Rowena Hoseason's Reviews > Black River

This third venture into the depth of the northern Swedish forest doesn’t quite live up to my (possibly unreasonably high) expectations. But that’s not to say this is a bad book, far from it.

The writing is as excellent as ever and the scenario initially engaging. Tuva is a natural investigator and she’s more than motivated to follow her suspicions into dangerous territory. She’s convinced that something horrific is happening to her friend – possibly amid the swampsnakes and trailer trash.

This story is set in a sweltering summer with mosquitos, wasps and angry elk infesting the overgrown forest. The narrative is full of traps and creeping things, both physical and metaphorical. Tuva stays in a tiny guest lodge, comfortable, but eerily similar to a prison cell, and haunted by a small bird which batters itself bloodily senseless against the window.

Will Dean is extremely adept at making commonplace, ordinary objects and situations extremely sinister. He ratchets up the anxiety to nerve-shredding levels… then leaves the reader in a soggy puddle of terrified tension when the next chapter reveals an entirely innocuous explanation.

Dean is also excellent at demonstrating the ever-present, unspoken sensations that many women experience; the sound of footfalls behind you on a sidestreet, the isolation of walking home after dark. Few men experience what is for many females an everyday occurrence.

Tuva’s ongoing struggle with her own identity, her relationships with her friends and lovers, are quietly and respectfully drawn, as is her increasingly unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

If all these aspects of Black River are so excellent, then why didn’t I enjoy it so much? I suspect the storytelling was weighted too much towards people and place; there were definitely moments where the narrative slowed to the point of stalling. The environment was perhaps too familiar – it’s tricky with a series to maintain the established scenarios without actually repeating yourself. I certainly experienced some déjà vu when Tuva fell for the same old sucker punch again. Nor did I find the finale particularly satisfying; it stretched credibility a tiny bit too far.

Tuva’s established fans will definitely enjoy this episode. But if you’re new to the series then this wouldn’t be the best place to start. Go back to Dark Pines for a truly extraordinary experience.
7/10

There are stacks more reviews of crime/thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net See you there!