Loukko by 
Since its publication in early May, Minna Lindgen’s Escape from Twilight Grove (Ehtoolehdon pakolaiset, Teos 2014), part II in The Twilight Grove Trilogy, has jumped straight onto Finnish bestseller lists and remained there for three consecutive weeks. It is currently the second-highest-selling work of fiction at Akateeminen (“Academic”) bookstore, Helsinki’s best known bookstore. It has also garnered praise from critics and bloggers. We congratulate Minna on her continued success!
Rights have been sold in France to Calmann-Lévy, in Germany to Kiepenheuer & Witsch, in Italy to Marsilio, in Spain to Santillana and in Estonia to Varrak. Film rights have been sold to Yellow Film & TV.
The Twilight Grove Trilogy is a satirical mystery series that narrates life inside and around a Helsinki retirement home through the eyes of three bright, spirited and inquisitive ladies in their 90s. The series comprises Death in Twilight Grove (Kuolema Ehtoolehdossa, Teos 2013), Escape from Twilight Grove (Ehtoolehdon pakolaiset, Teos May 2014) and The End of Twilight Grove (working title, Teos 2015).
Critical praise for the trilogy:
“The smart storytelling steals the reader away…[the book] is full of apt criticism of the world in which we live and its crooked values. It proves again that the elderly aren’t a uniform mass but a group of individuals, of whom each one carries a unique sum of experiences and memories.”
–Savon sanomat newspaper, Finland
“The second part in the delightful, aggravating and refreshingly told Twilight Grove Trilogy opens as follows: ‘Siiri Kettunen woke up to terrible noise and thought she was in hell.’ This immediately sparks a smile – as does the rest of the book, although sometimes one can only shake his or her head at the way in which these senior citizens are treated.”
–Rakkaudesta kirjoihin (“For The Love of Books”) literature blog
“Oh, how I enjoyed this. I enjoyed Escape from Twilight Grove at least as much as Death in Twilight Grove. The leading characters are so funny and sympathetic that I couldn’t help but hope that one of them were my grandmother.”
–Lukutoukan kulttuuriblogi (Bookworm’s culture blog), Finland
“The word satire can’t and shouldn’t be avoided with Twilight Grove. It bites sharply into our entire health care system and elderly care…in spite of its tough critical elements, [Death in Twilight Grove] is an upbeat and refreshing book.”
–Kamppi-Eira newspaper, Finland
Praise from international publishers:
“The Twilight Grove Trilogy presents a unique blend of charm, mystery, heartache and wit: Minna Lindgren has created a group of endearing, unforgettable characters, in the company of whom we feel comfortable enough to dwell on the hardest subjects – ageing, illness, death – and this is no mean feat! She is a keen observer of our time, a hilarious one to boot, and she will make you long for things past that you had completely forgotten about.”
–Deborah Kaufmann, Calmann-Lévy, France
“Witty and funny, and despite its serious topic, a page turner. It’s a candidate for topping bestseller lists and still has a serious message: that dignity is not negotiable.”
-Helga Frese-Resch, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Germany
“[Death in Twilight Grove] is a clever mystery novel that brilliantly combines thriller with comedy. There’s suspense in it, and there’s warmth. By reading you will hear echoes of Jonas Jonasson’s The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, and much more than this.”
-Francesca Varotto, Marsilio, Italy
“Death in Twilight Grove is a wonderful read for its charming main characters, gripping plot, and the descriptions of the city of Helsinki.”
-Maarja Kaaristo, Varrak, Estonia
RIGHTS SOLD: THE TWILIGHT GROVE TRILOGY
ESTONIA, Varrak (Part I)
GERMANY, Kiepenheuer & Witsch
FRANCE, Calmann-Lévy
ITALY, Marsilio
SPAIN, Santillana
Film rights: Yellow Film & TV
Reading materials:
English sample of book 1 (longer English sample available this summer!)
English synopses of books 1-3
Finnish editions of books 1-2
Original publisher:
Finland, Teos
For rights inquiries contact: info@ahlbackagency.com
