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Synopsis:
In a remote Finnish resort, a group of potential investors gather to enjoy the Arctic beauty and the mesmeric Northern lights. But many of the guests aren’t who they appear to be, and everyone is hiding something–from the gaudy Americans to the adventurous German and Australian couple to the quiet Yakuza and his former Geisha wife.Owner Mattais and his skeptical daughter, Aino, have ignored family legends, dismissing the warnings of honoring their ancient forest as silly, old-fashioned traditions. But when the guests start to be picked off one by one, their blood soaked in the snow, the old tales don’t seem so far-fetched anymore. A spectre haunts the forest and the survivors must decipher who–or what–is taking revenge.”…FOXFIRE combines all the best elements of a tense, well-paced thriller with compelling folklore and horror, all in the stark, deadly and glittering setting of the frozen north…. ” – Laurel Hightower, author of CROSSROADS and BELOW
Review:
Rowan Hill’s latest novel, Foxfire, is hard to define. Part thriller, part mystery, and part folk horror, there are several aspects that scratches different reader itches. The story is set in Finland, at a remote resort where the owner, Mattais, and his daughter have invited potential investors to their property in hopes of expanding the resort and making it a true isolated getaway. The three couples are as different from one another as can be. It is hard to develop eight characters in a meaningful way in a short book, and some of the characters rely on stereotypes. Rocky Armstrong is the strong jawed, short tempered Texas oilman, his wife Regina is the abused trophy wife, the two Japanese characters, Tetsuya is a yakuza member and Mimiko is a former geisha, and Carly, the Australian is a survivalist. Hiding behind all of the somewhat generic roles of all of the characters hides a mystery of who can be trusted. The answer is none of them.
The best parts about this is the setting and how desolate and unforgiving the landscape is. When characters start to die, the challenges of fleeing in a -15 degree, snow-covered forest are only overshadowed by the relentlessness of the murderer. The action is fast paced, and the mystery makes the story compelling. The biggest climax of the novel is when we learn the identity and motivation of the killer. and new natural element that creates more danger for all of the characters. During this section there are some scenes, particularly when two of the characters meet in Japan, that kills all of the momentum that had been building. While my mind wandered during this scene in particular, because I wanted to get back to world crashing down around the resort, I tried to figure out a better place for this meet cute story. I think I would have deleted it because by this time, I did not care about those two characters anymore. There is a new danger stomping through the snow.
Foxfire is a solid, entertaining novel that kept me guessing until the end. I like the setting and the large cast of characters are interesting, if not a little cliche. Besides a few moments when the story slows down for background instead of remaining at the same breakneck speed, I was completely engaged in what was going to happen next. The ending is satisfying, and I will recommend this to all of my reading friends, whether they are into thrillers, mysteries, or horror.
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