January 2014

Readers love Cruel is the Night by Karo Hämäläinen

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Hamalainen Cruel 140130Author Karo Hämäläinen’s Cruel is the Night (Ilta on julma, WSOY 2013), a literary thriller that merges elements of a classic Agatha Christie mystery with satirical and spine-tingling cinematic touches reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock and Quentin Tarantino, has been compared by many critics to Herman Koch’s The Dinner. It also amusingly incorporates Hämäläinen’s expertise of the financial world and economics. Italian rights to Cruel is the Night have been sold to Newton Compton, which plans to publish it later this year.

“The reader follows the events safely through a wall of Plexiglas, holding back laughter but absolutely absorbed,” wrote Finland’s largest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, while Kauppalehti financial newspaper described the story as “a thriller plot that is not only imaginative and over the top but also typical of its genre without actually being generic.”

Throughout late 2013 and early 2014 the novel has also garnered praise from several Finnish literature blogs.

“I didn’t make guesses as to what was going to happen, and I didn’t even want to – I wanted to enjoy Hämäläinen’s storytelling and layers…the story spans from youth to adulthood, and from Finland to Central Europe. References to literature, particularly to Agatha Christie, prompts one to look for a clue or a trick. A sort of twist is revealed, but in a wholly different way than I had expected…in spite of its macabre subject matter this book leaves a reader in a great mood. I’m thirsty for more,” described Jos Vaikka Lukisi book blog.

“I don’t read mysteries, but I do enjoy Agatha Christie. The same happened with Karo Hämäläinen; I was hardly able to let the book from my hands, and every time I had a spare moment I dove into it again,” praised Kirjan jos Toisenkin blog.

RIGHTS SOLD:
ITALY, Newton Compton
Original publisher: FINLAND, WSOY

RIGHTS SOLD
THE BUYOUT (WSOY 2011)
SPAIN, Ediciones B.
Original publisher: FINLAND, WSOY

PRIZES
Tampere Literary Prize 2012 (The Buyout)
Nominated for the Finlandia Junior Prize in 2012 (Hooray for Helsinki!)
Nominated for the Savonia Prize in 2011 (The Buyout)

Reading materials for Cruel is the Night:
Finnish edition
English sample
German sample
Russian sample

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

About author


Karo Hämäläinen

Karo Hämäläinen (b. 1976) has two passions: literature and the stock market, and has a 15-year background as an economics reporter. He works as the managing editor managing editor of Parnasso, Finland’s best-known literary publication. Hämäläinen’s novel The Buyout was shortlisted for the Savonia Prize in 2011 and received the Tampere Literary Prize in 2012.

Hämäläinen has studied both in the humanities and in economics. Following stints in Helsinki, Munich and Berlin, he now lives in Tampere, Finland. He is a popular lecturer and guest commentator, and has had his own radio show. In his professional work, he uses Finnish, English, German and Swedish. In his spare time, Hämäläinen likes reading and running; his record marathon time set in 2010 is 3:04:04.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2015, Literary Fiction, Crime & Suspense

Alone

Karo Hämäläinen


2013, Literary Fiction, Crime & Suspense

Cruel is the Night

Karo Hämäläinen


2012, Literary Fiction, Crime & Suspense

The Bailout

Karo Hämäläinen


2011, Literary Fiction, Crime & Suspense

The Buyout

Karo Hämäläinen

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Tuula Karjalainen’s Tove Jansson biography to be published in 10 territories

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Karjalainen newsletter 140130Dr. Tuula Karjalainen’s The Life and Art of Tove Jansson (Tove Jansson – Tee työtä ja rakasta, Tammi 2013), narrating the multifaceted artistic career of the beloved creator of the Moomins, will be published in 10 territories to mark Tove Jansson’s 100th anniversary in 2014. Rights to the book have most recently been sold in China (Shanghai Cai Qin Ren Culture Diffusion) and Estonia (Varrak).

Earlier this month, Norstedts in Sweden published The Life and Art of Tove Jansson to rave reviews.

“Tuula Karjalainen’s biography of Tove Jansson resists the simple formula. Sure, the Moomins play a large role in the book, as they did in Jansson’s life, but they never seem to be dominating it. Even after their success, Jansson continued to try perfecting her artistic expression, both as a visual artist and a writer,” wrote Svenska Dagbladet newspaper in its January 22nd issue.

“Reading this well-informed, enthralling book about Tove Jansson is a fascinating experience…the rich visuals are an added bonus,” wrote Aftonbladet newspaper.

Tuula Karjalainen (b. 1942), Finnish art historian and nonfiction writer, has previously worked as director of the Helsinki Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki. Last week she was awarded the esteemed Lauri Jäntti Prize, given annually to the author of an outstanding book of Finnish nonfiction. Karjalainen is curating a 100th anniversary exhibition of Tove Jansson’s work. The exhibition will open on March 13th at Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki, and tour internationally.

RIGHTS SOLD:
CHINA, Shanghai Cai Qin Ren Culture Diffusion
ESTONIA, Varrak
FINLAND, Schildts & Söderströms (Swedish)
GERMANY, Urachhaus
JAPAN, Kawade Shobo Shinsha
NORWAY, Heinesen
RUSSIA, Ast
SWEDEN, Norstedts
WORLD ENGLISH, Penguin

Original publisher:
Finland, Tammi (Finnish)

Reading material
Finnish edition
English sample
German sample

Format
300 pages, four-colour illustrations, about 150 pictures

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

About author


Tuula Karjalainen

Dr. Tuula Karjalainen is a Finnish art historian and non-fiction writer who has previously worked as a director of the Helsinki Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki. As the author of Tove Jansson’s biography, Tuula Karjalainen has become an expert not only on Jansson’s works but also on her several decades of personal correspondence and journals.

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Bibliography


2013, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

Tove Jansson: Work and Love

Tuula Karjalainen

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Sinikka Nopola and Tiina Nopola’s Ricky Rapper and Eric books published in new languages

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Nopola RE ja RR NewsletterYoung readers around Europe can now enjoy more of Sinikka Nopola and Tiina Nopola’s creations. In Lithuania and Hungary, the first entry in the number-one bestselling children’s series Ricky Rapper (Time’s Up, Ricky Rapper, Tammi 1997) has been published by Nieko Rimto and Cerkabella, respectively. In Denmark, Turbine has published the third and fourth books in the 13-part Ricky Rapper series (Ricky Rapper and the Noodlehead, Tammi 2000, Ricky Rapper and Freezer Fran, Tammi 2001) as well as the first entry in the Eric series (Rauhallinen Erkki, Tammi 2001).

Rights to the Ricky Rapper series have been sold in 16 territories. The fourth Ricky Rapper movie, Ricky Rapper and Slick Leonard, will premiere in Finland on February 5th. Geared towards readers aged six and up, the humorous series narrates the adventures of a red-headed little boy who loves to play drums and rap, and his quirky circle of friends.

The Eric picture book series, illustrated by award-winning artist Markus Majaluoma, follows a boy who is known to be the most even-tempered child in town. His calm disposition sometimes causes his parents concern, but tends to come in handy during the various unexpected situations Eric finds himself in. Like Sinikka Nopola and Tiina Nopola’s other works, the Eric books are known for their laugh-out-loud moments.

“The Nopolas skilfully turn Eric’s difference into a strength…[the series] tackles the ineptitude of parents with humour,” wrote Helsingin Sanomat newspaper.

Rights sold:

Eric series:
DENMARK, Turbine
SWEDEN, Bonnier Carlsen
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi

Ricky Rapper series:
ARABIC, Dar al Saqi
BRAZIL, SDS Editora
BULGARIA, Faber
CHINA, Beijing Xiron Books
DENMARK, Turbine
DENMARK, Carlsen
ESTONIA, TEA Publishers
FINLAND (Sámi), ABC-Company
HUNGARY, Cerkabella
JAPAN, Komine Shoten
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA, Nieko Rimto
SLOVENIA, Sodobnost
SPAIN, Santillana
SWEDEN, Bonnier Carlsen
TURKEY, Altin Kitaplar
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi

Reading materials, Eric: Finnish edition of books 1-3, English summary of book 3 (Eric and the Snowflake Boy)

Reading materials, Ricky Rapper: Full English and Spanish texts of book 12, English sample of books 1, 3 and 13, German sample of books 1 and 13
 
Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com