'Nykänen's twist on Nordic crime fiction may be the most inventive of
the year. Ariel Kafka, a middle-aged bachelor, is a detective in
Helsinki (think early Harry Hole) and, as far as he knows, the only Jew
on the entire Helsinki police force, which is why he's picked to head up
the investigation of a series of murders that began with two
Arabic-looking men who may have been shouting Jewish obscenities as they
died. Set during the days leading up to Yom Kippur, this complex tale
moves quickly, as Ari attempts to figure it all out. With pressure from
his colleagues, police administration, his brother, and the local Jewish
community, can he uncover everything before the holiest day in the
Jewish calender? The clever combination of classic Jewish themes with
the traditions of Nordic crime makes for a refreshing tale with wide
appeal. And the subtle humor, combined with a hero who is not completely
depressed and alcoholic, makes it even better. Not just for readers of
Nordic fiction, this should also be suggested to those who relate to New
York Jewish detectives, including Lenny Briscoe (from Law & Order) and
John Munch (from Homicide and Law & Order: SVU), as well as readers who
enjoy the black humor of Stuart MacBride.' Booklist
Harri Nykänen, born in Helsinki in 1953, was a well-known crime
journalist before turning to fiction. He won the Finnish crime writing
award The Clue in 1990 and in 2001. His fiction exposes the local
underworld through the eyes of the criminal, the terrorist, and, most
recently, from the point of view of an eccentric Helsinki police
inspector.
