Nordic Noir November: Spotlight on Finnish Crime Fiction
Happy Sunday, readers! Welcome back to our final spotlight on Scandinavian crime fiction this year! If you’re new to CBTB, every Sunday this November, I’ve been spotlighting crime fiction from a particular Scandinavian country, and sharing with you a rundown of my personal favorite crime writers from that country. We’ve “traveled” (virtually!) to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland, and today we’re going to be exploring crime fiction from Finland!
Of all the Nordic crime fiction traditions, I am the least familiar with Finnish crime fiction—but I’m on a mission to change that! As always, in today’s blog post I will share with you a rundown of the Finnish crime writers whose work I’ve read and loved. But given that I’m still in the learning-what’s-out-there phase of exploring crime fiction from Finland, I’m also going to give you a little sneak peek into another Finnish crime book that’s on my TBR list. I hope this will be a helpful resource for anyone else who wants to start on their own journey into Finnish crime fiction!
Before we dive into the blog post, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has followed along with these Scandinavian crime fiction spotlights this month! It’s been so much fun to reflect on my personal favorite Nordic crime writers, and I hope you’ve found a couple (or a bunch!) of new-to-you crime writers whose work caught your eye in these posts. If you’re an Instagram user, keep your eyes peeled on my Instagram in the coming days—I’ve planned a little thank-you giveaway to close out this Nordic Noir November!
As always, for more Scandinavian crime fiction coverage here on CBTB, check out my blog’s dedicated Nordic Noir section, including a list of Nordic Noir By Country and lots more! Without further ado, let’s dive on in to today’s feature on Finnish crime fiction!
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Spotlight on Finnish Crime Fiction
My Personal Favorite Finnish Crime Writers
Max Seeck
Serial Killer Thriller | Page-Turning Pacing | Engaging Characters
Max Seeck is a new-to-me author this year. In late October, Seeck’s US debut THE WITCH HUNTER was published, and I fell instantly in love with his creepy, page-turning crime writing. In Finland, Seeck’s star has been on the rise for a couple of years: he was the 2016 recipient of the Finnish Whodunnit Society’s award for Debut Thriller of the Year, among other accolades. Here in the US, readers are just discovering Seeck’s unique brand of crime writing, and I’m personally so excited to see what he publishes here next! THE WITCH HUNTER is a dark serial killer thriller that introduces readers to investigator Jessica Niemi, a strong and complex protagonist with dark secrets in her past. In THE WITCH HUNTER, brutal crimes inspired by a fiction trilogy (the Witch Hunter trilogy!) are terrorizing Helsinki, and it’s up to Jessica and her colleagues in the police to get to solve them. This book has a complex plot brimming with conspiracy, intrigue, and elements of the occult. A large cast of engaging characters will keep readers on their toes, while the story’s short chapters and cinematic plot will keep readers turning the pages. I loved this one, and in honor of our spotlight on Finnish crime fiction, my full review of THE WITCH HUNTER is live on the blog today! You can catch my full thoughts on Seeck’s US debut here. I look forward to seeing what this talented writer will publish next!
Where to begin with Max Seeck’s work:
This one is easy! Max Seeck has had one book published in the US so far: THE WITCH HUNTER.
Antti Tuomainen
Quirky & Eccentric | Dark Comedy | Unique Stories
Antti Tuomainen is a crime writer unlike any other. Tuomainen’s books blend noir crime writing with elements of dark comedy, delivering reads perfect for fans of the Cohen brothers’ films. There truly isn’t any other Nordic writer out there quite like Tuomainen, and those who are looking for literary crime novels with a healthy dose of dark humor and quirky, eccentric elements will love his writing. (Side note: I have had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times and he is just as funny and engaging in real life as he is on the page!) I haven’t read all of Tuomainen’s work, but from the books I have read, my personal favorite would be his novel THE MAN WHO DIED. THE MAN WHO DIED is a perfect encapsulation of Tuomainen’s writing style. It’s a crime novel with an offbeat premise: a successful entrepreneur in the mushroom industry is shocked to learn that, at just 37 years of age, he is dying… and to make matters worse, he is dying because he’s been poisoned. He sets out on a mission to figure out who poisoned him before his time on earth comes to an end. This book has elements of humor, a cast of quirky characters, and it also tackles topics surrounding love and mortality. It’s both a very fun read (there are a couple of moments that literally made me laugh out loud!) and a sobering read, as it follows a man peeling back the layers of betrayal in his personal life. For anyone interested in trying some truly unique and off-beat crime fiction, check out Antti Tuomainen’s work.
Where to begin with Antti Tuomainen’s work:
Tuomainen has written a number of standalone crime novels, but I personally recommend his book THE MAN WHO DIED as a great starting point. Tuomainen’s writing style is very unique and unlike anything else I’ve read, and this book will give you a perfect sense of whether or not it’s up your alley.
Plus: The Next Finnish Crime Writer I Plan to Read
Leena Lehtolainen
Leena Lehtolainen is Finland’s bestselling female crime writer. Best known for her Maria Kallio detective series, Lehtolainen’s books have sold over 2 million copies in 29 languages. I’m so excited to begin checking out her work! From what I’ve read about it, Lehtolainen’s Maria Kallio series sounds right up my alley. It’s a detective series featuring a strong female protagonist who (according to reviews I’ve read!) is very down-to-earth and engaging. From what I’ve been able to find online, there are currently 12 installments in the Maria Kallio series available. The first book in the series, MY FIRST MURDER, introduces readers to Maria, a law student who finds herself being recruited for a temporary position at the Helsinki police department. You can read more about MY FIRST MURDER online here, and check out the rest of the Maria Kallio series, too! I’m always excited to try a new-to-me detective series, and Leena Lehtolainen’s Maria Kallio books look right up my alley.
And that’s a wrap on our last Spotlight on Scandinavian Crime Fiction!! Thank you so much to everyone who has followed along with this series—I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read these posts, and I hope that you have found an author (or two, or three!) whose work has caught your eye through them. As always, I love to see your thoughts on any of my recommendations—please feel free to tag me on Instagram or use #CBTBNordicNoir to share your thoughts on any of my Nordic Noir recommendations! Happy reading! xx A
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