Stef Penney - The Long Water:

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