The Beaver Theory by Antti Tuomainen
Henri Koskinen, intrepid insurance mathematician and adventure-park entrepreneur, firmly believes in the power of common sense and order. That is until he moves in with painter Laura Helanto and her daughter…
As Henri realises he has inadvertently become part of a group of local dads, a competing adventure park is seeking to expand their operations, not always sticking to the law in the process…
Is it possible to combine the increasingly dangerous world of the adventure-park business with the unpredictability of life in a blended family? At first glance, the two appear to have only one thing in common: neither deals particularly well with a mounting body count.
In order to solve this seemingly impossible conundrum, Henri is forced to step far beyond the mathematical precision of his comfort zone … and the stakes have never been higher…
Warmly funny, quirky, touching, and a nail-biting triumph of a thriller, The Beaver Theory is the final instalment in the award-winning Rabbit Factor Trilogy, as Henri encounters the biggest challenge of his career, with hair-raising results…
About the author
Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, his third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for Best Finnish Crime Novel and shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime-genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards and now a Finnish TV series. Palm Beach, Finland (2018) and Little Siberia (2019) were shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards, the Last Laugh Award and the CWA International Dagger, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. The Rabbit Factor, the first book in the trilogy will soon be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios, and the first two books were international bestsellers. Antti lives in Helsinki with his wife.
Review
‘The Beaver Theory’ is the concluding chapter in thi amazingly original, hilarious trilogy and I am bereft. Henri, oh how I will miss you. Henri is one of the most authentic individuals I have ever had the pleasure to read about and whilst he has received a brilliant ending from this outstanding wordsmith, I am still sad that it is all over. While you could pick this up as a standalone I don't think you would understand the beauty and magic of this series unless you had read the previous two books. It is very much a whole story but just serialised into three original and witty instalments!
Henri Koskinen, owner of an adventure park and an insurance mathematician has made the bold decision to move in with painter Laura Helanto and her daughter. He is inserted into a new blended family, embarking on the school runs and is now involved with the ‘dad mafia’. But not everything is his life is going his way as a competing adventure park is seeking to wipe out YouMeFun and it seems to be working as they haven't had a customer for over a week. How can they compete with free entry, free hotdogs (normal, vegetarian and vegan) and half-naked popstars?! Henri decides to go on a reconnaissance visit and things go downhill from there. With a mounting body count can Henri bring happiness to both sides of his life?
I don't think there is anyone else in the world apart from Antti who could make actuarial mathematics funny! If it hadn't been an Orenda book I don't think going by the blurb this would have been a series for me but I trust that publishing house implicitly and I gave ‘The Rabbit Factor’ a try and I haven't looked back. This trilogy has been astonishing and the best part was seeing how Henri grows as a person. When we first met him he was very particular - everything needed to be done his way. But now in ‘The Beaver Theory’, we find a man who has grown exponentially for the positive. Yes, he has his quirks and still says what no other would but he has begun to think about how others feel and how his actions can affect others. His heart has grown to include so many people. There is his new family but also the employees of the adventure park and now the ‘dad mafia’ as well. This makes me happy for his happiness.
Antti is a master at making believable and well-formed characters. Each and every one is distinct with their own strong voice. Esa, Kristian, Johanna, Sampsa and Minttu K from the adventure park are hilarious in their own right but when they come together they form this cast that is out of this world! I honestly can't wait to see who plays them in the upcoming adaptation. Henri is of course being played by Steve Carrell and now when I read these books I see him in my head!
When I closed that last page, despite being sad there was an overriding feeling of happiness. Happiness that Henri was happy. Happiness that this book had given all its main characters a happy resolution. Happiness that I was there for that journey and happiness just in general. What more could you ask for?
