Kate’s 2¢: “Maria Kallio. Books 8-11” by Leena Lehtolainen; translated by Owen Witesman

“Maria Kallio. Books 8-11” by Leena Lehtolainen; translated by Owen Witesman

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

“Below the Surface”: I followed all the red herrings the author presented and was about to declare the perp; then, the real reason for the murder was presented and the real murder was exposed, along with a whole lot more. I didn’t like the ending.

“The Nightingale Murder”: This theme dealt with prostitution in Finland and is a true “who dunnit” mystery until the end. Lt. detective Maria Kallio is sexually assaulted by the perp she’s seeking and realizes first-hand the true trauma of it all.  

“Derailed”:  Maria Kallio’s career change entails Researching patterns of domestic violence; until, she is ordered to head the police investigation into a prominent sports figure’s homicide. During her investigation, she manages to discuss such issues as child abuse, gays, divorce, and infertility.

“Where Have All the Young Girls Gone”: While Maria Kallio is in Afganistan to open a new training police facility, drug Lords opposed to it blow up the lead convoy’s vehicle. Back in Finland, multi-national ethnics’ cultures clash with the Finish laws of the land. Topics of forced labor, sex trafficking, racial hate, homosexuals, and elder care are touched on throughout the multi-faceted story.

   At the end of each book, there is a bio for both the author and the translator.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Maria Kallio. Books 8-11 DB99281

Lehtolainen, Leena; Witesman, Owen. Reading time: 43 hours, 47 minutes.

Read by Theresa Conkin.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Four mysteries, translated from 2017-2019, featuring detective Maria Kallio. Includes Below the Surface, The Nightingale Murder, Derailed, and Where Have All the Young Girls Gone, in which–after three immigrant Muslim girls go missing–the body of a fourth girl is found in the snow, strangled with her headscarf. Originally published in Finnish from 2003-2010. Violence and strong language. 2019.

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