Dual timeline novel set around the world
Road trip and crime thriller set in HELSINKI and rural FINLAND
17th December 2025
The Winter Job by Antii Tuomainen, road trip and crime thriller, set in Helsinki and rural Finland (Kupio, Vaasa, Ilomantsi, Rovaniemi, Kilpisjärvi)
The Winter Job by Antii Tuomainen is an excitable blend of road trip and crime thriller, with a generous dose of slapstick humour, as fans of the author have come to expect. The storyline features Ilmari Nieminen, a postman who has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas. The hitch is that Ilmari can’t afford to buy it. His luck seems to have changed when he hears of someone who will pay him to transport a sofa from Helsinki to a remote northern village on the Finnish border. Ilmari agrees but he has no idea what he is letting himself in for. It seems he is not the only one with an interest in the antique, and he finds himself with unwanted company on his journey.
Tuomainen creates a fast-paced book that deviates from the obvious path frequently – much like the journey that Ilmari undertakes. This disruptive effect can be alarming, hilarious – and often both at the same time. Take nothing at face value, because the author will trick you at every turn.
As far as setting is concerned, the story begins in Helsinki in the winter, but the journey takes us to one of the most remote villages in northern Finland, via a couple of cities and small towns. Tuomainen describes the setting in masterful fashion, from the sweeping high country in the north to the detail of the snowflakes that fall: from the products available in roadside service stations to the species of trees surrounding a rural farmhouse.
The story is set in 1982, which means that the characters don’t have access to modern technology, such as mobile phones and credit cards. It adds to the drama when the characters can’t afford critical purchases for their journey, and their communications options are limited. Tuomainen cleverly incorporates a soundtrack to anchor the story in the 1980s – his characters play cassettes of music from the era.
The Winter Job is an action-packed story that’s full of surprises and it includes probably the slowest and most eccentric car chase ever imagined. Cars that were old-fashioned in 1982 are employed by the various parties who are interested in the sofa, and they battle the snowy elements as well as each other along the way. Tuomainen doesn’t shy away from violence, and it is clear that Ilmari’s life is at risk. The shock value is tempered by the absurdity of the situations the author creates, which add to the comic value. This is a standalone story and it’s thoroughly enjoyable. If you haven’t read Tuomainen before, it will take a little time to acclimatise but it is well worth it.
Sue for the TripFiction Team
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