Note: This copy of The Burning Stones was provided by NetGalley.

With a blurb touting the author as the funniest writer in Europe, it’ll come as no surprise as to why I picked up this book. The Burning Stones is humourous murder-mystery novel set in Finland. The story follows Anni Korpinen, one of the top salespeople working at a sauna-heater company as she comes under scrutiny when the person in line before her for a promotion turns up dead in his sauna.

While reading this book, my mental picture of the place and scenes all had a cool blue tone to them. It felt like watching a slow noir movie. The characters were eclectic, to say the least, with most of them around their 50s. This, I have learned, is still considered middle-aged as there were numerous instances of this being brought up throughout the book. I found the pacing a bit slow for the first two-thirds of the book, but I suppose it is representative of the lifestyle of the characters in the book. Things really pick up in the last third and it breezed by much faster. The wry humour juxtaposed with the serious nature of events does beget a chuckle and shake of the head. That said, this book definitely won’t be known for its representation of the capabilities of the police. This obviously meant that our protagonist Anni has to figure out who the culprit is herself before she is put behind bars. Obviously with sauna breaks thrown in because its important to take care of oneself even when charged with murder.

Slow paced plot, dry humour, nordic-noir vibes, eclectic characters, mid-life crises, and a finale that while not explosive, seems to feel just right. Definitely recommended for fans of cosy murder-mysteries, though be warned it may be a bit slow even for cosy vibes.

Links:

• Goodreads: The Burning Stones – Antti Tuomainen