Elina Backman’s STILL WATERS RUN DEEP sold to Russia!

We are very excited to let you know that the second title in Elina Backman’s Cozy Nordic Crime series –  STILL WATERS RUN DEEP –  has now been acquired by a Russian publisher Mann Ivanov Ferber and they have nothing but huge praise for it:

We are beyond happy that we will be publishing STILL WATERS RUN DEEP. We liked the second book of Elina Backman even more than the first one (and we are in love with the first one as well!). Events are unfolded richly and dynamically. The book pays a lot of attention to the human side: old acquaintances are revealed more fully, the reader receives an opportunity to look into the inner world of the characters.

She writes not only about the case, but about the people who are involved.

Moreover, in this book the location plays an important role. This is an amazing place – the island of Lammassaari, a corner of wild nature in the middle of Helsinki. There is an atmosphere of paganism, and nature is also the character of this book!

Backman’s books are cozy, “human” detectives. Many of the characters are simple people with understandable problems – and it is wonderful!
-Sofia Shramko, Rights Manager, Mann Ivanov Ferber, Russia

Download the English synopses for both titles and the 200pp English sample for the first book ALL THE KING’S MEN here!

The series has publishers in 13 territories and an international TV series is in development. The first book is also:

  • Winner of the Storytel Audio book Award 2020 for the Best Crime Novel
  • Winner of Elisa Kirja book Award, Best Newcomer 2020.

The rights have been sold to 13 territories, but are still available in the US, UK, Denmark, Hungary, Turkey, Latvia, Romania, France, Bulgaria, Spain etc.


ALL THE KING’S MEN (#1)
by Elina Backman
Saana has been fired from her job as a click-bait journalist, so she decides to spend a summer with her aunt in a small-town Hartola. It sounds like a perfect opportunity to take it easy and recover. But when Saana begins to dig into a case of a teenage girl who died 30 years earlier, the peace of the small town is shaken.Meanwhile in Helsinki a fire-marked body is found at Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, and crime investigator Jan Leino and his team have a new case in their hands. However, the investigation isn’t going anywhere, and Jan fears that the murder at King’s Gate a is just the beginning…Saana and Jan continue working on their own cases until their paths cross – for more than one reason. 

STILL WATERS RUN DEEP (#2)
by Elina Backman

Is evil lurking beneath the calm waters? The Isle of Sheep is an awaited sequel to the bestselling All the Kings Men!

Three young men are making a documentary film about a mystical hermit, living in the Isle of Sheep in Helsinki. First one of them disappears, then another one. When one of them is found dead in the nearby nature reserve, the police becmes involved.

Saana Havas, recovering from burnout, hears that her  colleague’s younger brother has gone missing and decides to set up a true crime podcast to help with the search. Meanwhile, police commissioner Jan Leino and his team are investigating the disappearance and possible murder of the documentary makers.

When young men disappear and die, it’s ofter regarded just an accident. But could it be that someone is actually hunting for them?

ALL THE KING’S MEN
(aka When the King Dies)

by Elina Backman
Otava, 2020, 495 pp.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ALBANIA: Dritan
CZECH REPUBLIC: Grada
ESTONIA: Varrak
GERMANY: Piper
ITALY: Newton Compton
LITHUANIA: BALTO
NETHERLANDS: Cargo
NORWAY: Cappelen Damm
POLAND: Czarna Owca
RUSSIA: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber
SLOVAKIA: Arkus Vydavatelstvo
SWEDEN: Bokfabriken

TV: Aurora Studios

 

STILL WATERS RUN DEEP
(aka The Isle of Sheep)
by Elina Backman
Otava, May 2021, 450 pp.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Varrak Publishers
GERMANY: Piper
NETHERLANDS: Cargo
NORWAY: Cappelen Damm
RUSSIA: Mann Ivanov Ferber
SWEDEN: Bokfabriken

About author


Elina Backman

Elina Backman is an author and a media & marketing professional living in Helsinki. Elina loves books (all sorts), traveling, cycling and is a host of a Book & Wine Club. She is a creative soul with a commercial mind, and her goal is to find readers globally.

Her debut novel All the King's Men was published in 2020 and immediately gained an enormous amount of attention from the Finnish media, including a praising review by the biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The Havas series is now a best-selling series in Finland and an international TV series is in development. Elina's books have sold over 100 000 copies in Finland.

Together with Heidi Holmavuo, Elina has also narrated the true crime podcast Ratkaisematon (Unsolved), which turned into a full-length audio book as the two crime writers started investigating the murder of a young girl in 1955. They were able to uncover new evidence and their research led the police to reopen the investigation. This story is narrated in the book Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo.

Bibliography


2024, Crime & Suspense

How to Face Death

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Before the Polar Night Falls

Elina Backman


2022, Crime & Suspense

Unsolved - The Case of Elli Immo

Elina Backman


2021, Crime & Suspense

Still Waters Run Deep

Elina Backman


2020, Crime & Suspense

All the King's Men

Elina Backman