One word review - ENTHRALLING

In the prologue of The Last Winter the author sets up the story beautifully. She begins by introducing us to a Norwegian landscape with fjords, mountains, shores and lakes.. It is a very particular landscape in Nordland in the North of Norway. It has a very particular geography; a very particular history. The mountains have been mined for minerals; mined for ore by an occupying German army; blasted by dynamite to form tunnels. Penney concludes the chapter by telling us that one night in May, 4 senior high school pupils went out on an expedition into the mountains, but only three of them came back..

I am a huge fan of Stef Penney and this fabulous novel confirmed that I have every reason to have confidence in her art. She is a master of setting and has the magical ability to transport you around the world, and immerse you in the scenery of her novels. I have never been to Norway, but for the hours that i read this book, it was like living there.

The opening reminded me a little of Twin Peaks and the emotions I had felt watching the first series. Like Twin Peaks the story opens with an event which has devastated a small town community and immersed it in mystery; an event which opens old wounds, digs up old histories and awakens memories long buried..

The novel is populated by some incredible characters. Svea narrates some of the story. Her narrative is a kind of conversation with the reader: sharp; direct; and often humourous in spite of her Olive Kitteridge style grumpiness! She lives with her dog on the edge of town. She is 79 - ‘who cares about what happens next?” Her daughter doesn’t speak to her; her granddaughter Elin has just told her Father - a vicar - that she identifies as genderfluid. She has sent him some links so that he can look this up. Her friend Benny has just experienced his first sexual encounter with an older man on a business trip. Both he and Elin know the fourth pupil who has gone missing…Penney moves masterfully between the different generations, as adept at conjuing up a lonely old man as a girl who worries that she made the wrong choice at a party.

This is one of my favourite books of 2024. It is a fabulous and immersive story. I would happily move into this setting; I would love to meet some of these characters - expecially Svea and Old Emil. I am drawn to characters like Svea who are sharp around the edges, honed by experience, hardened to the world and yet so goddam loveable.
Huge thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for my digital copy of this wonderful read.

I loved Stef Penney’s The Tenderness of Wolves so I was looking forward to this. Set in the remote Arctic valleys of Norway, this is a murder mystery – a local teenager has disappeared into thin air, and a whole host of characters who are involved with him gradually reveal their own secrets during the journey to discover what has happened to him.

There is a good range of characters, and the atmosphere and scenery are well written – I did however find myself slowly not really caring, things took too long to develop and I didn’t find the fast pace that I love in a thriller.

A dark nordic complex, multi character & multi generational crime novel about a young man who goes missing.
During the search a body from previous decades is found in long sealed mines, the story develops into 2 timelines, one going back to WWII and the occupation of Norway.

The first person narrative, from grandmother Svea, along with several other individual characters' perspectives and life experiences, are really brought to life. The remote setting is stunningly described.

Good to be back in Stef's hands after loving The Tenderness of Wolves.

Atmospheric, immersive, and superbly imaginative – there should be more books set in the Norwegian Arctic. This wasn't as gripping as I expected, but still a good read to whisk you above the Arctic Circle (especially if you also enjoyed The Tenderness of Wolves). Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC, I'll likely be recommending this to others.

The Long Water by Stef Penney

Nordland. A region in the Norwegian Arctic; a remote valley that stretches from the sea up to the mountains and glaciers. 

It is May in what was once a prosperous mining community. The snows are nearly gone and 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.

Everyone in this tight knit, isolated community is touched by these events: misanthropic Svea, whose long life in the area stretches back to the heyday of the mines, and beyond. She has cut all ties with her family, except for her granddaughter, Elin, an outsider like her grandmother. Elin and her friend Benny, both impacted by Daniel while he was alive, become entangled in the hunt for answers, while Svea has deep, dark secrets of her own.

After a move into historical fiction with her fabulous The Beasts of Paris, this feels like a more pared back novel set in modern day Norway. It is a crime novel, based around a missing teenage boy called Daniel. We see a lot of the action through the eyes of an elderly woman called Svea, who has lived here all her life with her two younger sisters. Her youngest sister Nordis, went missing many years ago, thought to have drowned herself in the sea. Svea lives with her puffin hound Asta and has a simple routine of walking into town with her dog for a coffee and pastry, often sharing her breakfast with Odd Emil, another elderly resident of the town who was once in love with the very beautiful Nordis. Daniel is Emil’s grandson and he’s struggling with his inability to do anything, he can’t help. Svea’s granddaughter Elin had been to a russ ball, a little like a senior prom. During russ, school leavers play pranks on each other and issue dares. It’s a time period that teachers tolerate with a roll of the eyes, but never usually goes too far. Both Elin and her friend Benny go in drag and become celebrated for the evening, the heroes of the popular kids. Elin even has a interlude with Daniel - she’s surprised to find this beautiful boy kissing her despite her pink beard! In the early hours of the next morning, Benny is having a liaison of his own when he sees Daniel’s friends parking his car behind the hotel. Then Daniel is reported missing on the trail and Benny is torn, he should mention that Daniel wasn’t in the car but what excuse can he give for being there? Benny has a secret, but he isn’t the only one and some secrets have lasted a lifetime.

I loved the sense of place the author created here. There’s a stillness and isolation about the landscape, it’s beautiful but unforgiving territory. It is like a lot of towns in the north of England, where mining was once the major industry and now they’re closed. There’s something missing in these places, a community that was once focused around the work they shared is gone. I felt this dislocation was an important part of the novel, because although it’s primarily a crime narrative it’s also a look at how much the small community has changed. As the mines closed and the outside world starts to bleed in through the internet and individual mobile phones the town has something of an identity crisis. It explores these contemporary changes in the younger characters like Elin and Benny, but by having Svea as our narrator we can see how seismic the changes have been within her lifetime. Also she breaks the fourth wall a lot which I love in a narrator. For Svea and Emil, who meet for coffee each day, their relationship is loose and undefined. They don’t even say they’ll see each other tomorrow, but usually do. It’s an understanding that’s taken a lifetime. Yet her narration, where she talks directly to us, is more conversational and intimate. Then the author lapses into text speak and emojis for the younger people’s communication. It’s instant, punchy and sometimes indecipherable by someone over forty.

"If you constantly express love as a red tiny heart - 'bounceable' and unbreakable - does that diminish the complexity and subtlety of your feelings?"

Svea doesn’t fully understand everything her granddaughter Elin is telling her, but there is an acceptance that shows wisdom rather than comprehension. On the evening of the ball with Benny in his dress and Elin in a suit complete with the pink beard, Elin informs her grandmother that she feels gender fluid. This is possibly an issue at home where her father is the local minister. Benny is openly gay, but his love life is extremely private. He has caught the eye of a hotel guest, a man much older than Benny. He sneaks out to the hotel to meet him, only Elin knowing where he’s going. There can’t be anything wrong with it, because the sex was enjoyable. He didn’t feel forced or taken advantage of, but it did feel strange when he left a huge sum of money for him as if it was a tip. He knows if he admits where he was when he witnessed Daniel’s friends, people will be jumping to all sorts of conclusions.

When a body is found in a cave, during the search for Daniel, people start to speculate. It’s been there for some time and it will take DNA testing to find the answers. I did wonder if it might be Svea’s sister Nordis, who didn’t succumb to the sea after all. The past is coming back to haunt them all and what a past it is. Svea explains that her own mother fell in love with a German prisoner of war, much to the disgust of villagers. Svea was known as a Nazi girl and this heritage stayed with her for life in more ways than one. We know something terrible happened because Svea’s father was the enemy, but she leads up to it very slowly, keeping us abreast of the investigation but also delving back into the past. It was this mystery as much as the unsolved crime that drew me in and kept me reading. This is a slow burn, but Svea relates the story as if we’re a friend or acquaintance. It’s as if she’s the spider at the centre of a very dark web and we’re drawn further and further in. The tension of Daniel’s disappearance starts to build as the days go by too. However, it’s not just this that’s fascinating. The interesting relationship between Elin’s father and Marylinn from the school, being conducted in secret so they don’t upset Elin who already has an inkling. Also, being let into the lives of these young people who are so vulnerable, dealing with their emotions, the pressures of school and popularity and trying to work out who they are when there are so many options. Then we’re shot back to Svea’s teenage years and the reminder of all that adolescent angst makes us realise the full implications of what she went through. This is a novel of relationships, romantic and familial as well as the deep bonds of friendship. We see both ends of the spectrum too, those trying to make sense of where they are by harking back to the past and those working themselves out for the first time. It’s also about how we love, whether in secret, in the open, with fireworks or a quiet love that doesn’t even identify itself.

Set in Nordland, a part of Norway above the Arctic Circle.

As others have said, it is difficult to categorize this novel - it is a crime story in that it focuses on the disappearance of 18 year old Daniel but it is also a book about families and life in a small isolated, remote community.

An enjoyable book if a bit slow in places.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is set in Norway in a small community where everyone knows each other. Eighteen year old Daniel goes missing and although this is the main thread of the book, it kind of fades to the background . We get different peoples views on what they think has happened ,starting from the older ones.to his friends . We can see through the generations how things have changed and how the older generation try to understand the younger views . As well as Daniel’s disappearance there is a discovery of a body , which then uncovers a mystery from decades ago. I loved the atmosphere of this novel and the secrets and revelations of the community, revealing past prejudices and reasons for family estrangements. It’s part crime story , part family saga with an element of history throughout. I enjoyed it very much

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of the book in return for my honest opinion.

I am sad to say that after getting to 20% I have decided to DNF the book . It is a real shame as I thoroughly enjoyed the Tenderness Of Wolves however I was really struggling with this one . The prose is the book has words joined together and it was making it difficult for me to read .

I am disappointed as the blurb on the book sounded intriguing however it was just not for me

Fascinatin, dark, twisty: a well plotted and gripping mystery set in Scandinavia.
A more extensive review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I thoroughly enjoyed The Long Water by Stef Penney.

The setting in a small remote Norwegian town was beautifully realised, with a strong sense of place. I liked experiencing the different viewpoints of the different characters; particularly the grandmother, Svea, who introduces the book and speaks in the first person. There are several intertwining mysteries which are revealed alongside the main storyline of the missing schoolboy, going back to the aftermath of World War II and the German occupation of Norway.

A recommended read.

Stef Penney returns to familiar territory with these tense mysteries, with a strong sense of community and location, providing us with a glimpse of its post-war history and family, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. It is May in Sulis, a time of local Fauske school celebrations, traditions for graduating seniors, 'russ time'. A raucous period of weeks of drinking, partying, dressing up in bright overalls, carrying out humiliating pranks before their final exams, led by the unofficial group of 4 Hellraisers who have garnered a wild reputation. One of them, the popular Daniel Fjordham, goes missing.

79 year old Svea, lives in her cottage with a conservatory, walking her puffin hound, Asta, meeting Odd Emil at the cafe, her daughter, Klara, having long since left the area, leaving behind her now 16 year old daughter, Elin. Elin has just come out as gender fluid to her vicar father, her closest friend the gay Benny. The difficult search of a vast, remote wilderness of lakes, mountains, forest, water, ice, and riddled with caves and mountains, falls to the police team of Hanne Duli Bodogaard and Merete Nordheim. Unexpectedly, human remains of a long ago dead man are discovered within a disused mine, but who could he possibly be?

The narrative captures with rich details and descriptions the strange quality and tensions within the community when one of their own goes missing, feelings heightened further by the added interest and arrival of the national media. As a big fan of Penney, I loved this intricate atmospheric character driven picture of community, a glimpse of the history and families that shaped Svea and her siblings, the repercussions that rippled into future generations. I think this will appeal to fans of the author, and others, including those interested in Scandinavian mysteries. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Step Penney writes about cold better than just about anyone else! This story is set in the north of Norway, in an area that used to rely on mining for its subsistence, but now finds other ways of making a living. The first person narrator is 79 year old Svea who has had a really tough life, and the cast of characters accompanying her are teenage students, their parents and teachers, crime investigators and an old friend. Each of the characters is vividly drawn and the settings become real in the readers’ mind. The story centres on the disappearance of one of the teenagers, and on the uncovering of a body from decades before. Penney brings the two strands together with admirable skill, creating an engrossing and colourful story.

Stef Penney is one of those rare authors whose novels are all utterly diverse and different. It's always a pleasure to find out what she's decided to write about next. There's never a formula, but you can rely on them being good. 'The Long Water' is one of her best, a compelling mystery novel with great pacing and interesting characters, set in the north of Norway.

The novel is told from multiple viewpoints, but only one in the first person - that of Svea, an elderly lady with a colourful past. The other principal characters are Svea's teenage granddaughter Elin, her best friend Benny, and one of their teachers. Multiple more minor characters get small amounts from their viewpoint - whoever is best placed to tell the next part of the story. All of them live in a remote Norwegian valley, hemmed in by mountains and with only one road giving access through a narrow tunnel. The story revolves largely around the mystery surrounding a teenage boy who has gone missing when hiking, and later on, around an old body discovered during the search for him.

The setting is interesting and vividly described - I can visualise the town and mountains, the caves and the ski resort, the streets of the little town. Despite the upsetting subject matter, it is not written in a hysterical or unrealistic way. The way in which people react to the events seems very believable. I liked all of the characters, and found them interesting and well rounded. Although the story pivots around the mysteries, it is about much more than that - the lives of the characters, their histories, and their hopes for the future.

I'd highly recommend to those who like mysteries and general literary fiction - it's a great example of how you can write both a broader literary novel and an interesting whodunnit.

Like The Tenderness of Wolves this is as much about the relationships between members of an isolated community as it is about solving a crime - two crimes in fact. The atmospheric Norwegian setting of The Long Water gives a view into the lives of a range of diverse characters who all feel real and fully formed.
Readers looking for a crime thriller may be disappointed - the crimes are secondary to the lives of the protagonists and the pace is a slow burn - however anyone who enjoys a glimpse into another culture and a diverse selection of lives will be well rewarded.
Thanks to Quercus and NetGalley for an advance copy to review

This is a slow burner that is character lead with a very strong sense of setting that is almost a protagonist in itself. The focus on family relationships and friendships, and the importance of community is central to the whole, and the gradual build-up of tension around the main missing person and the historical links across the other leads really draw you in. If you want Hollywood-style action then this is not for you : if you want Nordic atmosphere and like a book to challenge the emotions then this will grip and possibly keep you guessing til the end

Author Stef Penney has written several novels but her debut The Tenderness of Wolves probably remains her best-known one. In her latest novel, The Long Water, Penney returns to a Northern setting, although rather than 1860s Canada, we are transported to modern-day Norway, more specifically in the arctic Nordland/Sami territory.

At its heart, The Long Water is a mystery story, which deals with the disappearance of a teenager during the “Russ”, raucous end-of-school celebrations. During searches for the boy, Daniel, a body is found in a disused mine in the mountains, leading to a second cold-case investigation parallel to the first.

The small-town atmosphere is well brought out, and the mystery thread, albeit ultimately rather underwhelming, drives the plot nicely. But what makes this novel more interesting is its mix of narrative voices – alternating between third-person narration and the acerbic, darkly humorous voice of misanthropic old Svea. Through Svea we meet a colourful cast of characters including Svea’s granddaughter Elin and her friend Benny, both of whom are coming to terms with their sexuality, and “Odd Emil”, Daniel’s grandfather. Secrets are revealed, as the younger characters come of age, and the older ones come to terms with their past.

3.5*

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-long-water-by-stef-penney.html

The Tenderness of Wolves is one of my all time favourites, so I'm always happy to see a new Stef Penney. This one is set in the Norwegian Arctic, and involves the search for a missing teenage boy. The writing is so atmospheric, and the plot is so gripping, that I flew through this highly enjoyable book so quickly.

The introduction here sets the scene nicely. In remote Norway - Nordland - Sami territory and close to Sweden, the landscape and history of the area is described. It used to be a major mining areas but the mines have been closed for some years now. Svea, 79, has been resident there for some time and knows the area well. She lives with her puffin hound Asta and starts telling her story in a conversational way. I was drawn to her immediately. The story then passes to Elin (Svea's granddaughter) and Benny who are both 16 and good friends. Elin, whose father is the local priest, has decided she is gender-fluid and Benny is gay. It is close to "russ" time when the about to be school leavers party and push whatever boundaries they can. A boy, Daniel, who Elin and Benny know in passing disappears after one of the parties.

Over the course of the book more than one body is found and secrets emerge. You get to know Svea and her friend Odd Emil as well as Elin and Benny. Their families and friends become clearer too. Backstories gradually emerge and sometimes they felt rather long and convoluted to me - probably my only slight criticism of this. In the case of Svea her narrative is really very conversational. I did find this a little odd initially however the more I read the more I got into, and enjoyed, her character. While she is not as connected with Daniel as the young ones her story is still a very powerful one. I found Benny's story very good too. Indeed all the characters played their parts well in this to my mind.

The setting was well used in this narrative. The feel of remoteness and different ways of life. The tensions in this are past and present ones and the writing for me was excellent. I've read some of Stef Penney's work before and I do enjoy her work generally. This was maybe a slow burn read however I was always drawn back into this story. The gradual reveal means it is a while before some aspects of this become apparent (and only then are you likely to start to understand what the outcome might be). Even then aspects of the ending I hadn't worked out and I found this a really enjoyable read.

Stef Penney came to attention with the brilliant The Tenderness of Wolves. The Long Water is a return to writing about a northern hemisphere location but in stead of 1860s Canada, this time the story is in modern day Norway.

The book primarily focuses on the disappearance of a popular 18 year old teenage called Daniel living in a small town arctic town who is just about to complete his education. But as the investigation proceeds another body is discovered- a person who has been dead for many years found in a former mine.

The 'will they / won't they' find Daniel element of the story provides the undercurrent and key hook to the book but it is the reactions and relationships between certain members of the community that make this book so gripping as the investigation develops and individuals reflect on their own and other's actions

The story is partly narrated in the first person - with the 'third wall' being broken as it feels it is directed to the reader through the thoughts of Svea- an older resident whose personal life in the region and subsequent younger years are recounted. She has been affected by past events in the town and even fifty years later the ramifications are evident. Old secrets and family troubles are revealed.

It is the thoughts and fears of Svea's granddaughter Erin and her best friend Daniel that are the most fascinating - the challenge of two young people trying to ' work out' who they are in their modern society against the backdrop of the disappearance. The angst of the two youngsters is palpable.and moving.

In some senses it is hard to categorise the novel- yes, it is part crime story however it is also a reflection or dissection of modern lives but in a small isolated community; exploring the ways in which relationships evolve and the methods and manners by which people communicate- the text speak between the younger characters does raise questions about emotions and personal interaction.

"If you constantly express love as a red tiny heart - 'bounceable' and unbreakable - does that diminish the complexity and subtlety of your feelings?"

Stef Penney has written a thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating book that seems to be holding a mirror up to contemporary life exploring how all age groups navigate their way whether it be through their past histories or trying to work out where their future self lies.

This is a novel about families - the damage that can be done within and between , the heartbreak, the isolation and the love that comes, goes and ultimately binds people together.

Penney is known for her novels which have a hint of ice. This one is of that genre, it’s a spacious, dark piece of writing which looks and walks like a crime novel, but is something much bleak and thoughtful than that.

In a small Norwegian town, a high school student goes missing, during the end of term ‘Russ’ (a mixture of teenage rampage/hazing). Our omnipotent, omniscient narrator is Svea Hustoft who finds the disappearance brings back painful memories from her past.

The book is full of brilliant characterisations and Hustoft is one of them. She’s the daughter of a woman who had a relationship with a German officer, suffered an abusive relationship with her mother, which she then continued with her own children. There’s also that sense of regret, in her unspoken, slow-burning relationship with a neighbour; plus keeping up with an ever-changing world.

There’s also that sense of connectedness here, a small town where everyone knows everyone/everyone’s business. If the novel has one major fault, the disappearance is a red herring, plus that is compounded by the discovery of another body. Plus, if I can nitpick a little more, this novel is perfect for cold nights, rather than late-Summer heat.

However, it’s a book with a glacial, unsettling pace. It’s published by Quercus on July 4th and I thank them for a preview copy. #thelongwater