Darkly funny

This is a pretty engaging mystery that plays out among Finnish mushroom entrepreneurs--really, I swear. Two things about the book made it stand out for me. First, the book opens with the main character finding out he's been poisoned beyond all hope of recovery and has weeks/days to live. This leads him to investigate who did it, but as a man with a terminal prognosis he goes about this in a manner only a "dead" man can. Second, as I was listening to the audiobook, I realized that the narrator sounds a lot like David Mitchell's character in Peepshow, and the character he voices has a lot of the same neuroses--not to mention a proclivity for dry asides about, say, how manufacturers of crappy printers must be in cahoots with antidepressant makers to drive humanity mad. Everything about the story, the off-kilter humor and occasional bursts of darkly humorous violence, feels like either a particularly warped episode of Peep Show, or a Coen Brothers film. If that sounds good to you, check it out.

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2 people found this helpful

Gripping an reflective

This is an amazing story of crime, dangerous pursuits and mushrooms. It is full of action, twists, fun and reflections on the meaning of life and death. Easy to listen, can't stop till the finishing line.

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something different

book starts slow then gets quite good really enjoyed it something different give it a little while you'll end up liking it in the end

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Wow, what a hidden gem!

I love Nordic noir and Tuominen puts a light, charming spin on what could be the darkest topic ever - the narrator discovers he has been poisoned and wants to solve the mystery and wrap up things before he goes. It just toes the line of absurd with such a deft touch that it delights instead of taking you out of the story. Unusual, well narrated, and clever. Highly recommend.

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Not exactly a standard mystery

(As posted in Goodreads)
Amazing things are addressed! Trust issues; murder; facing imminent death; deceit; love; self-knowledge…. The story is involved and it has surprising twists. And, the reader is left hanging on and unknowable thread at the end, but it's not uncomfortable in that respect.
It's a mystery, but it's far from standard! I like it a lot.

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If you know some Finns...

...the significance of this story and its perfect narration will delight you! Droll understatement and superb timing highlight an inventive puzzle of a story.

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Quirky.

Interesting plot. I have to say having such a cultured British accent narrate doesn’t quite fit. But the novelty of the plot characters and locale makes up for it. For those that like this try “Norwegian by night”.

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A fresh story line albeit a bit slow

Not a fast mover but a good story with good characters. New storyline that I haven’t heard before.

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