Reviews

Starred review for Elina Backman’s HOW TO FACE DEATH (Saana Havas #4)!

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This just in–a starred review from Finland’s biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat for HOW TO FACE DEATH by Elina Backman, the fourth entry of the Saana Havas thriller series!

Here’s a snippet from the review:

ELINA BACKMAN (b. 1983) differs from a lot of Finnish crime writers in that although her  protagonists live in Helsinki, the books take place in different parts of Finland, rather than in one specific city or region. This brings variety and local colour to the works. (…) Backman is a talented crime writer who is able to pleasingly combine classic detective novel features with modern elements. For instance, Saana Havas is a former journalist, now crime blogger, whose most important tools are her mobile phone and her laptop. Saana solves crimes which happened a long time ago, and her boyfriend, police detective Jan Leino, often ends up joining in her investigations.

In HOW TO FACE DEATH, Saana heads to an unusually sunny setting for Nordic crime novels, renovating her aunt’s friend’s villa and getting to know the mysterious neighborhood. However, when the midsummer celebrations end fatally, the dark history of the island begins to unravel.

We recommend you start at the beginning of this internationally bestselling series–and soon to be TV show!–with book 1: ALL THE KING’S MEN. Click here to download reading materials for the Saana Havas series!

 

Rights sold for ALL THE KING’S MEN:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
CZECH REPUBLIC: Grada
DENMARK: Gyldendal
ESTONIA: Varrak Publishers
FILM & TV RIGHTS: Aurora Studios
FRANCE: HarperCollins France
GERMANY: Piper
HUNGARY: Maxim
ITALY: Newton Compton
LITHUANIA: BALTO
NETHERLANDS: Cargo
NORWAY: Cappelen Damm
POLAND: Czarna Owca
ROMANIA: Lebada Neagra
RUSSIA: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber
SLOVAKIA: Arkus Vydavatelstvo
SWEDEN: Bokfabriken

 

Rights sold for STILL WATERS RUN DEEP:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
DENMARK: Gyldendal
ESTONIA: Varrak Publishers
FILM & TV RIGHTS: Aurora Studios
GERMANY: Piper
HUNGARY: Maxim
ITALY: Newton Compton Editori
NETHERLANDS: Cargo
NORWAY: Cappelen Damm AS
POLAND: Czarna Owca
RUSSIA: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber
SLOVAKIA: Arkus
SWEDEN: Bokfabriken

Rights sold for BEFORE THE POLAR NIGHT FALLS:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
DENMARK: Gyldendal
GERMANY: Piper
ITALY: Newton Compton Editori
SLOVAKIA: Arkus
SWEDEN: Bokfabriken

Rights sold for HOW TO FACE DEATH:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

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.

Read more Author's page

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

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Max Seeck listed on Vogue’s “19 best Nordic noir of all time”!

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New York Times Bestselling Author Max Seeck has been included in Vogue’s list of the 19 best Nordic noir books of all time!!! According to Vogue: there are plenty of stellar authors who have made a lasting impression on the world, their works being read by millions across the globe. Such iconic Nordic noir writers include names like Stieg Larsson, Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbø, Camilla Läckberg, Jussi Adler-Olsen and Max Seeck.

Here’s what Vogue had to say: “Finnish author Max Seeck has a knack for crafting gripping crime narratives, demonstrated in his novel The Witch Hunter, which swiftly garnered international acclaim upon its release in 2019.

As the inaugural instalment of Seeck’s Jessica Niemi series, The Witch Hunter follows a bestselling author whose wife is discovered dead, her body adorned in a black gown and her face frozen in a chilling smile. Investigator Jessica takes charge of the case, initially suspecting a copycat emulating the macabre murders depicted in the victim’s husband’s bestseller, The Witch Hunter. However, Jessica soon discerns that a different malevolent force is at play. With the body count rising, Jessica races against the clock to solve the case.”

 

That said, we invite crime and thriller fans to hop on the bandwagon and download materials for THE WITCH HUNTER (Jessica Niemi #1) here! While THE WITCH HUNTER has sold to over 40 countries–plus Hollywood!–we still have gaps in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

 

 

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.); ALBANIA: Muza; AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran; BULGARIA: EMAS; CROATIA: Fokus; CZECH REPUBLIC: Grada; DENMARK: Gutkind; ESTONIA: Pegasus; FRANCE: Michel Lafon; GERMANY: Bastei Lübbe GmbH & Co. KG; GREECE: Livanis; HUNGARY: Animus; ICELAND: Forlagid; ISRAEL: Tchelet Books/ Steimatzky; ITALY: Edizioni Piemme S.p.a; LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji; LITHUANIA: Baltos lankos; NETHERLANDS & BELGIUM: A.W. Bruna; NORTHERN MACEDONIA: MATICA MAKEDONSKA dooel; NORWAY: Aschehoug; POLAND: Sonia Draga; PORTUGAL: Bertrand Editora Lda; ROMANIA: GRUP MEDIA LITERA; RUSSIA: AST Publishers; SERBIA: Vulkan; SLOVAKIA: Motyl; SLOVENIA: Didakta; SOUTH KOREA: Cheongmirae; SPAIN & LATIN AMERICA: Maeva Ediciones; SWEDEN: Albert Bonniers Förlag; TURKEY: Doğan Kitap; TV RIGHTS: Stampede Ventures; UK: Welbeck Publishing; UKRAINE: Family Leisure Club; USA & CANADA: Berkley / Penguin Random House; WORLD ARABIC: Arab Scientific Publishers, Inc.

About author


Max Seeck, New York Times Best Selling Author

Max Seeck - New York Times Bestselling Author of THE WITCH HUNTER.

Winner of the prestigious Glass Key Award 2023 for his novel THE LAST GRUDGE.

“Another star has been added to the firmament of thriller writers,” announced Iltalehti newspaper, when Max’s debut novel was published in 2016. Four books later, Max Seeck’s novels have been sold to more than 40 countries, including US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries and as far as Korea!

His Jessica Niemi series landed him on the New York Times Bestseller list! 2024 will see the release of his independent novel MILO, which is already creating buzz internationally with several rights pre-empts ahead of the Finnish publication!

Max Seeck has a background in sales and marketing, and has lately been able to dedicate his time to his lifelong love of writing. His interests include well-conducted research, reading Nordic Noir and listening to movie soundtracks as he writes.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2024, Crime & Suspense

Milo

Max Seeck


2022, Crime & Suspense

Ghost Island

Max Seeck


2021, Crime & Suspense

The Last Grudge

Max Seeck


2020, Crime & Suspense

The Ice Coven

Max Seeck


2019, Crime & Suspense

The Witch Hunter

Max Seeck


2018, Crime & Suspense

The Mephisto Touch

Max Seeck


2018, Crime & Suspense

The Call of Hades

Max Seeck


2016, Crime & Suspense

Angels of Hammurabi

Max Seeck

Related news

Excellent praise for LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: The Finnish Way by Asko Känsälä!

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We are thrilled to share with you excellent new endorsements and praises for LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: The Finnish Way (orig. Johtajasta mestariksi) by Asko Känsälä! We have a full English manuscript for you!

This unique book on Finnish perspective of leadership combining art and craftsmanship, like the great Finnish master architect Alvar Aalto, has resonated with many entrepreneurs, researchers and business authors:

“’LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: The Finnish Way’ by Asko Känsälä is a refreshing take on corporate culture and strategy. The text contains lessons from a lifelong pursuit of excellence in leadership. It sheds light on many dysfunctions that have been normalized in corporate life. The idea that companies undertaking major change efforts is in fact a sign of prior failure to adapt and learn in real time. The insight that busyness is a signal that one has failed to find their focus and prioritize what is important. The connection between art, beauty, and leadership and pursuit of a beautiful company. This book will make you pause and rethink everything you’re doing.“
– Giorgio Paizanis, Partner, BCG X, The tech build and design unit of Boston Consulting Group, Redondo Beach, CA, USA

“LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY by Asko Känsälä brings to life the pivotal role of leadership in motivating individuals to perform their best. Känsälä successfully draws an analogy between a leader and a carpenter, emphasizing the importance of craftsmanship, precision, and vision in leadership roles. Like a carpenter who meticulously shapes wood into valuable creations, Känsälä argues that a leader must similarly shape their teams, inspiring every member to unlock their fullest potential. LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY convincingly demonstrates that effective leadership isn’t about giving orders but rather nurturing, mentoring, and enabling the individuals within the team to unleash their full potential. A must-read for anyone seeking to refine their leadership skills and inspire their teams to exceptional heights. And an important contribution to leadership in a time where responsible leadership is needed more than ever.“
– Jim Hagemann Snabe, Chairman, Siemens AG and Northvolt AB, Germany

“There is much to learn from the Finns (can you say “sisu”?), but this is the first book I’ve seen that nails the Finnish way of leadership. Through his vivid stories, personal reflections, and compelling thinking, let Asko Känsälä be your guide in understanding how to lead in today’s world. Apply the concepts in LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY and you will have the mark of a master.”
– B. Joseph Pine II, co-author of The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money

“Leadership is often thought of as a quality of the individual, but in this LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY we learn it is more of an art form to be mastered.  We develop to be an exceptional leader through cycles of practice and reflection, just like the mastery of any other complex skill.”
– Jeffrey K. Liker, PhD, author of international bestseller The Toyota Way

“This is an insightful and important book for leaders at all levels. The central theme is that leadership mastery is an intentional lifelong learning process that starts with leadership of self and then advances step-wise to the ultimate goal – helping others become their best selves. Asko uses the concept of “mental models” to describe this journey and offers compelling examples of how craftsmen in any field achieve mastery in the same way. The book is not only deeply thoughtful; it also offers a practical guide to translate these ideas into action.”
– William G. Pietersen, Professor, The Practice of Management, Columbia Business School, New York

Full English translation is available – join the success of the Finnish Way of Leadership!

Download the full English manuscript for LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY here!

Leadership as Mastery: The Finnish Way

Asko Känsälä

Lead like a Finn! The Finnish way of leadership combines art and craftsmanship, like the great Finnish master architect Alvar Aalto.

What does craftsmanship have to do with leadership? What makes a company beautiful? And what can the Japanese culture contribute to a good working life and good leadership?

Asko Känsälä spent his career building successful businesses and coaching new leaders. He has refined his leadership experience of more than 20 years into a vision of leadership as a craft. Growing up as a leader is like a craftsman’s lifelong path from apprentice to professional. Leadership is a way of thinking, and good leadership is good thinking. LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: The Finnish Way presents the thinking patterns, tools of the leader-craftsman that good leadership requires.

Inspiring and humane, this book offers a new perspective on leadership, success in the business world, and a better working life.

“ [—] Six words about the book – “Beautiful is something that ages beautifully” (Alvar Aalto).” – Mikko Mattinen, Director of the Finnish Digital Agency

LEADERSHIP AS MASTERY: THE FINNISH WAY
JOHTAJASTA MESTARIKSI
Tammi, 2023, 174 pp.

READING MATERIALS
Full English manuscript

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ESTONIA: Ühinenud Ajakirjad

About author


Asko Känsälä

Asko Känsälä (b. 1957) is a Finnish business builder and leader with a successful career as deputy CEO in the Finnish market leading telecommunication and digital services company Elisa; coach, investor, and grandfather to 10 grandchildren. He is passionate about inspirational leadership and has worked in manufacturing industry, public administration, banking, and ICT, as well as for four years in Japan.

Read more

Bibliography


2023, General Nonfiction

Leadership as Mastery: The Finnish Way

Asko Känsälä

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Great first reviews for Kaisu Tuokko’s new crime series THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS!

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We are thrilled to see that REVENGE, the first instalment in the Kaisu Tuokko’s brandnew 6-book crime series THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS, has been well received in Finnish media and with readers and fellow authors!

Here are just some of the praises and endorsements that have been pouring in:

“Revenge starts with a wicked crime with a distressing motive [but] text has been written delicately. Fantastic work.”
–  Satu Rämö, author (Hildur series)

”Will Kaisu Tuokko’s Kristinestad be Finland’s equivalent to Camilla Läckberg’s Fjällbacka or Mari Jungstedt’s Visby?  (…) Tuokko has taken a model from another classic author, namely Agatha Christie. The reader has no real chance to identify the killer, although clearly the most important question is ”who dunnit”. (…) The key thing is that Tuokko succeeds in creating excitement and suspense by bringing up current social phenomena against an idyllic setting.”
– Taika Dahlbom in Helsingin Sanomat newspaper

“Tuokko’s narration is effortless. The life of youth with its crises also appears natural. The plot of Revenge [Book 1] keeps one in its grip, even surprising the reader. The crime is the size of one book, but the story of Eevi and Mats is left open by the author.”
– Sari Toivakka in Keskisuomalainen newspaper

”An incredibly good reading experience, I’m already looking forward to the continuation!”
–Laura Karlsson, director of the booksellers’ association of Finland

”I recommend Revenge to many kinds of readers. I believe it will entertain both detective fiction fans, small town fans, journalism fans, interpersonal drama fans as well as the reader who appreciates the social angle in crime fiction. In my opinion, Revenge is a very promising first novel, based on which we can expect a lot from the sequels as well.” KIRSIN BOOK CLUB (Finnish Blog)

You can also check out the author’s website for more reviews!

The summery setting makes this the perfect July read for fans of Viveca Sten, Camilla Läckberg, Mari Jungstedt, and Åsa Larsson! Be the first to snap up the rights this new crime series highlight!

Download the materials for THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS here!

THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS: Book 1: Revenge by Kaisu Tuokko (Otava)

THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS: Book 1: Revenge by Kaisu Tuokko (Otava)

Published in Finland on May 19th, 2023, REVENGE, book 1 in THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS (orig. Kosto, Otava), is a perfect mix of Nordic crime, love triangle drama, and the beautiful surroundings of the  old coastal town of Kristinestad, Western Finland. Author Kaisu Tuokko is a publishing professional from Finland – if you love Viveca Sten’s The Sandham Murders, Camilla Läckberg, and Åsa Larsson, this is the new addictive crime series for you!

REVENGE opens with the scenery of the old coastal town of Kristinestad, where the idyll is broken when a young man’s body is found in the sea. Criminal investigator Mats Bergholm is called to work in Kristinestad, and journalist Eevi Manner is also interested in the case. The local newspaper sends Eevi to the crime scene. In order to solve the case, Eevi and Mats, who grew up in the same town, have to put aside their shared past of first love.
When Eevi is contacted by a local youth, the overall picture of the events that led to the death begins to take shape. However, the dark secrets of the locals sit tight, and at first glance it is not at all clear who is the victim and who is the culprit.

MAIN CHARACTERS AND SETTING

Eevi Manner, 39, from Kristinestad, has lived in Helsinki for about 15 years and returned to her old hometown to work as a journalist for the local newspaper. Mirek, a photographer, is her partner.

Mats Bergholm, police. He comes from Kristinestad and now lives in Vaasa with his family, has a cottage in Kristinestad, Eevi’s first and great love, which ended unhappily. The One That Got Away.

Kristinestad is unique in its environment, a beautiful coastal old town in Western Finland with idyllic treehouses and dark secrets, a kind of Twin Peaks in Finland. Kristinestad has a long history, founded in 1649 by Peter Brahe and named for Queen Christina of Sweden.  Today, Kristinestad is a small idyllic coastal town, filled with tourists in the summer and dead quiet (pun intended) in the winter. A cute little town with fast-paced municipal politics and lots of dark secrets. The rest of Ostrobothnia will also be part of the series’ environment.

Kaisu Tuokko’s THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS crime series follows very strongly in the Nordic female crime authors’ footsteps.

The Kristinestad Murders : Revenge (Kosto, Otava, May 2023, 298pp)
Crime Fiction

Reading material: English sample book 1 + English synopsis books 1-3, English series presentation

Rights sold: FINLAND (orig.): Otava

About author


Kaisu Tuokko

Kaisu Tuokko’s aim is to create a series where interpersonal relationships and the idyll of a small town are mixed with cruel events – using psychological tension to build stories about how badly we know the families or friends of our neighbors, of our loved ones. Everyone has secrets, but some of them are more dangerous than others.

Tuokko loves the stories of strangers, secrets of small towns, rainy autumn evenings, and the Swedish language. She lives in Helsinki, and has named her main character after her grandparents.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2024, Crime & Suspense

THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS #2: Alone

Kaisu Tuokko


2023, Crime & Suspense

THE KRISTINESTAD MURDERS #1: Revenge

Kaisu Tuokko

Related news

Starred Review: Maria Turtschaninoff’s novel INHERITED LAND is an enchanting allegory for Finland! Best Books of 2022!

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Finland’s biggest daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat published a full page starred review on Sunday 18 December on Maria Turtschaninoff’s award-winning and internationally bestselling novel INHERITED LAND (orig. Arvejord, Förlaget) – and the literary editors at Helsingin Sanomat have selected INHERITED LAND on top of their Best Books of 2022 list!

“Maria Turtschaninoff’s novel is an allegory for Finland and offers enchanting praise to the land of marshes. Maria Turtschaninoff digs deep into the Finnish relationship with nature, into the mundane and mystical bogholes of the marshlands. The topic is universal: the rights to the novel have already been sold to 18 countries. [–]  It’s a novel that allows readers to delve into the heart of the Finnish psyche and the Finns’ relationship with nature in a fresh way. [–]”

“A vital connection (between humans and nature) has been broken, but this isn’t just a Finnish problem. Urbanization has uprooted billions of people in the world. And that’s exactly why people all over the world are turning to their ancestors, to their foremothers and forefathers, and searching for meaning and answers in their elders’ wisdom. [–] Turtschaninoff sings the praises of the Finnish marshlands. She shows readers its mystery, beauty, and uniqueness. The marsh and its spirits demand respect: it can take its own, and people can drown. Inherited Land grows into an allegory for Finland itself. [–] All nations have had their own relationships to forest folk and the elements of nature. And from this point of view, the topic is universal. Turtschaninoff deals with issues that are current and fascinating all over the world. [–] Turtschaninoff has written the perfect novel to give as a Christmas gift.”

If you want to join the rapidly growing international publishing family for INHERITED LAND, we recommend you get in touch with us quickly! Rights are still available in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Japan, China, Iceland, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Greece, Turkey…

About author


Maria Turtschaninoff

Maria Turtschaninoff is known for crafting lyrical, historically inspired fantasy stories starring strong female protagonists. In addition to J.R.R. Tolkien, she counts Philip Pullman, Ursula K. Le Guin and C.S. Lewis among her favorite authors. She is a two-time winner of the Society of Swedish Literature Prize, winner of the Swedish YLE Literature Prize, winner of the Thank You for the Book Award, a nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2020-2024), and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. In 2024, Maria Turtschaninoff won the Eeva Joenpelto Literary Prize (10,000 euro award) for her literary masterpiece Inherited Land.

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 23 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Inherited Land

Maria Turtschaninoff


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Maresi: Red Mantle

Maria Turtschaninoff


2016, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Naondel

Maria Turtschaninoff


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Maresi

Maria Turtschaninoff

Related news

Excellent Kirkus review of THE LAST GRUDGE by Max Seeck in the US!

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We are happy to share that THE LAST GRUDGE by New York Times bestselling Max Seeck was featured in the Kirkus Review and received glowing praise. The US publication date is February 7, 2023 by Berkley Penguin Random House, and the press is already buzzing:

“An intricate, beautifully written, character-driven page-turner with some shocking twists.” – Kirkus Review, 14 December 2022

You can read the full review HERE.

Max Seeck was recently nominated for the Finnish Crime Writers’ Society’s Clue of the Year Award for best crime novel published in 2022!
New York Times bestselling author Max Seeck is nominated for ARCHIPELAGO, the 4th book in the Jessica Niemi series.

Max Seeck is Finland’s no.1 bestselling fiction author in e-books and no. 2 bestselling author in all formats.  Over 300,000 copies of all his books have been sold in Finland. Max’s books have been sold to 40 countries and a Hollywood TV Show is in development based on THE WITCH HUNTER. THE LAST GRUDGE is the 3rd book in his Jessica Niemi series.

Congratulations, Max!

Download the materials for THE LAST GRUDGE here. 

Max Seeck Jessica Niemi Series

Rights sold
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ALBANIA: Muza
ARABIC: Arab Scientific Publishers
ARMENIA: Guitank
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran
BELGIUM, A.W. Bruna
BULGARIA: EMAS
CANADA: Berkley/Penguin Random House
CROATIA: Fokus
CZECH REPUBLIC: Grada
DENMARK: Gutkind
ESTONIA: Pegasus
FRANCE: Michel Lafon
GERMANY: Bastei Lübbe
GREECE: Livani
HUNGARY: Animus
ICELAND: Forlagid
ISRAEL: Tchelet Books
ITALY: Piemme/Mondadori
KOREA: Cheongmirae
LATIN AMERICA: Editorial Maeva/Maeva Noir
LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji
LITHUANIA: Baltos lankos
MACEDONIA: Matica
NETHERLANDS: A.W. Bruna
NORWAY: Aschehoug
POLAND: Sonia Draga
PORTUGAL: Bertrand Editora
ROMANIA: Litera
RUSSIA: AST
SERBIA: Vulkan
SLOVAKIA: Motýľ
SLOVENIA: Didakta
SPAIN: Editorial Maeva/Maeva Noir
SWEDEN: Albert Bonniers Förlag
TURKEY: Doğan Kitap
UKRAINE: Family Leisure Club
UNITED KINGDOM & COMMONWEALTH: Welbeck Publishing UK
UNITED STATES: Berkley/Penguin Random House
FILM & TV RIGHTS: Stampede Ventures (Greg Silverman)

About author


Max Seeck, New York Times Best Selling Author

Max Seeck - New York Times Bestselling Author of THE WITCH HUNTER.

Winner of the prestigious Glass Key Award 2023 for his novel THE LAST GRUDGE.

“Another star has been added to the firmament of thriller writers,” announced Iltalehti newspaper, when Max’s debut novel was published in 2016. Four books later, Max Seeck’s novels have been sold to more than 40 countries, including US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries and as far as Korea!

His Jessica Niemi series landed him on the New York Times Bestseller list! 2024 will see the release of his independent novel MILO, which is already creating buzz internationally with several rights pre-empts ahead of the Finnish publication!

Max Seeck has a background in sales and marketing, and has lately been able to dedicate his time to his lifelong love of writing. His interests include well-conducted research, reading Nordic Noir and listening to movie soundtracks as he writes.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2024, Crime & Suspense

Milo

Max Seeck


2022, Crime & Suspense

Ghost Island

Max Seeck


2021, Crime & Suspense

The Last Grudge

Max Seeck


2020, Crime & Suspense

The Ice Coven

Max Seeck


2019, Crime & Suspense

The Witch Hunter

Max Seeck


2018, Crime & Suspense

The Mephisto Touch

Max Seeck


2018, Crime & Suspense

The Call of Hades

Max Seeck


2016, Crime & Suspense

Angels of Hammurabi

Max Seeck

Related news

Helsingin Sanomat recommends INHERITED LAND as one of the best books of the year 2022!

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Helsingin Sanomat recommends INHERITED LAND as one of the best books of the year 2022!

Finland’s biggest daily Helsingin Sanomat and editor Arla Kanerva recommends INHERITED LAND: 

“A great novel follows the construction of a relationship with nature” and she adds: “Swamp, hoe and – the spirit of the forest. Maria Turtschaninoff’s first adult novel INHERITED LAND is definitely at the top of my “best book of the year” -list. The story, set in Ostrobothnia, follows one house and estate that is being built and then slowly collapses from the 17th century all the way to the 21st century. With its people, but also other living beings.”
The Helsingin Sanomat article and review highlight also the huge international success for INHERITED LAND – now sold in 17 languages and counting. Would you like to join this international success story? Please let us know your interest as soon as possible!

The article explains well this exceptional title: “The original name of the novel, Arvejord, INHERITED LAND, seemingly focuses the attention on the way the estate in the middle of the forest is passed on generation after generation, but inheritance has many meanings. The connections are not only between humans, but also with animals, plants, forest and its spirits – the land itself.
As a result of the climate crisis, the connection between humans and other living creatures is a constant topic of attention. Turtschaninoff builds a multilayered and kind image around the thought, one where everything is connected, death is part of life. And every now and then, someone makes a contract at the edge of the marsh.”
Download the materials for INHERITED LAND here!

Inherited Land

Maria Turtschaninoff

The roots of man and forest are intertwined in the depths of the earth.

Inherited Land tells multiple enchanting stories about short human lives on a small farmstead in the north of Finland with its golden cloudberries and the mythical woodland animals. The hub of the narrative is a marsh close to the farmstead, and nature is the constant while humans are like dragonflies: here one day, gone the next. Across four centuries, the people face wars, epidemics, and heartbreaks, but from the woods they find shelter and a place to be themselves

Inherited Land is a novel about the climate crisis without ever mentioning it by name. Instead, the novel explores what people have thought about their environment, how they have used it and why. The novel is a reminder of where we have come from, and what a relationship between humans and nature could look like in the future.

 

Arvejord
Förlaget, August 2022, 371 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: Förlaget (orig. Finland-Swedish), FINLAND: Tammi (Finnish), AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran, CROATIA: HENA COM, CZECH REPUBLIC: ARGO, DENMARK: Alpha Forlag, FRANCE: Éditions Paulsen, GERMANY: Rowohlt, ISRAEL: Hakibbutz Hameuchad – Sifriat Poalim, ITALY: Bompiani, NETHERLANDS: Atlas Contact,  NORWAY: Bonnier Norsk Forlag, POLAND: Poznańskie, ROMANIA: Editura Univers, SWEDEN: Förlaget, WORLD ALBANIAN: Shkupi Publishing House, WORLD ENGLISH: Pushkin Press
Reading materials: Swedish edition, English sample and synopsis

About author


Maria Turtschaninoff

Maria Turtschaninoff is known for crafting lyrical, historically inspired fantasy stories starring strong female protagonists. In addition to J.R.R. Tolkien, she counts Philip Pullman, Ursula K. Le Guin and C.S. Lewis among her favorite authors. She is a two-time winner of the Society of Swedish Literature Prize, winner of the Swedish YLE Literature Prize, winner of the Thank You for the Book Award, a nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2020-2024), and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. In 2024, Maria Turtschaninoff won the Eeva Joenpelto Literary Prize (10,000 euro award) for her literary masterpiece Inherited Land.

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 23 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Read more Author's page

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Manticore

Maria Turtschaninoff


2022, Literary Fiction

Inherited Land

Maria Turtschaninoff


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Maresi: Red Mantle

Maria Turtschaninoff


2016, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Naondel

Maria Turtschaninoff


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Maresi

Maria Turtschaninoff

Related news

FILI grants and latest reviews

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We wish to remind you that the final FILI grant application period is open from 1st October to 1st November!

In the previous application period of Spring 2022, over 90 projects received the FILI grant with over 150 000 EUR awarded in total! See the previously awarded projects here.

Up to 70% of translation costs from Finnish, Finland-Swedish and Sámi languages can be covered by a FILI translation grant. There are three application periods per year, and the fall application period is 1.10.-1.11.2022.

This is a perfect time to acquire exciting new Finnish titles – see some of our fall highlights below, and access our whole catalogue here!

Inherited Land by Maria Turtschaninoff

Following in the tradition of family sagas like One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.

The roots of man and forest are intertwined in the depths of the earth.

Maria Turtschaninoff’s first adult fiction novel Inherited Land explores a current topic, climate crisis, in a unique way. It depicts human relationship with nature across centuries, across generations and is a reminder of human’s relationship to the nature and what it could possibly look like in the future.

 The book is beautiful like a piece of jewellery and rich like a forest. [–] The episodic grip and the enormous reach of time makes Inherited Land a string of stories rather than one single one. In this world, Turtschaninoff paints the weight of historical reality heavier than that of fantasy even though there are fantasy elements too.”
– Freja Rudels, Åbo Underrättelser newspaper

Download the English materials for INHERITED LAND here!

 

The Enchantment by Riikka Pulkkinen

This shiningly beautiful novel is an autopsy of girlhood, power, and truth.

Philippa Laakso, aged seventeen, is found dead in her home yard. Nothing suggests a crime, and everyone who knew her is certain she wasn’t suicidal. On the other hand, everyone who knew her seems to hold a differing view of her. The investigation sees everyone who knew her being interviewed, but behind every view and story there is Philippa’s influence. She still has the people around her in a sharp grip: her friend, ex-boyfriend, teacher, neighbours.   Riikka Pulkkinen’s anticipated novel examines the power and comfort of make-believe and the thin line between love and play.

 I’d want to write long and in-depth about [the novel], but I’ll try to hold myself in check. Simply put: The Enchantment impressed me. [–] The reader is given a lot to think about with both the content and the narration.”
–Tuijata culture blog

Download the English materials for THE ENCHANTMENT here! 

 

The Italian Game by Vera Vala

“The heart of darkness is in the human mind.”
Elena Ferrante meets Jo Nesbø in this new crime series!

The Greater Milan area lives in fear. A mysterious stalker is terrorizing people, and a serial killer called the Harlequin is picking their victims, branding them with jewellery. Are the two cases connected?

Salla Kotka, starting her career as a forensic psychologist, gets pulled into the threatening chain of events as she begins working for a defense attorney. Their client is the suspected serial killer, and Salla needs to help the defense uncover the truth.

 The Italian Game is a true cornucopia. I loved the descriptions of Italy, its society and the lifestyle of the Italians. [–] I liked the charaters, they are considerably more well-rounded and psychologically more sound than those usually seen in crime novels. [The Finnish] Salla Kotka is an interesting protagonist both for her intelligence and for her traumas and darkness..”
–  Marin kirjaillat blog

Download the English materials for THE ITALIAN GAME here!

 

The Night of Ancient Lights by Hanna Meretoja

For readers of Rachel Cusk and Maggie Nelson

Elea has just heard that she is seriously ill and wants to share with friends the sense of urgency that shakes her to her core. The push-and-pull of hope and despair permeates the narration that flows in the rhythm of the sea, in dialogue with Virginia Woolf’s Waves and Tove Jansson’s Summer Book. It captures the soul of the Finnish archipelago – the world’s largest island labyrinth.

The tensions between the characters live and find new ways, as they need to come face-to-face with painful ideas of loss, ending and the limitations of life. [–] Despite everything, in the night of the ancient lights, there is hope and a strong lust for life.”
–Anna Ferrante in Anna Magazine

Download the English materials for THE NIGHT OF ANCIENT LIGHTS here!

 

In Your Shadow by Martta Kaukonen

A new thriller by Martta Kaukonen whose debut Follow the Butterfly sold to 13 territories! 

The harassment of women should be kept silent no longer, a small group of activists declares and demands justice. But at what price?   When #metoo spread through the media like wildfire, many victims of harassment felt hopeful – now we can talk about it, now the change begins. But the fire died and things did not change. Traumas did not disappear and justice is yet to come.

Martta Kaukonen’s In Your Shadow is an irresistibly convincing work. Narratively it’s gripping: the story reveals, in a well-thoughtout order, small pieces of the characters’ past and motives. A recommendation.”
– Dekkarihelmenkalastaja bookstagram

Download the English materials for IN YOUR SHADOW here!

INHERITED LAND

Arvejord
Förlaget, August 2020, 371 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND (Swedish): Förlaget (orig.), FINLAND (Finnish): Tammi, AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran

 

 

THE ENCHANTMENT

Lumo
Otava, September 2022, 383 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

 

 

THE ITALIAN GAME

Italialainen peli
WSOY, August 2022, 414 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

 

 

THE NIGHT OF THE ANCIENT LIGHTS

Elotulet
WSOY, June 2022, 462 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

 

 

IN YOUR SHADOW

Sinun varjossasi
WSOY, July 2022, 276 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

About author


Hanna Meretoja

Hanna Meretoja is an internationally renowned literary scholar, a professor of comparative literature, and narrative theorist whose work has been published by prestigious academic publishers. Her monographs include The Ethics of Storytelling: Narrative Hermeneutics, History, and the Possible (2018, Oxford University Press). Her work is mainly in the fields of narrative studies, cultural memory studies, and trauma studies. As a novelist, Meretoja has a unique lyrical voice that seamlessly threads cultural theory and philosophy into a poetic, ruptured narrative with an acute sense of lived experience.

Read more Author's page

About author


Maria Turtschaninoff

Maria Turtschaninoff is known for crafting lyrical, historically inspired fantasy stories starring strong female protagonists. In addition to J.R.R. Tolkien, she counts Philip Pullman, Ursula K. Le Guin and C.S. Lewis among her favorite authors. She is a two-time winner of the Society of Swedish Literature Prize, winner of the Swedish YLE Literature Prize, winner of the Thank You for the Book Award, a nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2020-2024), and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. In 2024, Maria Turtschaninoff won the Eeva Joenpelto Literary Prize (10,000 euro award) for her literary masterpiece Inherited Land.

Her Red Abbey Chronicles YA trilogy has been sold into 30 languages, while her first adult novel Inherited Land has been sold to 23 territories. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.

Read more Author's page

About author


Martta Kaukonen

Martta Kaukonen (1976) lives in Helsinki. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked as a film critic, whose reviews have been published in both Finland’s biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and a popular women’s weekly magazine Me Naiset. Martta has a master’s degree in arts. She has interviewed the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Justin Bieber. Martta met her husband at his second hand bookshop and fell in love. Alongside writing, Martta loves psychological thrillers, film noir, flea markets, abandoned houses and travelling. Martta’s debut novel FOLLOW THE BUTTERFLY was published in March 2021. FOLLOW THE BUTTERFLY is an Instagram sensation in Finland, and the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper released a highly-praising review of it. During the first two months, the audiobook was listened to an awe-inspiring 2000 times and over. FOLLOW THE BUTTERFLY  has been compared to Gillian Flynn’s novel ‘Gone Girl’. 

Read more

About author


Riikka Pulkkinen

Riikka Pulkkinen (b. 1980) is one of the top names in Finnish literature. Her debut novel The Limit (2006) gained wide attention, was a bestseller, and was adapted into a play and a TV series in Finland. Her international breakthrough came with her second novel, True (2010), which was the one novel everyone was talking about that year at the Frankfurt book fair. The novel has been published in 17 countries to date.

Pulkkinen’s novels are characterized by the precision with which she describes the psychology of the characters, and the philosophical themes that reflect from the characters into the refined structure of the novels and culminate on the level of the plot. The main questions she explores in her novels concern power, responsibility, and justice.

Pulkkinen has an M.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Helsinki, and she lives in Helsinki with her husband and her two children. She enjoys dancing and running in the forest or by the seaside. If she weren’t a writer, she would be a psychologist or a baker.

For her works, Riikka Pulkkinen has received the Kaarle award in 2007, the Laila Hirvisaari Fund stipend in 2007, the Veijo Meri Award in 2019, and her novel True was nominated for the Finlandia Prize in 2010.

Read more

About author


Vera Vala

Vera Vala’s roots are in Finnish forests, but her soul belongs to Italy, where she has been living for over 25 years. She has an infinite thirst for knowledge that has taken her to study various academic subjects from Physics to Assyriology and Romance Languages, and the information acquired during those years has been useful as background research for her novels.

Vera’s adventurous spirit has taken her from diving with sharks while living in Seychelles to rafting in Italian Alps and exploring the shadier parts of her former hometown, Rome: the diverse experiences have come in handy while creating intriguing plot twists.

Currently, Vera lives with her family in Milan where she is studying to become a clinical psychologist with a special interest in Forensic Psychology. Vera creates novel scenes in her mind while cooking Italian meals, and she loves slow chess games and meditation.

Read more

THE ENCHANTMENT hits bestseller lists and gains excellent new praise!

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We are incredibly happy to share new praise from the critics and readers alike for Riikka Pulkkinen’s shiningly beautiful new title, examining girlhood and power. THE ENCHANTMENT is in Top 10 Finnish bestsellers of the biggest bookstore chain in Finland, and the readers love it!

Download the English materials for THE ENCHANTMENT here! 

 In addition to the identities based on illusion and stories, in the center of Riikka Pulkkinen’s new novel is the line which marks the divide between an innocent and an accomplice, between a child and one liable. [–] Pulkkinen writes with depth but also entertainingly, and the meanings of the novel are not diminished by reading it all in one go, which is a characteristic of a successful novel.”
–Heidi Heinonen in Kaleva newspaper

I’d want to write long and in-depth about [the novel], but I’ll try to hold myself in check. Simply put: The Enchantment impressed me. [–] The reader is given a lot to think about with both the content and the narration.”
–Tuijata culture blog

The Enchantment is breathtaking in a multifaceted way [–] there is cohesion, and the connections between identity, narration, and its artificiality make the novel a fascinating read.”
– Etelä-Suomen Sanomat newspaper

In Pulkkinen’s skillfully built world, truth is a very subjective term and the reader constantly needs to wonder whose perspective is true and who has made things up – is there a universal truth somewhere among the many truths, does it even exist? [–] The narratively secretive and mind-twisting mystery opens up layer by layer, as each of those who knew Philippa tells about their relationship with the girl.”
– Jennipupulandia on instagram

About author


Riikka Pulkkinen

Riikka Pulkkinen (b. 1980) is one of the top names in Finnish literature. Her debut novel The Limit (2006) gained wide attention, was a bestseller, and was adapted into a play and a TV series in Finland. Her international breakthrough came with her second novel, True (2010), which was the one novel everyone was talking about that year at the Frankfurt book fair. The novel has been published in 17 countries to date.

Pulkkinen’s novels are characterized by the precision with which she describes the psychology of the characters, and the philosophical themes that reflect from the characters into the refined structure of the novels and culminate on the level of the plot. The main questions she explores in her novels concern power, responsibility, and justice.

Pulkkinen has an M.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Helsinki, and she lives in Helsinki with her husband and her two children. She enjoys dancing and running in the forest or by the seaside. If she weren’t a writer, she would be a psychologist or a baker.

For her works, Riikka Pulkkinen has received the Kaarle award in 2007, the Laila Hirvisaari Fund stipend in 2007, the Veijo Meri Award in 2019, and her novel True was nominated for the Finlandia Prize in 2010.

Read more

Bibliography


2022, Literary Fiction

The Enchantment

Riikka Pulkkinen


2010, Literary Fiction

True

Riikka Pulkkinen


2006, Literary Fiction

The Limit

Riikka Pulkkinen

Related news

Glowing Reviews for New Books in EALA Fall Catalogue!

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“Marvellous”, “thrilling”, “impressive”… The critics and readers are in love with our titles, and so are we!
Perhaps the next match for you is among these titles?

Praise for Miss Stein’s Cook Leena Parkkinen

 Miss Stein’s Cook is a thrilling and tensive, multi-sided and multi-layered, thematically rich novel with a strong sensual power. [–] The answer to the ‘What really happened there?’ mystery is skillfully avoided for so long that on one hand, the reader feels impatient, and on the other hastens their reading to find the answer. The unbearableness and loveliness of reading were real at least for me.
-Kaisa Kurikka, Turun Sanomat

Download the English materials for MISS STEIN’S COOK here!

 

Praise for Inherited Land by Maria Turtschaninoff

 “Maria Turtschaninoff’s multi-layered and diverse narration INHERITED LAND is a sort of tribute to the forefathers, to all who have walked [on this earth] before us, to the earth we inherited and nature’s all beings. [–] Maria Turschaninoff’s novel is a marvellous reading experience, extremely touching, clever and sensual.”
– Marit Lindqvist on Svenska YLE

“Turtschaninoff credibly brings history to life; this is how it might have happened. But what touches most deeply are the contemporary depictions: the closer we get to everyday life and our own time, the more the characters touch me. [–] It is complete presence; the author has become one with the text. That is great storytelling.”
– Yvonne Granqvist Schultz in Österbottens Tidning newspaper

Download the English materials for INHERITED LAND here!

Praise for Where It All Begins by Salla Simukka

“Salla Simukka’s first novel for adults is skilled horror, playing with the threat of life and fitting the genre.”
– Mari Viertola in Turun Sanomat newspaper


“Where It All Begins is interesting, rousing one’s imagination. It is both mystical and realistic in the best way. I think it is the perfect read for the darkening evenings of the autumn.”
– Kirjakaapin kummitus book blog

Download the English materials for WHERE IT ALL BEGINS here!

 

Praise for The Italian Game by Vera Vala

 The Italian Game begins a new crime series, and this opening title is impressing, the language and style are polished, and the narration keeps one in its grip until the end. [–] The Italian Game is also a novel about the depths of mind and memory and about facing a strongly rooted fear. The ending of this exciting title turned out to surprise me!”
– Jari Olavi Hiltunen in Satakunnan kansa newspaper

I listen to this on my runs and read the hardcover on my in-law’s couch. And wish for the book never to end! [–] Having a main character [in a psychologist’s profession] is not the most typical choice in crime literature. So refreshing! [–] A great opening for a series – I’m sure you’ll like it!”
– Satu Rämö, bestselling author of the Hildur crime series

Download the English materials for THE ITALIAN GAME here!

 

Praise for In Your Shadow by Martta Kaukonen

 The relationships between the characters and the way the puzzle pieces slowly but satisfyingly click together make this a story one wants to read in a single setting. [–] My expectations were truly high, for Kaukonen’s debut was so great. In my opinion, this book was at least as thrilling, and towards the end maybe even better than the debut Follow the Butterfly.”
– Fiktiofanin kynästä book blog

Cleverly hinted revelations [–] In Your Shadow has terrifying and dark scenes, but also a great deal of humor. [–] When reading, one’s own imagination gives a clear visual view of the text. In Your Shadow gives such a strong memory imprint that I really don’t want a painting of roses on my wall!”
– Kirsin Book Club

Download the English materials for IN YOUR SHADOW here!

INHERITED LAND
Arvejord
Förlaget, August 2022, 371pp.

Rights sold:  FINLAND: Förlaget (orig. Finland-Swedish),
AZERBAIJAN: Alatoran, FINLAND, Tammi (Finnish), SWEDEN: Förlaget

 

 

MISS STEIN’S COOK
Neiti Steinin keittäjätär
Otava, August 2022, 464 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

 

 

WHERE IT ALL BEGINS
Tästä kaikki alkaa
Tammi, August 2022, 169 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: Otava (orig.)

 

 

THE ITALIAN GAME
Italialainen peli
WSOY, August 2022, 414 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

 

 

IN YOUR SHADOW
Sinun varjossasi
WSOY, July 2022, 276 pp.

Rights sold: FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)