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njw13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
smittenforfiction's review
3.0
Jaakko Kaunismaa: CEO of mushroom business. After finding out he is dying, he walked in on his wife cheating on him with one of his employees. Jaakko suspects his wife, Taina, she is poisoning him and decides to embark on an investigation to discover the truth. I often found myself chuckling to Jaakko's dark sense of humor.
The other characters were pretty boring for me and lacked personality. This story focused more on plot than characters, which is often the case for thrillers. I couldn't put it down and read it quickly. I just HAD to know if his wife was trying to kill him, what the guys from the new mushroom company were up to, and if the cop would figure out what Jaakko's been up to.
The Man Who Died is a dark, odd, funny thriller about a quirky mushroom business man.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.
The other characters were pretty boring for me and lacked personality. This story focused more on plot than characters, which is often the case for thrillers. I couldn't put it down and read it quickly. I just HAD to know if his wife was trying to kill him, what the guys from the new mushroom company were up to, and if the cop would figure out what Jaakko's been up to.
The Man Who Died is a dark, odd, funny thriller about a quirky mushroom business man.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.
kcfromaustcrime's review
5.0
If they are giving out an award for the most unexpected crime fiction novel, then THE MAN WHO DIED would have to be an odds on favourite.
Narrated by Jaakko Kaunismaa, this is the story of a Finnish mushroom entrepreneur, based in a small town, building a successful business after being made redundant in his last career. He has a beautiful home, a thriving business, faithful employees, a loving wife who cooks elaborate meals for him, and a perfect life.
Until he finds they have mysterious competitors just around the corner, when a new mushroom export business with very odd owners in charge starts up, and immediately tries to poach his markets and his very best employees. He then discovers his loving wife is screwing the company delivery boy, just after he is told that somebody has been slowly but surely poisoning him and that he will die.
What ensues is, as the blurb puts it, part Fargo and part noir, but it forgets to mention surreal. THE MAN WHO DIED is black comedy that takes a lot of leads from the Knights Who Say "Ni!", with just enough caper at points to have readers laughing, even though it's distinctly uncomfortable to be laughing with a man who does constantly remind you that he is dying. And can't do anything about it.
Now obviously, with his wife's indiscretions with the delivery boy, and then the odd goings on with long-term Japanese customers, and the fact that she is always so keen to provide hearty, rich meals for him, Kaunismaa is pretty sure he knows the likely source of his poisoning. It's hard to decide if he's most annoyed that he's being killed, or that his business is being undermined though. Meanwhile the police are very interested in his interactions with the owners of the new mushroom factory, a stolen sword (which wasn't) and the disappearances of a couple of the aforementioned owners. Then there's the whole business with the sauna and the borrowed car, and a night at the posh hotel when a new mushroom variety is served and, well this was amazingly engaging.
Having listened to the audio version, at the very beginning, with a flat, laid back sort of delivery in use, there were more than a few moments when a "What The" moment had me diving for the rewind button. This was without a doubt, one of the most intriguing books I've encountered this year and it reminded me, yet again, that Antti Tuomainen is a writer who deserves (and now has) a much higher position on the must read list.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/man-who-died-antti-tuomainen
Narrated by Jaakko Kaunismaa, this is the story of a Finnish mushroom entrepreneur, based in a small town, building a successful business after being made redundant in his last career. He has a beautiful home, a thriving business, faithful employees, a loving wife who cooks elaborate meals for him, and a perfect life.
Until he finds they have mysterious competitors just around the corner, when a new mushroom export business with very odd owners in charge starts up, and immediately tries to poach his markets and his very best employees. He then discovers his loving wife is screwing the company delivery boy, just after he is told that somebody has been slowly but surely poisoning him and that he will die.
What ensues is, as the blurb puts it, part Fargo and part noir, but it forgets to mention surreal. THE MAN WHO DIED is black comedy that takes a lot of leads from the Knights Who Say "Ni!", with just enough caper at points to have readers laughing, even though it's distinctly uncomfortable to be laughing with a man who does constantly remind you that he is dying. And can't do anything about it.
Now obviously, with his wife's indiscretions with the delivery boy, and then the odd goings on with long-term Japanese customers, and the fact that she is always so keen to provide hearty, rich meals for him, Kaunismaa is pretty sure he knows the likely source of his poisoning. It's hard to decide if he's most annoyed that he's being killed, or that his business is being undermined though. Meanwhile the police are very interested in his interactions with the owners of the new mushroom factory, a stolen sword (which wasn't) and the disappearances of a couple of the aforementioned owners. Then there's the whole business with the sauna and the borrowed car, and a night at the posh hotel when a new mushroom variety is served and, well this was amazingly engaging.
Having listened to the audio version, at the very beginning, with a flat, laid back sort of delivery in use, there were more than a few moments when a "What The" moment had me diving for the rewind button. This was without a doubt, one of the most intriguing books I've encountered this year and it reminded me, yet again, that Antti Tuomainen is a writer who deserves (and now has) a much higher position on the must read list.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/man-who-died-antti-tuomainen
amadswami's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
samikki's review
3.0
Mustan huumorin sopivasti sävyttämä hyvä kertomus. Jos pidit Fargosta (tv-sarja ja elokuva), tämä saattaa kutitella samoja aisteja.
kellyvandamme's review
5.0
So what do we have here? A man full of toxins and desperate to find out how on earth that happened and who wants him dead and why, mushrooms, a missing sword, the man’s loving wife (or is she), a few Japanese guys, mushrooms, the man’s loyal employees (or are they), infatuation, mushrooms, an axe-wielding murderer in a sauna. And did I mention mushrooms? I swear, you cannot make this stuff up! Unless you’re Antti Tuomainen, obviously, then you can not only make this stuff up but do a mighty fine job of it and even make it believable in all its unbelievableness (Is that even a word? I don’t even care!).
Definitely recommended if you like your mysteries with a healthy dose of humour. And Finnish matsutakes.
Definitely recommended if you like your mysteries with a healthy dose of humour. And Finnish matsutakes.
itsonmytbr's review
4.0
After finding out he's dying and discovering his wife riding their delivery guy in the same day, Jaakko's to-do list has narrowed down to three things; save his business before he dies, deal with his marriage, and figure out who murdered him. His resulting actions are both tragic and comical. This is a fun ride, for the reader if not for our more-dead-by-the-minute narrator. Good book, great translation.
mac_ashton's review
3.0
While I never thought I'd be interested in a story about the dangers of hyper-competitive Finnish mushroom farming, Antti Tuomainen drew me in from paragraph one. While the characters make some truly baffling decisions and a few times have moments that felt emotionally flat, the story itself is very entertaining and unique. If you like books about crime, murder, and wildly incompetent henchmen, this is certainly a book for you.
kate66's review
5.0
There are no other words to describe this book other than absolutely, delightfully, insane.
After I'd started to read the book I looked up a review which described Mr Tuomainen as the Finnish Carl Hiaasen. I can't say I disagree. There are obvious differences because of the Finns nature as opposed to Americans but otherwise its just as bonkers.
I can't say I laughed aloud but I did read it in a couple of days. It was addictive. We had a hero who knew he was dying from the first page, his unfaithful wife and her toy boy lover, a crowd of confused Japanese businessmen and two rival mushroom companies seemingly full of traitors, homicidal maniacs and generally disturbing characters. What more do you need.
Recommended and looking forward to more by this author.
After I'd started to read the book I looked up a review which described Mr Tuomainen as the Finnish Carl Hiaasen. I can't say I disagree. There are obvious differences because of the Finns nature as opposed to Americans but otherwise its just as bonkers.
I can't say I laughed aloud but I did read it in a couple of days. It was addictive. We had a hero who knew he was dying from the first page, his unfaithful wife and her toy boy lover, a crowd of confused Japanese businessmen and two rival mushroom companies seemingly full of traitors, homicidal maniacs and generally disturbing characters. What more do you need.
Recommended and looking forward to more by this author.
annetjeberg's review
3.0
Imagine you find yourself close to death, because of poisoning, and you do not know who did it... You only know it will kill you. And you are in the mushroom industry in rural Finland, where you just caught your wife with an employee. Also you are slightly overweight and love ice cream and sugary donuts.
Okay, I cannot imagine any of that.
Nevertheless it was a fun and fast read. Some plot twists were surprising, others weren't, but it did not really matter, it was a whole lot of fun!
Okay, I cannot imagine any of that.
Nevertheless it was a fun and fast read. Some plot twists were surprising, others weren't, but it did not really matter, it was a whole lot of fun!