As Henri realises he has inadvertently become part of a group of local dads, a competing adventure park is seeking to expand their operations, not always sticking to the law in the process…
Is it possible to combine the increasingly dangerous world of the adventure-park business with the unpredictability of life in a blended family? At first glance, the two appear to have only one thing in common: neither deals particularly well with a mounting body count.
In order to solve this seemingly impossible conundrum, Henri is forced to step far beyond the mathematical precision of his comfort zone … and the stakes have never been higher…
Warmly funny, quirky, touching, and a nail-biting triumph of a thriller, The Beaver Theory is the final instalment in the award-winning Rabbit Factor Trilogy, as Henri encounters the biggest challenge of his career, with hair-raising results…
I'm huge fan of Antti Tuomainen's books and loved The Beaver Theory when I read it last year, so I'm delighted to be able to re-share my review on its paperback publication day. Many thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. Happy publication day, Antti!
The last book in a trilogy is often a bittersweet moment but never more so than with Antti Tuomainen's The Beaver Theory. His series of books about love, death and insurance mathematics are such a refreshingly different approach to crime fiction and actuary Henri Koskinen is one of the most memorably endearing characters I've ever had the pleasure of encountering.
You could forgive poor Henri for finally expecting his days to become more settled after the chaotic turn his life first took in The Rabbit Factor, with further shocks, scheming and unfortunate deaths in The Moose Paradox. However, the opening chapter soon makes it clear that being the owner of an adventure park still results in him finding himself in the most extraordinary situations – this time featuring an enormous beaver and an ice-cream cone... As with the previous books, the narrative then flips back a few days to reveal exactly how he found himself in this predicament, and ultimately whether he can clear his name while discovering the truth about the nefarious goings-on at the rival Somersault City adventure park, save his own YouMeFun park and still adjust to life as part of a family.
His romance with Laura Helanto has been one of the highlights of this series; despite previously only trusting the safety and reliability of mathematics, he has opened himself up to the uncertainty of love and now he and his cat, Schopenhauer have moved in with Laura and her young daughter, Tuuli. Henri being Henri, he takes his new role as a family man very seriously and consequently ends up joining an enthusiastic group of dads. As he becomes part of their social evenings and wildly ambitious fundraising plans, Henri's bemusement at this sudden change in his personal life is both hilarious and heartwarming, However, the storyline also has several darkly complex twists and turns, with more gruesome deaths to follow as Henri's increasingly versatile skill set also sees him become a private investigator. In one especially unforgettable scene, he bears witness to something which leaves an indelible impression on Henri and almost certainly the reader too.
Antti Tuomainen perfectly strikes a balance between the warmth of cosy crime mysteries and the more dangerous, grisly end of the crime fiction spectrum here. As our doggedly determined hero risks everything – including perhaps his new state of happiness – he is forced to lie, scheme and take extreme measures to protect all he has come to hold dear. It's arguably his burgeoning awareness of what the different facets of his life have come to mean to him which leads to the escalating tension being so nail-biting in The Beaver Theory.
The narrative seamlessly switches between suspense and comedy throughout; all crime fiction should involve some element of risk and the superbly empathetic development of Henri's character over the course of the trilogy ensures it's almost impossible not to become intensely invested in his story. As always it would be remiss of me not to mention David Hackston's excellent translation which captures all the drama, humour and hope, as well as the technicolour sense of place. I will miss Henri Koskinen and the eccentric yet largely loveable characters surrounding him but this compelling, touching tale of murderous plots, underhand tactics and unorthodox families is the perfect ending to this outstanding trilogy. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
The Beaver Theory is published by Orenda Books, it can be ordered from their website, further purchasing links can be found here.
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Thanks for the blog tour support x
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