The Long Water

Gripping literary mystery set within Norway's Arctic Circle

Stef Penney

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Paperback

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English

Quercus
01 August 2025

Fiction & Literature; Crime & Mystery; Thriller & suspense

After her magnificent historical epic, The Beasts of Paris, Stef Penney returns to her heartland in this tense thriller set in a small Scandinavian town.

Nordland. A region in the Norwegian Arctic; a remote valley that stretches from the sea up to the mountains and the glaciers.

It is May. In Nordland it's a time of spring and school-leavers' celebrations - until Daniel, a popular teenage boy, goes missing. Conflicting stories circulate among his friends, of parties and wild behaviour.

As the search for Daniel widens, the police open a disused mine in the mountains.

They find human remains, but this body has been there for decades, its identity a mystery.

The story is told through characters impacted by these events. Misanthropic Svea, whose long life in the area stretches back to the heyday of the mines and beyond, has cut all ties with her family, except for her granddaughter, Elin, a young misfit. Elin and her friend Benny, both impacted by Daniel while alive, become entangled in the hunt for answers, while Svea has deep, dark secrets of her own.

By: Stef Penney
Imprint: Quercus
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 128mm, Spine: 26mm
Weight: 240g
ISBN: 9781529425710
ISBN 10: 1529425719
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 01 August 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Stef Penney grew up in Edinburgh. She is the author of the international bestseller, The Tenderness of Wolves, winner of the overall Costa Award; The Invisible Ones; Under a Pole Star, shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award, and The Beasts of Paris. Stef lives in London, E8.

Reviews for The Long Water: Gripping literary mystery set within Norway's Arctic Circle

With The Long Water, Stef Penney takes crime writing to another level. Gripping and emotionally intelligent, this is a novel for our times * S. G. MacLean, author of THE BOOKSELLER OF INVERNESS * Tensions rise and secrets are unearthed but there's also humour to be found * Daily Mirror * An atmospheric tale . . . great characters and elegant prose * Mail on Sunday * Stef Penney's latest novel takes a multitude of twists and turns, written with a touch of humour that will leave you chuckling * Dorset Echo * A gripping tale of community and secrets * i Paper * A highly engaging and accomplished novel, a fine piece of craftsmanship . . . this is a book you will surely return to for a second reading * Scotsman * Nordic noir fans will enjoy this fascinating thriller . . . A perfect book-club read to spark lively discussion * Woman & Home *