We are happy to inform you that the FILI Winter 2024 grant application period is now open and will last until February 1st. What better way to start the year than by acquiring your next Finnish title and author!

FILI offers grants to support the translation of Finnish literature. These grants are intended for publishers outside Finland and are to be applied towards the translator’s fee. Grants are awarded for translating works of fiction and general non-fiction, children’s and young adult (YA) books, and comics and graphic novels from the Finnish, Finland-Swedish and Sámi languages. Grants are awarded to cover part of the translation cost, on average, 50 to 70 per cent. Grants are also available for printing costs for comics and graphic novels and for children’s picture books. Read more here: APPLY FOR THE FILI GRANTS

Now is the time to find your new Finnish bestseller and award-winner – see some of our  highlights below, and browse our latest catalogue here: Ahlback Agency Fall 2023 Catalogue

The Investigations of One Cat

Katja Kettu

Katja Kettu’s stunning novel spins through ages whilst surrendering to the wilderness of nature and the deep yearning for offsprinng.

• National Bestseller: sold closer to 10,000 copies in Finland
•  Katja Kettu’s works have been translated into 23 languages.

“Katja Kettu superbly commands the verbalization of emotional charges with strong expression. [—]. THE INVESTIGATIONS OF ONE CAT alluringly combines different traditions of storytelling, as if underlining how borders and categories can be broken and pierced. The novel doesn’t stay neatly and cutely in a specific box but wanders and sprawls. Its story carries, its sensations change from one extreme to the other and its language oscillates through its wordforms and rhythms. And, amidst everything, the peculiar Cat brings delight.”

– Kaisa Kurikka in Turun Sanomat newspaper

Request the reading materials here

36 Urns – A History of Being Wrong

Sirpa Kähkönen

Winner of the Finlandia Prize 2023 & nominated for the Savonia Prize 2023 & Runeberg Prize 2024!

“The work helped me to empathise with the life of another person. It touched me, causing an emotional avalanche. The impact of the book is comparable to a well-targeted blow to the chest. The book has not given me peace, I keep on stumbling upon my own emotional blockages.

The book is a controlled literature work, perceptive and insightful. Confesssion-like. The text is clear and precise.

The author has the skill to study life, to study another person in an understanding way, without resentment or bitterness. She digs deep into the roots of existence and finds a way to combine objective review with a subjective and psychologically loaded content.

The personal experience of the author grows into a universal reach,  and she finds something globally applicable about humans, hate, anger, lies, hope, dreams and their crumbling, death.

The world is not only what one can see. This brings forth a masterpiece, which is worth living for.”

– Jorma Uotinen, Finlandia Literature Prize 2023 Grand Juror

Request the English materials here

The Kristinestad Murders #1: Revenge

Kaisu Tuokko

The peace of the idyllic seaside town Kristinestad is broken in the first installment of an addictive new crime 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

Request the English materials here

Milo

Max Seeck

New independent crime novel by the New York Times Bestselling and Spiegel Bestselling Author Max Seeck, winner of the Glass Key Award 2023!

MILO is a psychological suspense novel with surprising twists and interesting facts about the game of chess. It’s also a story of complex human relationships, sex and issues people are facing when they approach the middle-age. The novel also covers a lot of art and other cultural references, maintaining the erotic vibe that stems from Milo’s and Ronja’s sexual adventures.

”The development and writing process for the series begins in 2024 with the real production starting in 2025 the earliest. The timing will naturally become clearer as the project progresses. We at Solar are very happy to continue our cooperation with Max.”

-Solar Films CEO Jukka Helle 

Request the English materials here

The Horned God

Magdalena Hai

Creeping horror for the YA audience. Winner of the Finlandia Prize 2023 and nominated for the Topelius award 2024!

“17-year-old Lauri wakes up in hospital after a car accident. His mother has passed away and his father is in a coma in hospital. The horror story beautifully links the descriptions of recovering from a big loss, the grueling presence of awful things, the guilt caused by mistakes and the act of letting go. The novel which influences the reader on many levels also describes in a lively matter the everyday life of teenagers, experiences of mental health struggles, and racism. Below the horror elements there is an undercurrent that ties people together. At times in a painful way.”

– The Topelius Award Jury

Request the English materials here

Stop Secret Mysteries: Stinker the Horrific Sock Monster

Ilona Ahti, ill. Miila Westin

A funny middle-grade mystery series for fans of Roald Dahl. Nominated for the Runeberg Junior Prize 2024!

“The humour is enchanting, but above all Stop Secret succeeds in capturing something essential about the everyday life of children. This is what makes it such a fascinating book: simply incomprehensible things are mixed in with the ordinary and everyday. And when everything is tied together by the mystery in the story, that’s when you have all the ingredients for a gripping title.”

-Runeberg Junior Jury

Request the English materials here

Do You Follow? How to have a less toxic relationship with social media

Perttu Pölönen

The book that every social media user should read! The third book by popular speaker and sales success Perttu Pölönen!

“A vast and ambitious look into the background of social media, the principles of becoming viral, the lack of ethical and social consideration in planning and the “redistribution” of power and addictions. Many interesting points of view, multiple suggestions on how to improve things, and a thorough runthrough. I recommend especially to those who spend a lot of time on social media!”

-Marko Suomi, book activist and podcast host, on goodreads.com

Request the English materials here

Timeless Nordic Rituals: Bringing Purpose and Joy to Modern Life

Reetta Ranta

Rediscover our lost connection to nature by applying Nordic ancient and modern rituals in your own everyday life.

“I have been longing for books that would deal with [esoterism and new age] with a neutral matter-of-factness. [–] Timeless Nordic Rituals embarks on the challenge with a minimal, fresh take. The book is built on different phases marking human life, such as the turns of the moon, days of the week, months, seasons, and different ages. [–] Timeless Nordic Rituals does not offer easy solutions, but rather a pondering on the character of rituals and humans’ longing ofr them, written in a light tone.”
– Noora Niittymäki on Nörttitytöt/Geekgirls.fi

Request the English materials here