Review: Snow Angels

Snow Angels by James Thompson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Mystery/Noir
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of dark mysteries, stories set in Scandinavia, well-developed characters, well-done mysteries
Trigger Warnings: murder, hate-crime, sexual assault, use of racist and sexist language (n-word, w-word, and c-word), religious zealotry

My Thoughts: This is a very dark story. It seems that most murder mysteries set in Scandinavia are very dark, which is interesting considering how few murders overall are committed there. In fact, looking at the statistics regarding serial killers in the US vs. just about everywhere else in the world was mighty sobering.

Like any mystery, there is not much I can tell you about the plot because I don't want to give out spoilers. However, there are red herrings a-plenty, and I had no idea what to expect with the ending. The character development is very good, and Finland sounds like a place that is dear to the author's heart, in all its sometimes dismal and dreary reality. If you enjoy mysteries that wander off into the noir realm, if you enjoy stories based in Scandinavia, then you'll want to be sure to check out this series of books.

Series Information: Snow Angels is the first book in the Inspector Vaara series.
Book 2: Lucifer's Tears, to be read next, provided by publisher for an honest review
Book 3: Helsinki White, upcoming, provided by Amazon Vine for an honest review
Book 4: Helsinki Blood, I do not have, but it is on my wishlist

Disclosure: I bought this book for myself. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: It is called kaamos—two weeks of unrelenting darkness and soul-numbing cold that falls upon Finnish Lapland, a hundred miles into the Arctic Circle, just before Christmas. Some get through it with the help of cheap Russian alcohol; some sink into depression.

This year, it may have driven someone mad enough to commit murder. The brutalized body of a beautiful Somali woman has been found in the snow, and Inspector Kari Vaara must find her killer. It will be a challenge in a place where ugly things lurk under frozen surfaces, and silence is a way of life.



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