Loukko by 
Leena Lehtolainen, Finland’s bestselling female crime author known particularly for her Maria Kallio and Bodyguard series, is coming out with a work of literary fiction this fall.
A Life in Six Scenes (Kuusi kohtausta Sadusta, Tammi, fall 2014) tells the story of magnetic but divisive artist Satu Savinainen and director Heikki Sirviö who is adapting her life into a play. In constructing an onstage narrative, Heikki has interviewed people in Satu’s life who all have differing and complex perceptions of her. Although enthusiastic about the production at first, Satu begins to get second thoughts about the collision between her private and public lives, and by opening night, she has disappeared.
A Life in Six Scenes is a mysterious psychological puzzle about a person’s identity, and how different we can seem to each person we meet.
“Who has the right to define, or describe the life of, another person? Can a person break down if his or her life is, essentially, stolen? I wanted to examine these questions in A Life in Six Scenes. I also wanted to experiment with a completely new structure by including a play within a novel. This has been the toughest, and the most ecstatic, writing process of my life,” says Leena Lehtolainen.
Lehtolainen’s works have been sold in 29 territories. The latest entry in the Maria Kallio series, Iron Triangle (Rautakolmio, Tammi), was published in Finland in August of 2013, and rose immediately onto the Finnish bestseller lists. Iron Triangle will be published in Germany by Rowohlt in September 2014.
In Japan, meanwhile, Upwind (Tuulen puolella, Tammi 1998), which is part of the Maria Kallio series, will be published in May of 2014 by Tokyo Sogensha. Death Spiral (Kuolemanspiraali, Tammi 1997) and Snow Woman (Luminainen, Tammi 1996), also of the Maria Kallio series, have recently received positive reviews in Japan. Major newspaper Tokyo Shimbun, for example, praised Lehtolainen’s use of humour in her mysteries.
RIGHTS SOLD
The Bodyguard Trilogy:
WORLD ENGLISH, Amazon
ARMENIA, Guitank
CZECH, Argo
FRANCE, Hachette Livre
GERMANY, Rowohlt
NETHERLANDS, Unieboek | Het Spectrum
RUSSIA, Azbooka-Atticus
SPAIN, Destino
TAIWAN, Linking
TURKEY, Nemesis
Original publisher: Finland, Tammi
RIGHTS SOLD
The Maria Kallio series:
WORLD ENGLISH, Amazon
BRAZIL, Autentica
DENMARK, Bazar
FRANCE, Gaia
GERMANY, Rowohlt
GREECE, Livani
HUNGARY, Animus
ISRAEL, Penn
JAPAN, Tokyo Sogensha
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
NORWAY, Bazar
POLAND, Rebis
RUSSIA, Ast
SPAIN, Destino
SWEDEN, Bazar
TAIWAN, Linking
TURKEY, Bizim Kitaplar
TV RIGHTS, Studio Hamburg
Original publisher: Finland, Tammi
Leena Lehtolainen’s works have also been published in (rights reverted): ALBANIA, CHINA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, ESTONIA, ITALY, LITHUANIA, THE NETHERLANDS, ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA, UKRAINE
Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com