Elina Backman’s debut crime novel ALL THE KING’S MEN nominated by the Swedish Crime Writer’s Academy as the BEST TRANSLATED CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR

Together with the excellent work of Backman’s Swedish publisher we are proud to share this news that her 1^st book in the Havas series ‘All the King’s Men’, that was published in August in Sweden, has been nominated by the Swedish Crime Writer’s Academy as the Best Translated Crime Novel 2021. ‘Kun kuningas kuolee’ bears the title ‘När kungen dör’ in Swedish and goes by the international name ‘All the King’s Men’.

Among the ca. 230 crime novels that were registered for the Svenska Deckarakademin – The Swedish Academy for Crime Writers – Award (also known as The Martin Beck Award) included many golden nuggets. The nominated titles are:

Elina Backman: (Bokfabriken) När kungen dör
Originaltitel: Kun kuningas kuolee. Översättning: Marjut Hökfelt.
Blunt, Giles: Arktiska nätter (Hoi förlag)
Originaltitel: Until the Night. Översättning: Sandra Gustafsson & Lars Rambe.
Hancock, Anne Mette: Äppelmannen (Louise Bäckelin förlag)
Originaltitel: Mercedes-snittet. Översättning: Helena Stedman.
Indriðason, Arnaldur: Flickan vid bron (Norstedts)
Originaltitel: Stúlkan hjá brúnni. Översättning: Ingela Jansson.
Musso, Guillaume: Återträffen (Nona)
Originaltitel: La jeune fille et la nuit. Översättning: Christina Norrman.

The authors come from five different countries. Finnish Elina Backman is nominated with her debut crime novel ‘Kun kuningas kuolee’, the international title being ALL THE KING’S MEN. The other authors have been published in Swedish previously.

All winners are announced at the Svenska Deckareakademins and Svensk Deckarbibliotekets (Swedish Crime Fiction Library) Festival during 19th to 20th of November.

Huge congratulations Elina Backman for this important nomination!
We also want to congratulate and thank translator Marjut Hökfelt for her fantastic work!

• Rights sold to 15 countries and counting
• Immediate bestseller in Finland! Amazing reviews! 
• International TV series in development!
• Winner of the Storytel Audio book Award 2020 for the Best Crime Novel
• Winner of Elisa Kirja book Award, Best Newcomer 2020

ALL THE KING’S MEN (book 1)
by Elina Backman

Saana has been fired from her job as a click-bait journalist, so she decides to spend a summer with her aunt in a small-town Hartola. It sounds like a perfect opportunity to take it easy and recover. But when Saana begins to dig into a case of a teenage girl who died 30 years earlier, the peace of the small town is shaken.Meanwhile in Helsinki a fire-marked body is found at Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, and crime investigator Jan Leino and his team have a new case in their hands. However, the investigation isn’t going anywhere, and Jan fears that the murder at King’s Gate a is just the beginning…Saana and Jan continue working on their own cases until their paths cross – for more than one reason.

STILL WATERS RUN DEEP (book 2)
by Elina Backman

Is evil lurking beneath the calm waters? The Isle of Sheep is an awaited sequel to the bestselling All the Kings Men!

Three young men are making a documentary film about a mystical hermit, living in the Isle of Sheep in Helsinki. First one of them disappears, then another one. When one of them is found dead in the nearby nature reserve, the police becmes involved.

Saana Havas, recovering from burnout, hears that her  colleague’s younger brother has gone missing and decides to set up a true crime podcast to help with the search. Meanwhile, police commissioner Jan Leino and his team are investigating the disappearance and possible murder of the documentary makers.

When young men disappear and die, it’s ofter regarded just an accident. But could it be that someone is actually hunting.

BEFORE THE POLAR NIGHT FALLS (book 3, to be published in August, 2022) by Elina Backman

In the spellbinding vistas of the Finnish Lapland, polar nights, nature, relationships, murder mystery, Saana and her past meet.
Publication date in August 2022.

Download the English synopses for both titles and the 200pp. English sample for the first book ALL THE KING’S MEN here.

PRAISE:
“Backman keeps the multiple storylines effortlessly together and builds an entertaining summery detective story. – –All The King’s Men (A.K.A ‘When the King Dies’) is the beginning of a new series, and it is a flowy, exciting and skillfully written novel that leaves you wanting for more.” – Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, Finland

“All the King’s Men is skillfully told through many different characters, and it progresses on two time levels. Backman has created a a wonderfully atmospheric story taking place in summery Finland,  and especially the town of Hartola is depicted well. An ambitious novel for a debut author, but Backman succeeds effortlessly. Many elements of a classic mystery novel  build up to an entity that rewards its readers. The influenced of domestic and international authors is visible, but it only adds the great reading experience.” -The Jury of the Storytel Audio Book Award for the Best Crime Novel of 2020

“ALL THE KING’S MEN will capture your imagination and won’t let go until the end. The different storylines and characters are masterfully woven into one spine-chilling ending. We are very excited to introduce Elina Backman and her beautiful writing to the Hungarian audience, and believe that her popularity will equal our love of her book! “– Reka Kresak, Editor, Maxim Könyvkiado, Hungary

“A Star is Born.” – Iltalehti, Finland