TV Series based on Finland’s bestselling Maria Kallio crime series goes to production! Worldwide sales over 2.5 million copies!

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we’ve sold TV rights to Finland’s bestselling Maria Kallio crime series, written by Leena Lehtolainen: MTV3/C More. will release the TV show at the end of 2021. Filming of the beloved Maria Kallio detective series starts in Finland in the fall 2020. The title role of the series is played by Elena Leeve (Sunnuntailounas, Onnela) and other roles include Leo Honkonen, Petteri Summanen, Kristian Rundman and Matti Leino.

The upcoming production will start from Lehtolainen’s first Maria Kallio book, My First Murder, in which young Maria Kallio is still considering career-related issues. Directed by Jojo Erholtz and written by Eriikka Etholén-Paju. The series will be filmed towards the end of the year.

The new Maria Kallio novel RIPPLE EFFECT was published in Finland some weeks ago, and already more than 25,000 copies have been sold. Leena Lehtolainen is one of Finland’s most popular writers, and is known for her Maria Kallio and Bodyguard series. Worldwide her books have sold over 2.5 million copies, and her books have been translated into 30 languages. In addition to Finland, United States and Germany are other important markets for Lehtolainen’s books. There are 11 Maria Kallio titles in English, and in the US only Jo Nesbo has more translated titles than Lehtolainen.

Reading materials:

Book 1-11 English editions
Books 1-14 German editions
Book 15 English sample, Finnish edition

Rights sold:
Contact us for rights availability of the Maria Kallio Series in your territory!

FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ESTONIA: Pegasus
FRANCE: Gaia (Books 1-5)
GERMANY: Rowohlt
WORLD ARABIC: Al Arabi
WORLD ENGLISH: Amazon Crossing

FILM & TV RIGHTS: MTV3/C More

About author


Leena Lehtolainen

Leena Lehtolainen is the top female crime author in Finland: her new titles always head straight to #1 on the Finnish bestseller lists.

Lehtolainen created her successful protagonist, detective Maria Kallio, in 1993. Having already featured in 16 novels and a complete TV series, a new Maria Kallio TV reboot series was launched in Fall 2021 on C More. Lehtolainen’s novels have been translated into 30 languages and have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.

And just like the events in Bodyguard, a that takes the heroine Hilja Ilveskero all around Europe, Lehtolainen’s own work takes her to book festivals, exhibitions and other events across the globe.

Leena Lehtolainen has also published outside the crime genre; her book The Charm of Figure Skating was voted sports book of the year 2010 in Finland, and A Life in Six Scenes showed her return to literary fiction.

The Crossing of the Green Dragon is her first title for YA audiences.

In her free time, Lehtolainen enjoys all kinds of music and follows lynx trails in the forests – just like Maria Kallio.

Bibliography


2023, Crime & Suspense

A Crossing in the Darkness

Leena Lehtolainen


2022, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

The Crossing of the Green Dragon

Leena Lehtolainen


2021, Crime & Suspense

The Lynx Factor

Leena Lehtolainen


2020, Crime & Suspense

The Ripple Effect

Leena Lehtolainen


2019, Crime & Suspense

Oathbreaker

Leena Lehtolainen


2018, Crime & Suspense

The Killer's Girlfriend

Leena Lehtolainen


2017, Crime & Suspense

The End of Innocence

Leena Lehtolainen


2016, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

The Charm of Ice

Leena Lehtolainen


2016, Crime & Suspense

The Eye of the Tiger

Leena Lehtolainen


2015, Crime & Suspense

A Stroke of Sadness

Leena Lehtolainen


2013, Crime & Suspense

The Iron Triangle

Leena Lehtolainen


2012, Crime & Suspense

The Devil's Cubs

Leena Lehtolainen


2011, Crime & Suspense

The Lion of Justice

Leena Lehtolainen


2010, Crime & Suspense

Where Have All the Young Girls Gone

Leena Lehtolainen


2009, Crime & Suspense

The Bodyguard

Leena Lehtolainen


2008, Crime & Suspense

Derailed

Leena Lehtolainen


2005, Crime & Suspense

The Nightingale Murder

Leena Lehtolainen


2003, Crime & Suspense

Below the Surface

Leena Lehtolainen


2000, Crime & Suspense

Before I Go

Leena Lehtolainen


1998, Crime & Suspense

Fatal Headwind

Leena Lehtolainen


1997, Crime & Suspense

Death Spiral

Leena Lehtolainen


1996, Crime & Suspense

Snow Woman

Leena Lehtolainen


1995, Crime & Suspense

Copper Heart

Leena Lehtolainen


1994, Crime & Suspense

Her Enemy

Leena Lehtolainen


1993, Crime & Suspense

My First Murder

Leena Lehtolainen