This was a chilling thriller, set in the mountains of Sweden away from everything, you need a tunnel to read the town of Esseberg. The tunnel closes each night, when a deaf teenager goes missing in the town, Tuva a reporter goes to investigate. There is loads of secrets in this small town, but the mystery of it is very close.

I enjoyed this read, does make you chilly with all that snow. The characters are likable and it was easy to follow. It’s dark and you will be watching over your shoulder a while after reading it. An overall 4.5 star read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Tuva, a journalist, gets a scary news alert about a missing teen. She joins the search, thinking she might be able to help in a special way. The search is dangerous, but things get even worse. It's a suspenseful story with a great setting, interesting characters, and a fast-paced plot. It's really gripping and exciting.

Tuva heads off to Esseberg in this instalment to the series, investigating the disappearance of a deaf teenager in the mountains. It hits close to home for her, as she can empathise with how he was treated due to his deafness. There is no shortage of potential suspects, despite it being a small town, and Dean does a good job of describing the icy conditions, the mountains, and the claustrophobia of being in a town whose only entry/exit is via a tunnel that closes each night…

This is a good addition to the series, and I like seeing Tuva begin to grow as a person - she was quite aloof to start with (and with a frustrating tendency to let batteries go flat for her phone and hearing aids), but she is starting to have a bit more warmth and self-awareness now. I think this is Nora’s legacy, which is ❤️. And as for the potential big news for Tuva… it will be interesting to see where that goes, and whether he is who he says he is…

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

You know that fizz of excitement when you stumble across an amazing new series and immediately add all the earlier books to your library? Well, that was me with Ice Town. I’m a huge fan of Will Dean and have read and loved all his standalone thrillers, but this Tuva Moodyson series somehow passed me by. After reading this, though, I am well and truly hooked.

The setting alone was enough to give me the heebie jeebies.

It’s winter in Esseberg, a small Swedish town set in a dark valley surrounded by high, brooding mountains, where the only way in and out is via a single-lane tunnel, which — wait for it — closes overnight, trapping its one thousand residents inside.

The news that a deaf teenager has gone missing there catches the attention of investigative journalist Tuva, who travels from her base to help with the search. Tuva is also deaf and as well as sensing a story feels she has unique skills that could be put to good use.

What follows, as it gradually becomes clear that the town has a killer in its midst, is a highly enjoyable piece of suspense fiction, the creepiness intensified by the hostile environment and the sinister characters that Dean cleverly employs to misdirect the attention of the reader.

Giving Indiana Jones a run for his money, Tuva finds herself in a series of hairy scary scrapes, involving stuck chairlifts, lost skis and deadly mountain slopes. My heart was in my mouth more than once, and if this had been a movie, I’d have missed most of it due to my hands being clamped tightly over my eyes.

The plot is full of crazy twists and turns and builds to a thrilling, explosive finale. Even here, though, Dean has a joker up his sleeve (doesn’t he always?) and at the last moment slaps it down with a smirking ‘Gotcha!’ He certainly had me fooled.

Although this instalment is being marketed as a standalone, and I had no problem reading it as such, fans will no doubt enjoy some developments in Tuva’s private life. I loved her as a character, and there were enough references to her past to make me very keen to get to know her better.

Another cracker from the pen of Will Dean and well worth the read.

Creepy and claustrophobic! What a wonderful book to read in winter. The mountains and the closed tunnel are powerfully depicted and great a closed town where everyone knows everyone else and yet they seem to know nothing about what’s happening.

I won’t spoil the book, just read it !

This is the first book I've read featuring Tuva. Although it was supposed to be a standalone I felt I would have enjoyed it more having read more about her. I didn't particularly like the character of Tuva finding her self-obsessed.. Her ramblings slowed the story down. I'm not sure if the author used this to contrast the evil self-obsession of the murderer.
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me though I'm sure it will be enjoyed by many.

This is an easy five star read from me! I've been in a reading slump for a while and sometimes you just need a familiar author and character to lift you out of it. Will Dean does this every time with Tuva Moodyson. She's one of my favourite characters. But we're not in familiar territory here as Tuva has to travel far north to a small town - Esseberg - accessed by a tunnel. A missing deaf teenage boy is a story that Tuva can't ignore. With none of her usual friends to back her up, Tuva has to go it alone and try to get the locals to talk to her. Just as she's starting to gain some trust, a horrific discovery takes the story in a whole new direction.

Dean has created a claustrophobic feel with the town accessed only by tunnel and formidable mountains looming behind. You get a good sense of Tuva being on her own, still grieving for Noora and there being a mix of fear and recklessness in her behaviour. I absolutely loved this book and I hope Will Dean will continue his Tuva Moodyson series for quite a few more books.

I loved this. I couldn’t put it down. Part of the Tuva series, but is the first one I’ve read and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s easy to follow with enough background information to be read as a standalone. A captivating well paced atmospheric story.
When a deaf teenager goes missing in Esseberg, deaf journalist Tuva Moodyson joins the search. But when dead bodies are discovered in the snow Peter, the missing teenager becomes the prime suspect. Tuva works to uncover the truth and find the killer.
I loved the location-a Swedish town in the mountains that can only be reached through a tunnel that closes at night.
With short engaging chapters the author is brilliant at creating tension and atmosphere. You can really feel the fear, the below freezing temperatures and the isolation. It’s so descriptive. The story keeps you guessing throughout with many twists and you suspect every character. It’s just brilliantly written. The characters are interesting and some are unpleasant too. Tuva is a likeable determined feisty main character who I loved.
I look forward to reading earlier books in this series.
Definitely recommend if you like dark, chilling, eerie vibes then this book is for you. It’s well worth a read.
With thanks #NetGallery #Hodderstoughton for an arc of #IceTown in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 7 November 2024.

I've read and loved most of Will Dean's books (my favourite is The Last Pasenger) so I was very keen to try his Tuva Moodyson series. This is the sixth in the series, although it can easily be read as a stand-alone.
I was immediately hooked by this book. I loved the wintry setting and found the small Swedish mountainside town (Esseberg) very atmospheric. It definitely felt like a locked room thriller as the town was cut off at night when the tunnel closes. The freezing landscape makes the perfect setting for this time of year!
The cast of characters is brilliant and I really enjoyed reading from Tuva's perspective (the deaf journalist) as she tries to help solve the murder cases in the small town and prevent the death toll rising. Tuva is drawn in to the investigation when a deaf teenager goes missing, but this soon escalates as more bodies are found.
This was a well written, tense thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and read very quickly. I can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series!

I was thrilled to be back with Tuva again! It's such a great series. As always, one of the strengths is the location and this time it was out of the forest and on a snowy mountain and in the small town beneath. It's claustrophobic and menacing for all its natural beauty. The hotel on top of the mountain adds to the sense of being watched. The cast of characters are all brilliant. All different, all very believable. The plot itself is excellent, with the reveal not completely unexpected but still gripping. There are a few sub plots, including an odd one with Eric that never really comes to anything and seems to be out of the blue but other than that our attention is completely on Tuva and the mysterious murders.

This copy has quite a few typos but I'm sure they'll be fixed before publication. A really wonderful read. It kept me completely engrossed.

Will Dean is certainly the master of suspense. 'Ice Town' is his latest unputdownable murder mystery. It is set in Northern Sweden during winter time. When Tuva hears that a deaf teenager has gone missing in a small town, she travels there to investigate. But more people disappear and are found dead. Esseberg is a close community with many possible suspects responsible for this killing spree. The writing is very atmospheric, you can really feel the cold and the suspense.
This is my first time meeting the deaf journalist Tuva Moodyson. As a big fan of Nordic Noir I am looking forward to reading about her previous cases and hopefully future ones.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for the review copy.

Please check Trigger warnings before reading - the descriptions of the killings are very graphic. Will Dean is an excellent author and the book was very well written - the plot twist was a little predictable but it was still a decent thriller.

I love Tuva, she’s one of my favourite characters in a series ever (can’t wait for the screen adaptation) and although this can be read as a stand-alone novel, I appreciated the little touches which made it recognisable as part of the series, like the troll-carving sisters. You could definitely read this without any previous knowledge, and if it’s your first Tuva book or, heaven forbid, your first Will Dean book, you’ll have a wonderful time reading the rest of the series.
This time, deaf reporter Tuva has ventured even further north than Gavrik to investigate a missing deaf teenager. The only way into Esseberg is through a tunnel, which means it’s easy to get cut off. The dead body count soon begins to climb, without any sign of the missing teenager. Is he the victim or perpetrator? And if he’s not the killer, what on Earth is going on in this tiny, icy town?
I jokingly said on Twitter (or X if you must) that I’ve started to feel like Will Dean is working his way though a list of things I’m scared of, book by book. I was delighted to find a chair lift in this book, as I already hate them. He does an excellent job of making me even less likely to want to go on another one, ever. The chair lift leads to a creepy old hotel, and this setting suggests that there are some personal developments ahead for Tuva - so I’m looking forward to book 7.
The setting is great. You can almost feel the cold as you are reading, and the isolation of the community is well-drawn. As usual, there are a lot of slightly odd characters populating the book. I didn’t guess the killer, which is unusual for me, so that’s a win for Will Dean.
Highly recommended.

When Tuva hears that a deaf teenager has gone missing in thr northern town if Esseburg she tells her editor and friend, Lena, that she must go to write an investigate. It is nearly the middle of winter and it’s bitterly cold. When bodies are found in the freezing snow, ir is first thought Peter, the missing boy killed them, but then another body is found exonerating Peter. Tuva feels compelled to keep putting herself in harms way. This had me guessing!

This was such a thrilling read, right away I felt hooked by this book and the twists and turns were really well done,

I haven't read any of this series so was really glad to have an opportunity of a way in. And will definitely be going back to find the others.
I've seen many people who are fans of Will Dean. I'm obviously very late to the party. But gladly joining now.
This is a really atmospheric and well paced plot. It really lends itself to getting you involved. The descriptions of the surroundings. Everything that starts happening really grabs you in deeper to the story.
A really good introduction to this authors books. Highly enjoyable.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’ve read a few standalone Will Dean books which have been brilliant and wasn’t aware this was part of a series. For the most part I was fine without any backstory but I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the standalone ones.

I was totally immersed in the world of Ice Town. I have been a Tuva Moodyson fan since the very first book and it was great to be back with her in this wonderfully tense and atmospheric thriller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pacy and enjoyable, this kept me guessing right up to the end. The sense of isolation is such a key factor in a good murder thriller, and this had it in spades. I'll read more by this author now. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review of the book.

A superb book!

I loved the setting and main character! The author is commended for a natural flowing plot that sustained a feeling of mystery and menace. I will definitely look forward to reading more books in the Tuva series. What an interesting character.

A book about a serial killer - with a difference! Has there been a murder? Or lots of murders? Who is a a friend - who is a suspect. Nothing was clear or obvious to me. That was an unusual feature. I felt that the author managed to depict Nordic-noire style books with ease. Full credit to @WillDean.

There is so much in this book that provides lessons to society on diversity and relationships! Much to admire!