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.