The Winter Job- Blog Tour

 

Author: Antti Tuomainen

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publishing Date: 24th September 2026 

Many thanks to the publishing team and Random Things Tours for my physical copy of the book and a spot on the tour 

Blurb 

Sofas, secrets and a snowbound road to trouble…

Helsinki, 1982. Recently divorced postal worker Ilmari Nieminen has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas, but with six days to go – and no money – he's desperate.

A last-minute job offers a transport a valuable antique sofa to Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost town in Finland.

With the sofa secured in the back of his van, Ilmari stops at a gas station, and an old friend turns up, offering to fix his faulty wipers, on the condition that he tags along. Soon after, a persistent Saab 96 appears in the rearview mirror. And then a bright-yellow Lada.

That's when Ilmari realises that he is transporting something truly special.

And that's when Ilmari realises he might be in serious trouble…

My Thoughts 

This was my first read from the author and it was really interesting. 

At the heart of the story is Ilmari Nieminen, a postal worker and father  who is determined to earn enough money to buy his daughter a piano for Christmas. When he is offered the chance to make some quick money by transporting a sofa across the country, it seems like the perfect solution. What should be a straightforward job, however, quickly turns into something much more dangerous, as three separate groups become determined to track down the sofa — and anyone connected to it.

Along the way, Ilmari unexpectedly crosses paths with Antero Kuikki, someone he knows from his past. Their reunion is far from friendly, and it soon becomes clear that there is unresolved history between them. The reason for their strained relationship is kept deliberately hidden, gradually coming to light as the story unfolds.

The story constantly shifts between dark and gruesome moments and surprisingly funny ones, creating a wonderfully twisted sense of humour. Beneath all the chaos, danger and dark humour, the novel is ultimately a story about friendship, trust and the possibility of forgiveness. Ilmari and Antero are forced to confront the events and misunderstandings that have kept them apart, giving them a chance to reassess the past and perhaps put it behind them. But before they can reach that point, they must first survive a series of increasingly perilous and unexpected adventures.

I enjoyed this book