Oct 23, 2013

My dear American and English-speaking readers,

I am very happy that Owen Witesman’s excellent English-language translations of my books are now available to you. When I began to write crime novels in the early 90's, I was a big fan of many American and British writers, including Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Marcia Muller, and P.D. James. I could not even dream that my books would someday be found in bookstores and library shelves alongside their works.

Although crime is a global literary genre, every writer brings his or her own flavors and culture to it. My books are from Finland, and I hope that in reading them you will not only get a taste of Finnish life and culture but also see how similar people are everywhere.

It is my great pleasure to tell you that signed copies of the first three Maria Kallio novels, My First Murder, Her Enemy, and Copper Heart, are now available at The Mysterious Bookshop in New York. By visiting this shop and picking up these books, you will be able to travel to Finland with my mystery novels serving as your plane ticket and travel guide.

Yours sincerely,

Leena Lehtolainen