The Mine by Antti Tuomainen

A new name for me in Scandinavian crime noir in Antii Tuomainen and in The Mine we have a what is a real corruption plot and a story that just quietly creeps up on you and with characters that you just know you are going to be gripped by. The story is so well crafted and with the excellent translation by David Hackson a story that looks at environmental issues and then corruption that cries out to be uncovered. But is there anyone ready to take up the challenge?

Janne Vuori is a journalist for a small newspaper in Helsinki and out of the blue receives a tip off but this tip-off is anonymous and is this is in connection to some illegal mining in Northern Finland. As Janne has a keen interest in environmental issues he cannot ignore this tip off.  But there is more at stake here that Janne realises. Investigating this story will put himself and people around in real danger.

Janne is totally dedicated to his craft as a journalist but he is also proud of his family but from what I read in The Mine Janne seems to out his work ahead of his family, but what is the story being played out with his father. There are some secrets here but what. The key part of the story is the mine itself and the truth that is literally being buried deep and there is an environmental story that will impacts and then there is the corruption that runs through key characters.

There is another story that worms its way into the reader and that is the hitman. What is his role in the drama being played out? Key members of the board have been murdered. Why? Both men could well come face to face and the killer seems to have an array of targets and is good with a gun. The story though not fast paced is chilling as it is gripping. The storyline is so well thought out and the writing is hypnotic as is the locations with the bone chilling cold that seems to come through the pages thanks to the outstanding prose of Tuomainen.

There is so much to praise in The Mine a complex crime thriller that delivers on all fronts and if you enjoy the chilling atmospheric of the landscape that goes with the plot then look no further than Antti Tuomainen’s The Mine. I have a feeling we will be hearing much more of Tuomainen in the years to come.

Thank you to Karen at Orenda Books for the advanced review copy.

The Mine by Antti TuoMainen is published by Orenda Books and is available through Waterstones, Amazon and all good bookshops.

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