I loved spending time with Tuva Moodyson in Dark Pines, so I was very excited to for the release of Red Snow. I was not disappointed. Not only was it fantastic to be in the company of Tuva, and her wine gums, once more, I even loved the return to the snow bound and dead-end, small Swedish town of Gavrik. Whilst the story of Red Snow, wrapped in a brittle coating of folk lore and superstition, unfolds at an ailing liquorice factory, upon which the town depends, it was thrilling to return to the dark heart of Utgard forest and it's creepy inhabitants. This time there are two bodies, two coins and two weeks to unravel the mystery, using Tuva’s skills of investagitive journalism. A trip around the liquorice factory is a sensory sensation, you can see, hear, smell and taste the words on the page. Will Dean's wonderfully descriptive writing fully immerses you in any one of the environments he creates, whether it’s the dark, depths of the snow laden forest, the slow decay and delapidation of the traditional brick factory, or the stark, featureless IMAX superstore, his ability is exceptional. Red Snow is richly atmospheric, and the characters provide plenty of suspects and subplots to keep you guessing until the very end. Not only would I highly recommend Red Snow, I would insist that if you've not already, then you read Dark Pines first. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, and I hope many more to follow.

This is an interesting book, bit different to the usual murder mystery, I do like Scandi novels as thry bring something different to the table.

My plan to read Dark Pines before reading this sequel didn’t work out but I had no problems reading this as a standalone. There are references to a previous case but no spoilers and I had no problem with not knowing any characters. I also avoided reading the synopsis. All I knew about the series was what I had seen on social media and what I learned from attending an event that featured the author last year. I have to mention the climate. Temperatures as low as -22 are not something I can imagine. The impact that the weather conditions and the short days had on people’s lives. That people and animals can freeze to death. It gave me plenty to think about when I was outside shivering at zero degrees. The characters, especially Tuva, all stand out as being original. Tuva is one who has made her way on to my favourite heroine list. She is funny, warm, rum loving and full of guilt over what she never said to her mother when she had the chance. I enjoyed reading about her deafness, the downside to her hearing aids, her frustration at other peoples obsession with them and her ability to lip read was a technique she used to her advantage. She isn’t the only character I liked. There was also the Grimberg family, especially Cici, and the wood cutting sisters. Unusually for me, I didn’t try and solve the murder as I read. I just concentrated on the characters, the weather and the humour. I have never seen characters so visually described before. Pissy Knickers, Cheekbones and Facelift are just a handful of them. I will be reading Dark Pines soon but I really hope that there will be book three

So pleased to meet Tuva again. I just adore this fabulous series. A creepy page-turner with lots of humour and heart. The ending was so gripping I couldn’t stop reading. What a talent. I’m looking forward to the next Tuva book in the series. Please hurry!

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Tuva and Will Dean more, there comes along a book that makes me hug both of them very tightly indeed. Whilst sharing liquorice with them both. I couldn’t wait to start sharing the Red Snow love – just wait until you see what that title refers to as well! It’s not as obvious as you think. There’s a great mystery in this one with shades of book one loitering in the background. Tuva has a new job in Malmo but before she leaves,someone falls from the roof of the local liquorice factory. then another body is found with liquorice coins in its eyes. There’s so much to love about the unique angle of the murder mystery, the Swedish cultural references and the feeling that that forest in Gavrik is even more menacing that first thought. Will has totally captured the feel of the remote yet claustrophobic Swedish forest, the small town community and the local business which people both love and hate. Liquorice controls their lives here, yet for some it leaves more than a black stain and a bad taste in the mouth. Ooh and the cast of characters are some of the most complex and dark I’ve ever met in a book. You never really know what you’re getting. And it all works. It all works beautifully. Will has even stepped up the Tuva charm. Her observation of a snow dusted dog turd nearly finished me off. And her inner thoughts such as thinking about poking her eyes out if she has to eat dark chocolate. Not to mention the frozen snot trails she sees… I love Tuva for what she stands for and who she is and I love Will for writing such a fantastically sharp, insightful and gripping novel. To quote a line in the book, Red Snow is “dog**** deluxe”