Holy Ceremony

Holy Ceremony

by Harri Nykänen
translated from the Finnish by Kristian London
Published by Bitter Lemon Press (UK)

In the third book in the popular Ariel Kafka crime novel series, a woman’s body scrawled with religious texts is found in a Helsinki apartment and Inspector Ariel Kafka, one of only two Jewish cops in Finland, is on the case. What’s more strange is that medical examiner immediately recognizes the woman, because he saw her body in the morgue the day before. The strangeness turns more twisted as an investigation of Christian religious lunatics becomes a hunt for a perpetrator who is more damaged than dangerous, the victim of institutionally countenanced pedophilia at a boarding school, and Ariel Kafka finds himself investigating a series of crimes leading to the enigmatic Brotherhood of the Holy Vault.

Like all of Harri Nykänen’s work, Holy Ceremony is a brisk read, with rapid twists and turns leading to a satisfying resolution. Kafka’s dry humour is once again in evidence, as is his appealing and relatable melancholy. For fans of intelligent crime stories.

Acclaim for Holy Ceremony:

This Scandinavian noir is a multi-layered story with exciting drama and an unexpected ending. Nykanen creates cinematic scenes that pull the reader into his world.- Seattle Book Review

A stylish contemporary police procedural. – Crime Fiction Lovers

Intricate in its layers upon layers of corruption, murder, suspect cops and public officials, and seriously dirty secrets.- Kirkus Reviews

Available from Powell’s Books, Elliott Bay Books, and Amazon.