Common Sense Media Review
By Julie A. Carlson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Top-notch Finnish murder mystery has great female heroine.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Finnish teen Lumikka Andersson lives in a studio apartment on her own so she can attend a private arts school. She's focused on school and stays away from the party kids; she likes to be alone. But when she stumbles across thousands of euros in cash washed (nearly) of blood in her school's darkroom, her sleuthing skills kick in and she recruits a few of her classmates. But, <span style="\"font-size:" 12.7272720336914px;="" line-height:="" 18.9090900421143px;\"="">with each step they take in their investigation, things become more dangerous -- and even deadly.
Is It Any Good?
Mystery fans, especially those who like to read about foreign countries, will get a kick out of author Salla Simukka's novel. It has that dark noir quality inherent to Scandinavian crime fiction, and, with a plot that revolves around murder, stolen money, and blackmail, it's extremely thrilling. Lumikka Andersson is one tough heroine and extremely likable from beginning to end, and Simukka does a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere in the freezing and snowy Finnish winter.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the rise in European-based mystery novels. After reading As Red as Blood, are you interested in reading other mysteries set in Scandinavia?
What do you think about how the novel ties in fairy tales such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty?
Do you think the characters do the right thing by trying to solve the mystery themselves? Or do you think they should have asked adults for help? What would you have done?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Skyscape
- Publication date : August 1, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 274
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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