Journalist Tuva Moodyson reads on a news report that a deaf teenager has gone missing in Esseberg. Due to feeling like she can communicate with him better than others, she knows she must join the search. The town lies on the other side of the mountain where one tunnel allows the only access. Soon more people start to go missing and residents are left to fend for themselves.

This is my first Tuva book and I found it a really intriguing locked room mystery. Not only was I interested in the description but I also felt drawn to the cover, all of which made me really want to read this. I found this started strongly, slowly drawing me in. The author does a fantastic job creating an ‘icy’, eerie atmosphere. I could really picture the setting, the descriptions were done wonderfully.

The main character Tuva is unique and you can’t help but root for her. However, I feel like I would have got more out of her character by reading the earlier books in the series. Saying that, this can easily be read as a standalone. I did find the pacing a bit slow at times, however it did pick up and have a satisfactory outcome. I’ll be revisiting Tuva in some of her earlier books in the series. 3.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Ice Town Will Dean

4 stars

Although this is a continuation of a series featuring Tuva Moodyson I had no problems reading it as a stand-alone book.

The title completely sums up the town of Esseberg, also known as Ice Town, a tiny place in the north of Sweden but made even more isolated as it is connected to the outside world by a tunnel that is closed every night. The writing in this book was so good that I actually felt cold when reading it and some of the descriptions were just brilliant.. When Tuva is descending in the antiquated ski lift and it suddenly stops I felt her fear myself.

Tuva is a journalist normally used to dealing with relatively trivial stories in her home town of Gavrik but when she hears about a missing deaf teenager in Esseberg she is determined to go there and try and find out what has happened. Tuva is also deaf and understands how it must feel to be alone in the icy wilderness surrounding Ice Town,

However once she arrives three other murders are discovered all killed in the same way and she realises there is a mass murderer on the loose. As she tries to gather information from the inhabitants of the town she encounters the natural reticence shown to outsiders and absolutely no help from the small local police force.

I did not work out who actually committed the crimes but did find the solution a little strange. However this was a very good thriller and as stated before, the atmosphere and descriptions of the conditions in Esseberg were amazing. I would like to read some of the previous books featuring Tuva, a very interesting character and find out a little more about her life..



Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net Galley

Although this is the sixth book in a series and the first I have read I was able to fully enjoy this as a standalone novel. Yes there are references to earlier events but this does not distract from the main story. Female reporter Tuva follows a story of a missing boy who like her is deaf. The boy has disappeared in a small northern Swedish town which is only accessible by a tunnel through a mountain.It is winter time and the temperature can fall to minus 30C making investigation difficult. Shortly after her arrival further murders happen and Tuva is drawn into a wider story. There are many strands to this modern story which raises moral questions about modern life and social media. Added to this there is a very unexpected development in her private life.
Having entered late I seem to have missed out on an excellent crime series and I will happily read earlier books by this author.

I do love Tuva and I love this series. There have been some moments over the years that have made the skin crawl (moose ticks .... bleurgh), and prior to reading the books, I would actually never have thought that the most dangerous part of the Swedish forest would be the residents. Then I met the folks of Gavrik and it's surrounds and everything changed. But, honestly, they don't have anything on the folks of Esseberg, a forest surrounded, ski resort style community that is quite literally cut off from the world every night as the tunnel road, the only way in or out of the village, is closed. And I thought our all to recent lockdowns were bad ... Tuva is drawn to the town by the story of a missing deaf resident with whom she feels and understandable kinship, little knowing just how dangerous, and revalatory, her latest foray into the north will turn out to be.

All good news for us readers as Will Dean has created another absolutely brilliant story, packed with tension, atmosphere, emotion and, of course, mystery. There is far more to this story than originally meets the eye and the longer Tuva spends in Esseberg, the stranger things become. And it is a strange place indeed. Any rational person would stay outside of the place, travel in when the tunnel is open, and get out of Dodge the minute it was possible. Thankfully, Tuva is made of sterner stuff, and there is no other place she can be than in the thick of it, no matter what danger that places her in.

As ever, Will Dean has created such a varied and eclectic bunch of supporting characters, that it is easy to find suspicion from one to another as the story, and Tuva's investigations progress. The longer Tuva is in town, the stranger, and deadlier, things become. More missing persons, and a few dead bodies, really ramp up the tension and the pace of the story, and there are more than a few moments where Tuva's life hangs perilously in the balance. Literally in some cases. The author does a brilliant job in these scenes, using the isolated setting and the geography of the town - and its position in the north of the country - to perfection. As if being cut off by the closure of the tunnel didn't create strong enough sense fo claustrophobia, the near perpetual night, and that oppressive darkness, really add that feeling of threat that makes the skin tingle and heightens the senses. Add into that the additional isolation that can be caused by Tuva's deafness, and everything is primed to keep you on edge.

Now, I will admit, I did not see the ending coming, although, in some respects, maybe I should have. But I was completely wrapped up in Tuva's story, and this is a particularly personal one for her, for a number of reasons. Fans of the series will understand, as Tuva has been through a heck of a lot, much of which has come to a head by the time we meet her again. Add in a very personal discovery, and a compassion for, and understanding of, the missing teenager, and you get that very unique perspective on the case that only Tuva, through the fabulous writing of Will Dean, can deliver.

This is a surprisingly emotional tale at times, especially the ending, so be ready for that wave of sadness, and perhaps a smattering of hope, to hit you. If you are at all invested in the characters we have come to know and love, especially Tuva, you can't help but feel it. For those who are new to the series, do not fear. This is a standalone story, and enough of a recap is given on all that has gone before to help you understand where Tuva is in her life, and who the people are that really matter to her. And this is a thoroughly gripping mystery, a brilliant who and why dunnit, packed with suspense and a wonderful array of personalities, wrapped up in the kind of setting which will make you very thankful for wide open spaces and a good dose of daylight.

A very welcome return for a brilliant character and most definitely recommended. Loved it.

Chilling. A serial killer at large. A frozen Swedish town in mid winter. Fear of the unknown. Whatever that word sums up, this was it. Tuva is a successful deaf journalist. When she hears that a young deaf man has gone missing in a remote town far north of her home, her instincts kick in and feeling a strong empathy towards him she sets off to help the search and to tell his story. The town is situated through a tunnel that closes at night cutting its residents from the world. Tuva arrives in this quiet place where strangers are noticed and unwelcome. As a body is found she feels imense sadness but it is not Peter, the deaf man. Has Peter become a murderer or another victim? As the pace escalates and fingers point to those with a past Tuva becomes increasingly frustrated that answers are not forthcoming. With danger all round both human and natural, this atmospheric story takes an unexpected personal turn. With many suspects I didn’t expect the final horrifying twist to this enthralling book.

A deaf teenager goes missing in Essberg

In this standalone Tuva Moodyson novel the journalist joins the search reasoning that her deafness will give her the edge over the other hunters.
Esseberg is only accessible via a mountain tunnel which closes at night. More people go missing and we assume a serial or spree killer is at large.

Tuva encounters many twists and turns in her journey to bring truth to the story and find the teenager. Wonderfully told, with a slow build-up but with an increasing pace as the story spreads out before us.

With one final twist, all is revealed. I loved this novel and would highly recommend it.

Tuva Moodyson is back folks, and I'm not going to lie, I did a little dance when I was approved for this ARC....thank you Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton.
In Ice Town we follow Tuva to Esseberg, otherwise known as Ice Town. There is only one way in and one way out of Esseberg....a tunnel, which closes every night.
An 18 year old boy, Peter Hedberg, is missing. Peter is deaf, and for this reason Tuva feels that she needs to write about his disappearance. It's not long before a body is found.
That's all I'm going to say regarding the plot. Anyone familiar with this series will know that things are never straightforward where Tuva is concerned.
Ice Town is a chilling story, and I don't just mean in the sense that it's set in deepest winter in the north of Sweden. Brrr!!! 🌨❄
I love the Tuva series, because I finally have a protagonist I can relate to....a hearing aid user.
Ice Town is a gripping, claustrophobic read which I enjoyed immensely, especially that shocking revelation in the second half. 👀
Thanks again Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton.

I have read and followed Tuva's story with such a lot of enjoyment (even though there have been some hairy moments for her) but I think this one is definitely the most sinister book yet. The town, esseberg or ice town is a character all on its own and it adds an eerie, claustrophobic vibe to her investigation, especially due to the lack of sunlight in December.
There were some really shock/gasp out loud moments in this book for me (no spoilers) and tissues required at the end.
Superb. A must read for any true crime fan.

The thought of being in a town with a murderer and no way out is most people’s nightmare and this is the premise of this story. It starts with a missing deaf teenager and a deaf reporter traveling to the town to report on the story but also to help from a deaf perspective. The story escapes quickly with the missing boy being suspected of murder. Lots of twists and turns, more murders, a possible family connection with a local resident and a final twist that I hadn’t seen, a lovely heart warming ending too.

A brilliant read. Set in snow bound Sweden, Tuva is of Sami descent, living on her own after the loss of her partner Noora, working as a rising star in the world of journalism. After learning of the missing Peter, a deaf young man from ' Ice Town ', Tuva as a deaf person herself feels bound to go and investigate. Entering the small world of Ice Town, Tuva is struck by the desolation of the place; cut off from the rest of the world each night when the access tunnel is closed. Remote, souless - Tuva is at the mercy of the extreme cold and the lifeline that is her hearing aids. A missing young man is just the first event in this tumultuous story. Recommended.

2.5 stars

Tuva is an MC I will always love and return to. In Ice Town we get to witness her beautifully navigate her grief whilst still showing us all the traits that make her so likeable.
The first 50% of this book had me in it's clutches. The idea of an isolated, more claustrophobic crime rather than some of the more outlandish tales Tuva has experiences really excited me. And then the slow, eerie pacing coupled with the desolate location and atmospheric writing only added to this. Getting to witness Tuva navigate her investigation and reporting of a crime that she is so intimately invested in was a fresh take we had yet to see and the first half executed that flawlessly.

The trouble for me was the last third of the book. Despite all the slow build up and pacing beforehand - we hit 70% and immediately reverted back to the previous style of a random 'crazed' perpetrator with some random motivation. Everything that had been hinted, suspect or occurred before this moment was simply forgotten or played off. In an attempt to provide us with a 'shocking' ending, everything that had occurred up until that point was either ignored or presented to be a red herring - no matter how ludicrous that explanation became. The killer having lived there but no one ever recognising her? Sure. The person following Tuva in the hotel? Never mentioned again. The ski lift lights being shot out? Disregarded. Tuva's secret surprise dad? Unrelated.
By making everything a red herring for some big unforeseen psychopathic plan it unfortunately took all the grief and heart we had been feeling out of the story and took away the element that had dragged Tuva into the case and pulled the audience's heart into the story to begin with - the treatment and tragic murder of a deaf boy in an isolated town.

Whilst the writing throughout this series has improved throughout. The nonsensical conclusion of this book sadly took away from the suspense-filled, claustrophobic feeling story of isolation, grief and loss that I had initially been loving.

I have not shared a public review (simply marked the book as 'read') as there are still elements I loved and Tuva Moodyson is a character I would read endlessly.
Thank you for the e-ARC

Having not read the earlier books in this series I was worried I may be a little lost. But thankfully this is the type of book where each crime/mystery is different. While I do think I would have more backstory on Tuva I didn't feel like I was missing anything too important.

The main plot had me intrigued. But I also didn't really know what to expect. Part of me figured it wasn't going to be the person first suspected but that was it.

Pacing wise I felt this had moments where it felt a little slower. But not in a takes you out of the story way. I had no issue just sitting and reading.

An incredibly gripping and chilling story that had me on the edge of my seat. I cannot recommend it enough.

Thanks to Holder and Stoughton and NetGalley for ARC.
Investigative journalist Tuva Moodyson is in a rut, wanting a challenge. When a young deaf man goes missing in atrocious weather conditions in a remote northern village, she feels an instant pull toward the story, and persuades her boss to give her a chance to dig around. What she finds, on the other side of the deep mountain tunnel, is a forbidding landscape, a collection of eccentrics who aren't keen on her questions, and some surprising things about her own past.
Dean is hard to match for building atmosphere, twisting plots and cliff hanger endings. Oh, my he's done it again. I had my heart in my mouth as I read into the night, and that ending will have you gasping for air.

I've read a number of Will Dean's books but seems to have missed the Tuva Moodyson series as Ice Town is number 6 in the series. Much as I hate reading a series out of order I ploughed on and was glad I did. Based in Sweden in the middle of winter the size of the country is expressed when Tuva thinks nothing of driving 9 hours from where she lives in South mid Sweden to still be in North mid Sweden when she reaches Esseberg. The atmosphere of the book is very dark and dangerous. Just staying outside too long can kill you. It is only light for a few hours a day.The town of Esseberg is accessed by a tunnel which is closed at night effectively cutting off the town and it's residents. Added to this a serial killer is on the loose. Our main character Tuva herself is damaged. She is in mourning for her partner. She is deaf. She is more than a little self destructive. She will stop at nothing to get another good story for her newspaper to maintain her reputation. All things which add to the sense of menace and urgency in the book. And that ending! Wow! Definitely worth waiting for! I enjoyed the book enough to go back and read the previous five Tuva books as I really enjoy the authors talent for character and background description and narrative build up. Definitely a 5* recommendation from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the
publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been a fan of Will Dean’s for a while and read a few of his standalone novels. I wasn’t aware of the Tuva Moodyson series and although this is the sixth novel in the series, I felt it could be read as a standalone. Having said that, I would like to read the earlier novels in the series.

So what’s to like about this novel. Pretty much everything. The author has a way of conjuring a deliciously deep and dark atmosphere. From the first page you are transported to the cold landscape of a Swedish winter, as a deaf teenager goes missing in Esseberg. A search party has been launched but harsh conditions are hampering their efforts. When dead journalist Tuva reads the news alert, she knows she has to join in the search. If the teenager is found, she’ll be able to communicate with him. Esseberg has only one way in and one way out via a tunnel. But when the tunnel closes for the evening, the town is left to fend for itself and as more people go missing, it’s clear the killer is amongst them. This book had me hooked from the start. I really liked Tuva’s character and felt I was living and breathing the whole story with her. This plot unfolds at pace and keeps you guessing throughout. Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the chance to review.

The first book I've read in this series and arriving late to the Tuva Moodyson novels I found it an easy pick up, so it can definitely be read as a standalone.

A news report about a missing teenager captures deaf news reporter Tuva Moodyson's attention and its not long before she's heading north to the remote mountain town of Esseberg known locally as Ice Town.

Superb scene setting really brought the town and its residents to life. Accessed via a single lane tunnel through the mountain with traffic restrictions, once the daylight disappears the barriers come down and the town is closed off from the rest of the world.

This book is all about atmosphere and the author provides it in bucketloads. What starts as a missing teenager quickly progresses to a way more newsworthy situation and reporter Tuva finds herself caught up in a dramatic and dangerous murder mystery.

I loved the characters, I loved the tension and I loved the chills, can't wait to go back and start at the beginning.

Book 6 in the Tuva Moodyson Mystery Series and this time journalist Tuva leaves her home in Gavrik, Sweden to travel to Esseberg to help with the search and report on a missing deaf teenager. Just in case this is your first Tuva read Tuva is herself deaf so she feels some empathy for the missing teen. This reads well as a stand-alone but why would you! It’s such a good series. Well written with a great plot that kept me guessing until the end.

Briefly, Esseberg is accessed via a tunnel which is closed at night leaving the locals cut off. There is only one hotel accessible only by chair lift and a B&B (no breakfast) with just two rooms one of which Tuva moves into. When a body is found everyone expects it to be the teenager but it isn’t. Then over the next few days more people go missing and more bodies are found - the teenager is now a suspect!

The way the town is closed off makes this claustrophobic and creepy. There is nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. Tuva is one of my favourite fictional characters and she is struggling after loosing her partner, but despite her emotional state she is going to do her job and she is about to get a shocking revelation that knocks her for six. A compelling, exciting and tense read. Loved it.

I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series which I think had me at a bit of a disadvantage. There were references to people and events in the past that I knew nothing about and would probably have enhanced my reading of the book. Luckily, it had no bearing on the main storyline which I did enjoy but found that it went on just a bit too long. I also found the ending unsatisfactory in terms of why the person did it. Overall, a decent read in a creepy environment.

This is my first read of Will Dean, although Ice Town is book six in the series, it can also be read as a standalone thriller. I loved the main character of Tuva – she’s determined. The setting of the village of Esseberg was so atmospheric with the below freezing temperatures. The author made me suspect every character . Overall it's a good thriller. I thank netgalley and hodderbooks for the eArc copy.