BRITA-KAJSA by Katja Kettu sold to Germany pre-publication!

We are thrilled to share, that the German rights for Katja Kettu’s BRITA-KAJSA  have been sold to in a pre-publication deal to Weissbooks Verlag. The deal was closed by Martti Berner at Ahlbäck Agency.

Weissbooks Verlag published Kettu’s previous book, THE INVESTIGATIONS OF A CERTAIN CAT in 2025. They are an independent publisher with a well-curated literary list that includes Booker-Prize shortlisted author Cheon Myeong-kwan, Heinrich-Böll-Prize winning author José F. A. Oliver, and critically acclaimed author Mary Miller.

BRITA-KAJSA is a powerful novel from a master storyteller brings to light the untold story of Brita-Kajsa Laestadius. The novel will appeal to readers of Selma Lagerlöf, Sofi Oksanen, and Hilary Mantel, blending lyrical, emotionally charged prose with the immersive sweep of historical fiction. As one of Finland’s most internationally acclaimed authors, Kettu continues the exploration of forgotten women’s histories and the landscapes that shaped them.

At the heart of the novel is Brita‑Kajsa, a strong-minded young healer who refused to accept the life chosen for her. Six months pregnant, she strapped on her skis and pursued the fiery preacher Lars Levi Laestadius across the frozen tundra to Karesuando, demanding marriage—an act of defiance that challenged the conventions of their time. Their secret wedding at the Finnish Market, sanctioned by the bishop himself, marks the beginning of an intense and complicated union.

Through Brita‑Kajsa’s eyes, the novel reveals the birth of a sweeping revival movement and the turbulent social forces reshaping the North. Her voice—resilient, raw, and deeply human—carries the reader through the crackling polar night, the intimate struggles of marriage, and the quiet, powerful work of healing in a harsh and shifting world.

Brita-Kajsa

Katja Kettu

“The northern lights greet me and the polar night crackles in the corners. I test your lips—are you still breathing? Go away, die already, and for a moment I think you’ve stepped through heaven’s gates. I’m relieved. Then I throw myself beside you and pray. Forgive me. Don’t go. Let’s stay a little longer.”

Brita-Kajsa became Lars Levi Laestadius’s wife out of defiance—and far too young. Six months pregnant, she skied after him to Karesuando and demanded marriage. In the end, the couple was wed in secret at the Finnish Market by order of the bishop.

A strong and wise healer, Brita-Kajsa witnessed the birth of a great revival movement in the turbulent Lapland of the 19th century.