After her magnificent historical epic, The Beasts of Paris, Stef Penney returns to her heartland in this tense thriller set in a small Scandinavian town.
Nordland. A region in the Norwegian Arctic; a remote valley that stretches from the sea up to the mountains and the glaciers.
It is May. In Nordland it’s a time of spring and school-leavers’ celebrations – until Daniel, a popular teenage boy, goes missing. Conflicting stories circulate among his friends, of parties and wild behaviour.
As the search for Daniel widens, the police open a disused mine in the mountains. They find human remains, but this body has been there for decades, its identity a mystery.
The story is told through characters impacted by these events. Misanthropic Svea, whose long life in the area stretches back to the heyday of the mines and beyond, has cut all ties with her family, except for her granddaughter, Elin, a young misfit. Elin and her friend Benny, both impacted by Daniel while alive, become entangled in the hunt for answers, while Svea has deep, dark secrets of her own.
Nordland. A region in the Norwegian Arctic; a remote valley that stretches from the sea up to the mountains and the glaciers.
It is May. In Nordland it’s a time of spring and school-leavers’ celebrations – until Daniel, a popular teenage boy, goes missing. Conflicting stories circulate among his friends, of parties and wild behaviour.
As the search for Daniel widens, the police open a disused mine in the mountains. They find human remains, but this body has been there for decades, its identity a mystery.
The story is told through characters impacted by these events. Misanthropic Svea, whose long life in the area stretches back to the heyday of the mines and beyond, has cut all ties with her family, except for her granddaughter, Elin, a young misfit. Elin and her friend Benny, both impacted by Daniel while alive, become entangled in the hunt for answers, while Svea has deep, dark secrets of her own.
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Reviews
With The Long Water, Stef Penney takes crime writing to another level. Gripping and emotionally intelligent, this is a novel for our times
Tensions rise and secrets are unearthed but there's also humour to be found
An atmospheric tale . . . great characters and elegant prose
Stef Penney's latest novel takes a multitude of twists and turns, written with a touch of humour that will leave you chuckling
A gripping tale of community and secrets
A highly engaging and accomplished novel, a fine piece of craftsmanship . . . this is a book you will surely return to for a second reading
Nordic noir fans will enjoy this fascinating thriller . . . A perfect book-club read to spark lively discussion
Takes a multitude of twists and turns ... with brilliant pace, fantastic depth and an ending that will leave you wanting more