Tommi Kinnunen

Tommi Kinnunen (1973) was born in Kuusamo in northeastern Finland and currently lives in Turku, where he works as a teacher of Finnish language and literature. His works include novels, opera librettos, short stories, and a non-fiction title on the changes taking place in the Finnish school system. His books have sold over 400,000 copies in Finland and have been translated into 22 languages.

Kinnunen’s novels give a voice to those whose stories have been kept untold. He made a stellar debut with Where Four Roads Meet, which was shortlisted for the Finlandia Prize and won several other awards, has since been nominated for the Finlandia Prize four times, most recently for Pine Bark in 2024. His novels have all been critical and commercial successes.

His first two novels, Where Four Roads Meet and The Light Behind the Eyes, are connected by their characters and family history. The Long Open, his seventh novel, published in 2026, returns to the characters of his first two books as an independent sequel.

During his spare time, Kinnunen likes to refurbish old buildings.