Author of the Costa-prizewinning, world-wide bestseller The Tenderness of Wolves, Stef Penney, returns to her snow-covered heartland in this tense mystery set in a small Scandinavian town. Nordland. A region in the Norwegian Arctic; a remote valley that stretches from the sea up to the mountains and glaciers. It is May in what was once a prosperous mining community. The snows are nearly gone and it's a time of spring and school-leavers' celebrations - until Daniel, a popular teenage boy, goes missing. Conflicting stories circulate among his friends, of parties and wild behaviour. As the search for Daniel widens, the police open a disused mine in the mountains. They find human remains, but this body has been there for decades, its identity a mystery. Everyone in this tight knit, isolated community is touched by these events: misanthropic Svea, whose long life in the area stretches back to the heyday of the mines, and beyond. She has cut all ties with her family, except for her granddaughter, Elin, an outsider like her grandmother. Elin and her friend Benny, both impacted by Daniel while he was alive, become entangled in the hunt for answers, while Svea has deep, dark secrets of her own.
Stef Penney Book order (chronological)
Stef Penney crafts narratives that delve into the stark beauty and hidden darkness within the human psyche. Her literary style, informed by a background in filmmaking, is marked by vivid descriptions and a palpable sense of atmosphere. Through her storytelling, the author often explores the psychological depths of her characters, examining their motivations and internal conflicts. Penney writes with a profound understanding of the human condition, offering readers an engaging and thought-provoking literary experience.
The Beasts of Paris
- 496 pages
- 18 hours of reading
In Paris 1870, three wandering souls find themselves in a city set to descend into war.'A historical epic that Jessie Burton fans will adore' GRAZIA'Exquisite, relevant and immersive' ANNA MAZZOLA'A triumph' GUARDIANAnne is a former patient from a women's asylum trying to carve out a new life for herself in a world that doesn't understand her. Newcomer Lawrence is desperate to develop his talent as a photographer and escape the restrictions of his puritanical upbringing. Ellis, an army surgeon, has lived through the trauma of one civil war and will do anything to avoid another bloodbath. Each keeps company with the restless beasts of Paris' Menagerie, where they meet, fight their demons, lose their hearts, and rebel in a city under siege.A dazzling historical epic of love and survival, Stef Penney carries the reader captivated through war-torn Paris. Praise for Stef Penney 'One of the best storytellers we have' The Scotsman 'Penney works hard to fill her canvas with colour and conviction' Sunday Times '[Her] prose is cinematic' Independent 'What has marked Penney out from the start is her ability to make her extensive historical research come alive' Sunday Herald'Hypnotically readable . . . Stef Penney is a mesmerising storyteller' Amanda Craig
Was mit Rose geschah. Roman
- 448 pages
- 16 hours of reading
Ein fesselnder Roman über Privatdetektiv Ray Lovell, der dem Rätsel um das seit über sechs Jahren verschwundene Roma-Mädchen Rose nachgeht. Während er in ein Netz aus Geheimnissen und Lügen eintaucht, wird ihm die Wahrheit fast zum Verhängnis. Nur der 14-jährige JJ scheint Antworten zu suchen.
Flora Mackie first crossed the Arctic Circle at the age of twelve, and fell in love with the land and people of the far north. In 1889, the whaler's daughter from Dundee sets out to become a scientist and explorer. She struggles to be taken seriously
The Invisible Ones
- 533 pages
- 19 hours of reading
Set in the 1980s in rural southern England, this is a darkly compelling mystery about a gypsy family dogged by misfortune.
The story follows a mother’s desperate quest to find her 17-year-old son, who is on the run after a murder. As vigilantes and search teams scour the area, she is determined to bring him home safely, risking her own life in the process. This gripping debut novel explores themes of maternal love, desperation, and the lengths one will go to protect family amidst chaos and danger.