An atmospheric love story with a twist by the author of The Rabbit Back Literature Society
In a small hillside town, Olli Suominen - publisher and discontented husband - is constantly losing umbrellas. He has also joined a film club. And Greta, an old flame, has added him on Facebook.
As his life becomes more and more entangled with Greta's, and his wife and son are dragged into the aftermath of this teenage romance, Olli is forced to make a choice. But does he really want to know what the secret passages are? Can he be sure that Greta is who she seems to be? And what actually happened on that summer's day long ago?
Absorbing, atmospheric and often very funny, Secret Passages in a Hillside Town is an intoxicating novel about the grip of the past and the romance of what has been lost.
Publisher: Pushkin Press
ISBN: 9781782273370
Number of pages: 416
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
This mysterious, idiosyncratic tale exerts an unexpected pull.. more than a little cinematic - Mail on Sunday
Strange and beguiling, luring its readers in with quirkiness and charm... highly compelling - Glasgow Herald
Gloriously strange, witty and disturbing... A tremendous, haunting book, full of bitter pain and starry-eyed wonder - SFX (5 stars)
Delightful, magical, inventive - The National
Finnish novelist Jääskeläinen deftly channels the tropes of the big screen - from saturated colors and chiaroscuro to stolen lines and melodramatic scenes, he stages the glittering affair doomed by the secrets of that fateful summer, the mystery of Karri's disappearance, and the truth about what happened in the secret tunnels. A beguiling, unexpected blend of whimsical romance and suspenseful noir - Kirkus Reviews
Reading [Secret Passages in a Hillside Town] is like wandering a dreamlike labyrinth... Jääskeläinen embeds social commentary and a soupçon of gothic horror - World Literature Today
Randomly funny, ultimately quite dark, very very clever Secret Passages in a Hillside Town is a literary delight, a hidden gem and comes highly recommended from me - Liz Loves Books (blog)
I really like this book... Another gem from Pushkin Press, this could be a Man Booker - Winston's Dad (blog)
Reality, fantasy worlds, and references to the Famous Five blend into one intoxicating vision... Beautiful, absorbing, and chilling literature - Helsingin Sanomat
The kind of novel that surprises you with its strangeness long after you think that every possible imaginative alley has been explored - Kannesta kanteen
Praise for The Rabbit Back Literature Society: 'Unexpected, thrilling and absurd' Sunday Telegraph; 'Unnerving, enigmatic' FT; 'Witty' Observer; 'You'll love it' Harper's Bazaar; 'Thrilling' Shortlist - Various
Odd, definitely odd. Quirky, even. The story of Olli, a publisher with a knack for losing umbrellas, member of a local film club, and married with one son. Into his life comes Greta, an old flame who friends him on... More
I like this but it’s quite an odd and quirky read. Olli works in publishing and he along with Greta, an old flame, is about to publish some cinematic guides to the local area and cities around the world. What cities... More
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