Is it weird that every time I read one of these books I end up wanting to move to Sweden despite the abnormally high death rate? ⁣
⁣
I am a longtime fan of author Will Dean and in particular the Tuva series. The previous books had Gavrik as such a central part of the storylines - looking in depth at the small community and their idiosyncrasies as well as focusing on a crime or murder investigation. Ice Town is slightly different, it’s a standalone and in this story, Tuva ventures to the Alaskan North of Sweden when an eighteen-year-old deaf boy goes missing. This new setting really gives you a better understanding of just how vast and dangerous the country can be. It also emphasises how isolated you would be if you found yourself in trouble - the fact that Peter might be in desperate need of help but because of his deafness was not able to hear the search party calling for him was quite powerful, and the way the investigation had to be adapted in the freezing conditions was quite an eye-opener!⁣
⁣
Will Dean described this book as having a Twin Peaks vibe, and I can definitely see that in some of the characters and the isolated mountain setting. The red-haired man looking for the squirrel could be Ice Town’s very own log lady, there is an eccentric hotel, and Tuva would be Cooper - the outsider trying their best to integrate with the locals to help solve the murders. ⁣
⁣
I loved the way that this story was an extreme take on a closed circle or locked-room mystery - once the tunnel is shut every night, the residents of Ice Town are left to fend for themselves in the brutal winter conditions knowing that there is a possible murderer amongst them. I also really enjoyed Tuva’s character development, seeing how she copes with the stress of an investigation which hits close to home while still dealing with the loss of Noora. ⁣
⁣
Ice Town is hands down my favourite of the Tuva Moodyson mysteries since Dark Pines. Will Dean just keeps getting better and better, and I cannot wait to see the TV crime drama based on this series!

Tuva Moodyson is the protagonist of several of Will Dean’s thrillers. She is a deaf reporter who lives in a remote part of Sweden. In Ice Town she is made aware of a deaf teenager who has gone missing and decides that she should investigate. She soon becomes embroiled in a far reaching murder case in a town which is highly insular and cut off, to the extent that the tunnel that leads to it is shut every night. Will Dean’s writing is brilliantly atmospheric and you can feel the freezing temperatures and lack of daylight, which all adds to the creepiness and sense of foreboding. He keeps you guessing and turning the pages. I certainly didn’t guess what was happening until the end.
This is the first of his Tuva books that I’ve read, though I’ve read the stand alones. You don’t need to read the others but I’m going to be reading them, absolutely loved Ice Town.

I love a Tuva Moodyson mystery! I've not read them all yet but this latest instalment has definitely reminded me of why I need to prioritise this series more!

If you enjoy crime thrillers, there's a lot to enjoy about this series. Mostly, I love the snowy, desolate landscapes. Will Dean (a British author who has moved to rural Sweden) knows the setting well! It's atmospheric, creating more tension, adding more dangers, and the mountain tunnel in this book only adds more pressure!

And then there's Tuva, one of my favourite main characters! She's a journalist rather than a detective so she has different boundaries and she has different means of getting information. She's also just very likeable in general, down to earth and relatable, so it's always easy to be in her company.

The crime is also very gripping. It begins with a missing teenager, but that soon becomes the least of the town's problems. And with it being a small town with limited access, there are only a few people to point the finger out, so it was entertaining trying to figure out who had a motive.

If you're a fan of detective series with a Scandi twist and a brilliant female lead, this is definitely a series you need to get into! If you're already a fan of this series, it won't disappoint!

I do like Will Dean as author. The Last thing To Burn still stays with me. The Tuva books remind me a bit of Miss Smila's Feeling For Snow (I loved). Not fast paced but your interest is held and you really want to know what happens. Tuva is a great character.

I had read other Will Dean books but none of the Tuva Moodyson series. This is the 6th but fortunately this can be read as a standalone.

The main character is an award-winning journalist based in Sweden who happens to be deaf. A case of a missing deaf teenager grabs her attention and with the blessing of her editor, she travels far into the north (thinking nothing of a 8-9 hour road trip in increasingly poor conditions) to help with the search and get the story for an in-depth article - the type for which she is well-known and respected. The small town of Esseberg (Ice Town) is a formerly popular skiing resort, surrounded by mountains and it happens to be accessible through a single track tunnel which is only open at certain times of day.

Soon, several bodies are found buried in the snow and suspicions are cast on the missing teenager as well as others. The fear of the townspeople is meticulously drawn as they realise there is a spree killer (different from a serial killer) on the prowl. There are many suspects for the killer and I didn't guess the culprit until the big reveal towards the end.

The book is full of red herrings and scary situations. It is extremely atmospheric and the characters, even minor ones, are well presented. The coldness is palpable and the daily life of the inhabitants - all the precautions they must take to survive in below zero temperatures - seems very authentic, presumably because the author lives in Sweden. A definitely 'yes' from me; highly recommended.

I am a huge fan of Will Dean and of the Tova Moodyson series and this definitely didn’t disappoint. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop, nobody does atmosphere like Will Dean!
I love that the twists aren’t obvious and they do keep you guessing until the very end!

Another excellent book by Will Dean!

This story gave me a strong sense of claustrophobia!
Imagine a town isolated from the outside world by a tunnel that closes at night from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. No one can enter or leave during those hours. What if there is an emergency and you cannot get out?

An 18-year-old deaf boy named Peter Hedberg has gone missing from Esseberg (Ice Town).
Tuva is a full-time reporter at Gavrik Posten in Gavrik and is immediately drawn to the case. As a hearing-impaired individual, she understands the feeling of being cut off from the world, and she also knows that Peter's hearing aids will not last indefinitely. She is determined to tell his story, uncover the truth, and in doing so, finds herself in Esseberg.

A body is discovered, raising concerns about whether it is the missing boy. As more bodies are found, the safety of the community becomes a paramount concern. The identity of the perpetrator and the motive behind these murders remain unknown, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

Meanwhile, Tuva grapples with personal challenges following the loss of her partner. Amidst her grief, she stumbles upon a startling revelation that further complicates her situation.

A great read!!

Atmospheric, chilling, isolating - the author does well imbuing his words with a strong sense of place, and hitting all the suspense buttons.
The plot is an unusual one, and the premise interesting. Some good ideas and diversions, and well written.
I hadn’t read any of the other Tuva books and it didn’t seem a problem with my understanding of the background or plot.

I found this book a little slow starting and it took me a little while to remember who was who, but once I got into the plot I found I finished it in no time. I really didn't suspect the killer so the ending was a twist I didn't see coming. I read it as a standalone book and enjoyed it once the plot sped up

4.5*

A welcome return for our intrepid Swedish journalist, Tuva Moodyson. This time Tuva's been called far away from home to investigate the disappearance of a deaf teenager in the isolated northern town of Esseberg, known as Ice Town.

For a series that got strong and stronger with each release this is another fantastic instalment. This book can be easily read as a standalone but a lot of the richness comes from the development of Tuva’s character and all the trials and tribulations that we’ve gone through with her in previous books. This book, like the rest of the series, is an intriguing mystery accompanied by a rich and evocative setting with a sinister and unsettling undercurrent running throughout. The supporting cast of characters are well realised with quirks and foibles that add to the story and setting and the entire reading experience is immersive, and tense with a surprising reveal (for me) for the who and they why.

I hope we’ll get to see more of Tuva in the future, especially as I've devoured this entire series over the course of 5 months and whilst I read this edition in ebook form (and it read so quickly I was so absorbed) I also highly recommend listening to the audiobooks for this series as Maya Lindh's voice is Tuva's in my head now!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this digital review copy of "Ice Town" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Book 6 in this brilliant series finds Tuva drawn to remote ski village Esseberg whn she hears that a deaf teenager has gone missing. Tuva is her tenacious self, but feels more of a link to this one with the missing boy also being deaf. She is also still coming to terms with events from the previous book which is why, while this could be read as a standalone, I definitely recommend reading the whole series.

Tuva finds herself in another small town where everyone knows everyone and there are several residents who definitely seem to know more than they are letting on. Add in the cold and dark climate, plus the fact that the entire town is cut off by the only access tunnell being closed each night, Tuva and the local police have their work cut out.

I love Tuva as a character and although it has come at great personal cost for her, it is great to see her almost 'growing up' a bit, softening slightly and not being that stubborn, always so self-reliant character she has had to be. I really hope this evolvment continues into the rest of the series!

I've read and really enjoyed other novels by Mr Dean, but none of his Tuva series, so was looking forward to meeting a new character.
It took me a while to get into the book, but because of the rave reviews I persevered. The sense of place, cold and isolation was really well expressed, but the story itself didn't grab me and I was unsure about the murderer once revealed. I will definitely read more by this author but probably not this series.
Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book

I was conflicted with how many stars to give as I LOVE Tuva and anything else Will has ever written and I Loved this. With the usual dark, atmospheric setting and totally gripping story I couldn’t put it down……until we find who the killer was and this is where I dropped a star, I was sooo disappointed in who it was, it just felt so far fetched and it kind of spoiled it a bit for me. That saying though, i still really enjoyed it, it did keep me gripped and I look forward to our next meeting with Tuva to hopefully find out if her exciting news is real?? Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this early copy.

The graphic and atmospheric description of a small Swedish town in winter proved categorically that I would not survive in such a place … a missing deaf teenager and several ensuing murders confirmed it. A deaf journalist, Tuva Moodyson, pursues the case as someone well-placed to help the missing youth. As someone with a hearing challenge, I had expected to identify with Tuva rather more; whilst I felt for her suffering for her partner, I was strangely distanced from Tuva but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the novel. Descriptions of the townspeople lend tension to the snow and ice and danger - and creepiness! Blessed relief comes in the form of Tuva’s editor and best friend and the investigating police inspector. But the resolution to the crimes is an out-of-the-blue (or snow!) breath-taker. Readers will have to truly think out of the box for this one! I haven’t read anything else in the series, but will make sure I do – evocative and emotive writing, an unusual lot, and a fascinating cast of characters make for good reading. I am grateful to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this ARC and for introducing me to a new author.

Firrst book by this author I have read and it won't be the last.
One way in one way out and a killer on a murderous hunt. Set in a small town in the mountains,a journalist who is deaf can she figure out the killer before he/she comes for her.
Loved it,cannot wait for more from this author

The hook this book had in me is nothing short of magic! And it's such a perfect, atmospheric book for this time of year with the dark nights etc. The writing is excellent, the turns and twists are jaw dropping. The characters are brought to life and made as clue to walking, talking humans as is possible on paper and omg the tension built throughout!!! It's just such an amazing story. I didn't realise it was part of a series so I shall now be going to get caught up because if they're even half as good as this one, I'll be more than satisfied

Ice Town is book 6 in the Tuva Moodyson Mysteries by Will Dean. This book definitely works as a standalone though if you just want to dive into the series.

Esseberg, AKA Ice Town can only be reached by way of a tunnel which closes at night. There is only one way in and one way out giving the novel a real claustrophobic feel. A deaf teenager goes missing and mountain rescue launch a search for him. When journalist Tuva reads about the young teen she is drawn to the town to help with the search. Being deaf herself she may be of use to communicate with him.

This was a chilling atmospheric read with danger lurking everywhere, from the creepy hotel at the top of the mountain, the defective ski lift and a killer on a murder spree. A totally gripping read and a fantastic ending.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

TUVA! TUVA! TUVA! *Fist pumps the air*
Tuva is back and I’m totally here for it.

I’m a huge Will Dean fan and have now read everything he’s written. But I’m particularly fond of the Tuva series. She’s a fantastic character and I’m hugely invested in her. And the setting of Utgard Forest and the surrounding area is always the perfect backdrop to this series.

In Ice Town, Tuva has rocked up in Esseburg - another crazy location where a tunnel is the only way in and out of the town - and it’s closed every night.
She’s following a case of a missing deaf teenager. But, obvs, it’s not going to be that straightforward and the body count soon starts to rack up.

Not sure if I was imagining this but I felt that possibly the writing style had changed since the last Tuva book. It’s almost as though since Noora’s death, the writing has changed to reflect Tuva’s mental state of grief. It seems a bit more punchy, choppy and matter of fact - like Tuva is going through the motions of living in a shocked and detached way.
And then as I read on, I realised that the writing had become less staccato as Tuva got more enmeshed in her work.

There was a pretty major revelation in the book, so I’m hoping that means we can expect more books in this series. Hurry please, Mr Dean!

I'm new to Tuva, never read any before but goodness me, I will certainly be reading more of these excellent stories. The way the story wound around the wonderfully written characters was brilliant! Proper heart pounding stuff! I really hope I get to meet her again, even if the ending did make me cry

I should start this review with the caveat that Will Dean is a magnificent author and the Tuva mysteries are probably my favourite series! I picked one up on a whim and have now worked my way through them all.

Back to Ice Town, Tuva once again centres herself in an emerging drama. This time it’s not local, drawn by the news of a missing deaf teenager, Tuva travels far north to Ice Town to investigate. What unfolds in this dark, cold town is a series of grim discoveries, and some personal revelations for Tuva.

Like all books in the Tuva mysteries, this could easily be read as a stand-alone or as part the series. This is the first time I have read one as it’s released and really liked that how storylines have matured and relationships evolved, for example the respect from Chief Bjorn in his call to the local police.

Huge thank you for the ARC, I have a pre-order en route to look forward to.