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It's a week or so before Christmas in Lapland, and the sun won't begin to shine for at least another week or so. It's very cold. When the body of Sufia Elmi is found in a local field, brutally murdered, Inspector Kari Vaara suddenly finds himself with a lot more on his plate than he anticipated. Because of the brutality of the murder, and some specific acts committed during it, this could be a sex crime, a hate crime, or both. Finns tend to be very quiet about race; they hate in silence. Sufia Elmi is very obviously a kept woman. Her parents, her father in particular, are very vocal in their demand that the killer or killers be found and punished to the full extent of the law. Of course, Vaara would like this as well. Unfortunately for Vaara, the primary suspect is the common-law husband of Vaara's ex-wife, and the ex-wife is convinced that Vaara is after them both. No matter that the divorce is ancient history, and Vaara is recently married to an American who is pregnant. It's all a plot because Vaara is still upset about the way his ex-wife left him. As Vaara investigates, it becomes obvious that more than one person was present when Elmi died. The next suspect is the son of a political figure; another thread designed to give Vaara grief. Following leads, Vaara pulls another thread that connects to his own department. During all of this, his wife breaks a leg and becomes basically housebound. She's an active woman, not used to being confined or to the seemingly endless night. Vaara's work and home life become entangled - every policeman's nightmare. James Thompson has written an amazing book. Dark, depressing, convoluted, and compelling - what's not to like? Vaara is a complex man with lots of issues, past and present. His willingness to confront those issues bodes well for future books, should this be the start of a series. The plotting is deft, with just enough surprises. Thompson's ability to convey the gestalt of the long winter night is mind-blowing. Thompson is truly a writer to watch.
Reviewed by P.J. Coldren, December 2009
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