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Liv and her son Simon live in the shadow of her controlling father Vidar. He keeps power over them following the suicide of her mother and will never let Liv abandon him in the same way. Set in a small remote Swedish village, full of vengeful characters who resent Vidar’s wealth, danger threatens…

The Last Snow is not a book that I would normally have picked as it is a translation from the orignal Swedish. Many of the names are in English such as Simon and Liam so I was not concerned with pronunciation which I sometimes find a little distracting.

The book is written in a certain pattern: a snippet of the past and Liv’s attempts to find freedom and then followed by the present day where she is a devoted mum and daughter. She feels trapped but has a secret liaison with her father’s tenant Johnny that gives her a taste of freedom.

Meanwhile we see single dad Liam, a small time crook in his brother’s shadow. They have had a terrible childhood with a violent father but Liam is determined he wants better for his own daughter. He needs to break the cycle and stealing Vidar’s fortune offers him a way out.

But Vidar isn’t robbed. He is murdered, sparking a mystery that laces through the remaining story.The murder part of the plot is intriguing and I had plenty of theories, none of which were correct.

Liv and Liam are both hugely likeable characters although I didn’t approve of their actions. Both want to be freed from the power of their fathers which has significantly impacted on their lives. The backstory to both characters increases our sympathy and empathy for them.

The Last Snow had drama, hope, loss, grief and a murder mystery. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two dysfunctional families and was completely lost in the plot.

The Last Snow book blurb:

What secrets are hidden within the walls of a desolate farmhouse in a forgotten corner of Lapland?

Early spring has its icy grip on Ödesmark, a small village in northernmost Sweden, abandoned by many of its inhabitants. But Liv Björnlund never left. She lives in a derelict house together with her teenage son, Simon, and her ageing father, Vidar. They make for a peculiar family, and Liv knows that they are cause for gossip among their few remaining neighbours.

Just why has Liv stayed by her domineering father’s side all these years? And is it true that Vidar is sitting on a small fortune? His questionable business decisions have made him many enemies over the years, and in Ödesmark everyone knows everyone, and no one ever forgets.

Now someone wants back what is rightfully theirs. And they will stop at nothing to get it, not matter who stands in their way…

About the author

Stina Jackson (b. 1983) hails from the northern town of Skellefteå in Sweden. Just over a decade ago she relocated to Denver, Colorado, where she penned her debut novel, the acclaimed The Silver Road. A runaway bestseller, the novel established Jackson as a rising new star within Nordic suspense.

Awards
The Glass Key (Best Scandinavian Crime Novel) The Nordic Countries – Silvervägen 2019

Book of the Year Award Sweden – Silvervägen 2019

The Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award (Best Swedish Crime Novel) Sweden – Silvervägen 2018