This is Will Dean’s debut novel, and is set far from the East Midlands he grew up in.
Dark Pines takes place in the backwaters of Sweden – a setting not unfamiliar to Dean, who himself lives in a similarly rural part of the country with his wife. Dark Pines is a murder mystery, and its protagonist is a compelling one.
Journalist Tuva Moodyson has reluctantly left living in big cities to be closer to her ailing mother, and is trying to cover (and indeed solve) a string of mysterious murders.
The peace of the seemingly safe little town is rattled, especially as all its victims have had their eyes cut out – similar to killings that took place back in the 1990s.
Dean writes evocatively of the dark and dangerous natural Swedish landscape, which is the perfect scene for murders (and very in vogue right now).
Tuva’s deafness makes her a more intriguing and complex character, and it’s dealt with sensitively.
While it’s not the most ground-breaking of thrillers and follows a fairly standard formula, it’s still a gripping read that will have you guessing to the end.
