THE FEAST and THE PLAIN THAT FELL SILENT nominated for the Tulenkantaja Prize!

Posted on 28.10.202628.10.2026

The Tulenkantaja Prize is a Finnish literary award that recognizes a work of Finnish literature with the strongest potential to succeed internationally in translation. Rather than rewarding only literary merit, the prize specifically highlights books that could resonate with readers beyond Finland and attract foreign publishers. This year THE FEAST by Johanna Forss and THE PLAIN THAT FELL SILENT by Joona Keskitalo have been nominated for the prize! Warmest congratulations!

This is what the jury says about THE FEAST:

“A tightly crafted novel set over a single evening packs in big themes, multiple layers, and deliciously sharp storytelling.

What stood out?
In this accomplished debut novel, Forss demonstrates remarkable maturity and craftsmanship. While the story and its themes are not entirely new, she approaches them with freshness and insight, creating a narrative that is both immersive and thought-provoking. An impressive amount is distilled into a relatively short novel.

Why should it travel internationally?
Forss’s prose is of exceptional quality and offers plenty for international readers to connect with. At the same time, her portrayal of life in a small town in eastern Finland carries a distinctive northern atmosphere that adds an intriguing sense of place and cultural specificity.”

The Feast is a novel set over the course of a single evening, as Maria attends a lavish party hosted by her former best friend Marianne, now a successful social media influencer. As old memories and long-buried tensions resurface, the story explores friendship, class, envy, ambition, and the choices that shape our lives.

REQUEST MATERIALS FOR THE FEAST HERE

This is what the jury says about THE PLAIN THAT FELL SILENT:

“A richly atmospheric crime novel set in late-1990s Ostrobothnia stands in a class of its own.

What makes it stand out?
Keskitalo pulls readers into a compelling world where intricate mysteries and relationship drama move effortlessly between past and present. Both the characters and the plot are fascinating, layered, and full of surprises. Despite its considerable length, there is no wasted motion here, just as there is none in Niina’s trusty Massey Ferguson tractor.

Why should it travel internationally?
Alongside Nordic noir, the world has room for a lighter-toned yet razor-sharp brand of crime fiction, infused with understated humour and the distinctive character of the North. Keskitalo’s wider body of work is equally impressive, making him an author well worth discovering.”

The Plain that Fell Silent is a gripping thriller that follows Niina Luoma, a former rising-star lawyer turned struggling pig farmer, whose life is upended when she is asked to defend a local businessman suspected of being a notorious contract killer. As the investigation unfolds, long-buried secrets from the past begin to surface, linking a series of unsettling discoveries beneath the vast skies of rural Ostrobothnia.

REQUEST MATERIALS FOR THE PLAIN THAT FELL SILENT HERE

The winner will be announced at the Tampere Book Fair on Sunday, 29 November 2026.

THE FEAST
Pidot
Tammi, January 2026, 198 pp.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)

Reading materials:
Finnish edition
English Sample + full draft translation
English synopsis

THE PLAIN THAT FELL SILENT
Lakeus, joka vaikeni
Bazar, May 2026, 400 pp.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Bazar (orig.)

Reading materials:
Finnish edition

About author

Johanna Forss

Johanna Forss is a Finnish publishing professional and author of the novel The Feast (2026). She grew up in central Finland, in a landscape shaped by long, cold winters and intensely luminous summers — an environment that continues to inform her writing.

Forss studied comparative literature at the University of Helsinki, where she earned a Master’s degree in Arts and Humanities. Before beginning her academic studies, she spent a year abroad working various jobs, primarily in London, an experience that broadened her cultural outlook and professional ambitions.

After graduating, Forss began working in publishing as an editor and has since worked across a wide range of roles, including marketing, public relations, editorial development, and acquisitions. This extensive professional background has given her a deep, structural understanding of contemporary literature and the publishing process.

Forss lives in Helsinki. Although writing has been a constant throughout her life, it was long balanced alongside a demanding career and family life. Several years ago, she made a deliberate decision to prioritize her own creative work, which led to the completion of her debut novel. She is currently working on her second novel.

In her spare time, Forss enjoys characteristically Finnish pursuits. She is an avid winter swimmer, practices off-track skiing in northern forests and wetlands, and forages for mushrooms and berries in the forests surrounding Helsinki.

Photo credit: Aapo Huhta/Tammi

Joona Keskitalo

Joona Keskitalo was born in Oulu, grew up in Hämeenlinna, and now lives with his family in Espoo. His work experience includes everything from storage work to managing athletes and developing products for marketing companies. He now works as a full-time writer. As a writer, he is known for being a skilled plot developer, adding humor and well-drawn characters to his gripping stories.

Keskitalo's literary career began with The Disobedient crime trilogy, which follows the journey of former schoolmates to the top of the drug trade.

Keskitalo's The Outback series connects stories of crimes occurring in remote villages across Finland and their resolution by the local community's colorful characters. The Outback books can be read in any order. The series includes the works The Island That Tore Apart, The Swamp That Sank, Howl of the Arctic Fell, and The Lake That Cracked. The fifth thriller will be released in May 2026!

Photo credit: Uupi Tirronen