The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen

Happy Wednesday! The week is halfway over. Today I'm a stop on the Random Things tour for Antti Tuomainen's latest, The Winter Job. 

All Ilmari Nieminen wants to to buy his daughter a piano for Christmas. With six days to go, his wages as a postal worker in 1982 Helsinki aren't near enough to make the purchase. So he takes a small, last-minute gig, requiring him to take time off from his job, transporting an antique couch across Finland. 

But Ilmari isn't the only one with eyes on this job or this couch. He's being tracked by a Saab and a Lada and the people inside each have their own agendas. 

Ilmari's own vehicle has issues from the start and a fortuitous stop to tackle some repairs not only helps him elude his followers (unbeknownst to him) but also puts him in the path of a friend from long ago who joins him on his journey. 

Antti is known for his humor and heart. There's a reason Steve Carrell is attached to an adaptation of his work Rabbit Factory.

The Winter Job continues that tradition in what is essentially a buddy road trip crime novel. 

Poor Ilmari is so bright eyed and full of hope. The reader wants him to succeed because his motivations are pure: to please his daughter in the wake of his divorce. But he has no money. It's all going to child support and rent. Which is why the job of transporting a couch is impossible to resist. 

 But this isn't an ordinary job from the start. The antique dealer responsible for passing over the couch (and securing the van Ilmari will be using) is only out for himself and tries to trick Ilmari. And the job only fell into Ilmari's lap because the first guy got sick. Ilmari has no idea what is so special about this couch. He has no idea he's being tracked. And he has no idea the lengths the others will go to in order to take it all for themselves. 

Meanwhile, he's thrown into a confrontation with an old friend that's been years in the making as the two men travel cross country. Needless to say, in Tuomainen style, hijinks ensue well beyond just faulty windshield wipers and crazy old aunts. 

This is a perfect addition to Tuomainen's growing list of titles. A great starting place for readers who are new to his work as well.

(This would be a great holiday crime movie, to anyone out there with the power to make it happen!)

Huge thanks to Random Things and Orenda for having me on the tour today!