems. He feels safer if he
applies this method to other areas of his life. Henri has found love and
at the beginning of the story, has made the monumental step of moving
in with Laura and her daughter. An artist, they could not be mor
different.
There is a lot of humour to be found in Henri’s new life as he finds
himself involved in the dad’s club as part of his family
responsibilities. Added to this, the Amusement Park he owns finds itself
pitted against a rival one which seems to be out to close him down.
Murders follow and Henri finds himself applying his logical brain to
discover the culprits. There is warmth and hope in Henri’s relationships
with his staff which seem to take him by surprise. As you watch Henri
trying to make sense of his relationships, you see his vulnerability and
desire to belong. This is an entertaining read with a distinctive and
individual style which gets your attention and keeps you enthralled to
the end.
In short: quirky and distinctive crime writing.
About the Author
Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when
he 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 of 2011’ and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. Two years later, 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 (2017) became an international
bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards. Palm Beach
Finland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen ‘the
funniest writer in Europe’.
You can read my review of The Rabbit Factor here and The Moose Paradox here.
Thanks to Antti Tuomainen, Karen Sullivan and Anne Cater of Orenda Books for a copy of the book and a place on the Blog Tour.
Check out these great bloggers!
.jpeg)
Comments
Post a Comment