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Maria Kallio #3
Copper Heart
Former police sergeant Maria Kallio gladly left her tiny Finnish hometown of Arpikylä without looking back. But even though Maria despises the small town and the acrid smell from its now-closed copper mine, when Arpikylä’s sheriff asks her to serve as deputy sheriff for the summer, she agrees.
What should have been a quiet summer soon turns dramatic—and deadly. Meritta, an outspoken local artist, plunges to her death from the copper mine’s tower, and Maria immediately suspects someone helped her fall. Now Maria must face the harsh truth that one of the town’s residents killed Meritta, and friends Maria has known for decades all harbor their own murderous motives—even Johnny, her gorgeous former crush who almost makes her forget about her long-distance boyfriend, Antti, who is studying in Chicago.
In this thrilling addition to the internationally successful Maria Kallio mystery series, the past and present of the beloved Finnish detective violently collide, leaving her future in grave danger.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Leena Lehtolainen
96 books274 followersLeena Katriina Lehtolainen is a Finnish crime novelist, best known for her series of novels about the policewoman Maria Kallio.
Lehtolainen was born in Vesanto, Northern Savonia. Her first novel was released when she was only 12 years old. She studied literature in Helsinki until 1995 and wrote crime novels from 1993 on. Since about 2007 she has written other genres of books. Her works have been translated into various languages: Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Lithuanian, Polish, French, Swedish, German, Estonian, Czech.
Lehtolainen was born in Vesanto, Northern Savonia. Her first novel was released when she was only 12 years old. She studied literature in Helsinki until 1995 and wrote crime novels from 1993 on. Since about 2007 she has written other genres of books. Her works have been translated into various languages: Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Lithuanian, Polish, French, Swedish, German, Estonian, Czech.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
December 19, 2013
Why do I keep reading these? I guess it's because they're very inexpensive, but this was the dullest, least convincing of the lot. I want to give up on Maria Kallio. She's a poor cop and I am just not interested in whether she's going to marry her boyfriend or not. She spent far too much of this novel mooning over another guy. Dull, dull dull.
February 23, 2023
Maria Kallio has taken a position serving as deputy sheriff in her tiny hometown over the summer. The murder of a local artists has her investigating some of her oldest friends as potential suspects.
It's been years since I read the first two books in this series - and it didn't take me long to remember why. Lehtolainen sure has a knack for populating her novels with unlikable characters, including her protagonist, whom I like less and less in each book. Sure didn't care for her endless mooning over and flirtation with her high school crush while she was also going on and on about whether or not she should marry her (currently long distance) boyfriend. Her personal life and preconceptions keep getting in the way of her actually doing her job.
It's been years since I read the first two books in this series - and it didn't take me long to remember why. Lehtolainen sure has a knack for populating her novels with unlikable characters, including her protagonist, whom I like less and less in each book. Sure didn't care for her endless mooning over and flirtation with her high school crush while she was also going on and on about whether or not she should marry her (currently long distance) boyfriend. Her personal life and preconceptions keep getting in the way of her actually doing her job.
September 18, 2026
Copper Heart by Leena Lehtolainen is the third book of the Maria Kallio mystery series set in contemporary Finland. With mixed emotions, Maria accepts the temporary position of sheriff for the summer in her hometown. Arpikylä was in decline; the primary industry for decades had been a copper mine, closed after a deadly explosion. A wealthy man on city council is in the process of turning the Old Mine property into a museum with upscale restaurant.
Maria has mixed emotions returning to Arpikylä. She certainly doesn't want another case where she's required to consider her friends and family suspects. She expects passing a dull summer, waiting for her boyfriend Antti to return from study in Chicago. She has mixed emotions about the relationship, too. Antii wants to get married. Maria has a career focus. All around her she sees married couples with two careers having plenty of trouble over who takes care of the children or solves crises.
Of course the summer is not dull. The Old Mine opening kickoff ceremony ends with murder. Maria has to interview her family and friends. She honestly fears one of them may be the killer.
Plenty of enjoyable quotes:
I was getting used to the way life tossed me from place to place without warning.
Turning thirty had set off a quarter-life crisis.
Johnny was still drop-dead gorgeous, just like he was when I was fifteen. Actually, he looked better now. He still had the muscular body of an Adonis, and his almost-too-perfect boyish face had developed sexy furrows over the years. “He is a looker,” Ella said, laughing. “Even out here in the boonies we deserve a little eye candy every now and then. Goodness knows there isn’t much of it.”
In Finland, the offices of small-town sheriffs are a sort of local government dumping ground for all sorts of legal administration from simple debt recovery and permit issuing on up to leading the police department and acting as public prosecutor.
I wondered how Johnny had never noticed the crush I had on him fifteen years earlier, since even now I was completely useless around him.
My mind was restless. I couldn’t calm down enough to go to bed, so I just kicked a sofa cushion around the room like it was a soccer ball. Still, sleep didn’t come until sunrise, which so close after Midsummer, meant around two thirty in the morning.
I pulled on my purple linen dress. I had bought it for Antti’s dissertation defense, and it was the most expensive piece of clothing I had ever owned. But no one had told me how easily linen wrinkles. I rolled on my new lace stockings and climbed into my four-inch heels, which I was finally learning to walk in reasonably well.
Ella’s husband, Matti, wore a caramel-colored corduroy suit designed by Vuokko Nurmesniemi; nowadays those wide, straight pant legs and Nehru jackets are practically the official uniform for artists in Finland.
Annilina: a frighteningly skinny girl; a shaved head and baggy sportswear emphasized the concentration camp prisoner look.
Six cows watching the world with relief after their morning milking.
I noticed the copper heart that had hung from Merrita's left ear was missing.
I suddenly realized we hadn’t found Meritta’s handbag. That was a bit odd. Wouldn’t you expect a woman who had so carefully painted her eyelids copper to bring something to touch up her makeup during the course of the evening? And she had to have kept her key to the Tower somewhere. Where had her purse ended up?
A hammer had always felt better in my hand than a crochet hook, although I did know how to darn socks.
“My sister the police hero is solving another murder,” Eeva said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why doesn’t anyone call me a hero for changing Saku’s diaper before I’ve had my morning coffee?”
But of course a thirty-four-year-old is different from a nineteen-year-old. All of our minds now had growth rings, making them harder to penetrate with each passing year.
"Have you run into Warshawski?” Searching for V.I. Warshawski and the bar she frequented in Sara Paretsky’s novels had been one of our favorite diversions while I was visiting Chicago.
Nowhere did I see mascara or a powder box, even though Meritta clearly had used both products. But, of course, most women kept those things in their purses.
It was a spiteful painting, perfectly merging how Jaska viewed himself with how the rest of us saw him. I hoped Jaska would never see it. Actually, I wished I had never seen it.
While choosing a career was still difficult, and loving Antti was tricky, all in all life felt much better now than it had fifteen years earlier. Maybe that was growing up.
Loneliness didn’t bother me. And to me that felt like a good prerequisite for sharing a life with someone: I loved Antti, but I wasn’t dependent on him. Five days out of seven I would have said yes if he proposed. But on the other two days, even the thought of getting married made me shudder.
You’d think four years would be long enough to get over turning thirty.
Knowing that the best remedy for pain was more pain, I headed to the weight room in the basement of the local swimming club. Descending those concrete steps felt like walking back through time to puberty.
When we were kids, we thought we really had a choice. We just had to shape our lives to be exactly what we wanted. Life would hand us everything on a silver platter if we just got out of this little town.
Really? I had just been offered the thing I once wanted more than anything else in the world, and now I was ready to just toss it away with some vicious words thrown in for good measure?
The worst thing about returning to Arpikylä was that everyone I knew had aged eleven years, and looked as if they were wearing masks.
When was I going to find a job where I didn’t have to constantly violate my own principles?
A support person should always go with an officer delivering news of a death, but that practice hadn’t reached Arpikylä yet.
Hi, Maria. If you’re reading this, something happened to me. It’s Meritta’s. She said she didn’t dare keep it herself so she gave it to me. It’s supposed to be valuable. Jaska.
Maria has mixed emotions returning to Arpikylä. She certainly doesn't want another case where she's required to consider her friends and family suspects. She expects passing a dull summer, waiting for her boyfriend Antti to return from study in Chicago. She has mixed emotions about the relationship, too. Antii wants to get married. Maria has a career focus. All around her she sees married couples with two careers having plenty of trouble over who takes care of the children or solves crises.
Of course the summer is not dull. The Old Mine opening kickoff ceremony ends with murder. Maria has to interview her family and friends. She honestly fears one of them may be the killer.
Plenty of enjoyable quotes:
I was getting used to the way life tossed me from place to place without warning.
Turning thirty had set off a quarter-life crisis.
Johnny was still drop-dead gorgeous, just like he was when I was fifteen. Actually, he looked better now. He still had the muscular body of an Adonis, and his almost-too-perfect boyish face had developed sexy furrows over the years. “He is a looker,” Ella said, laughing. “Even out here in the boonies we deserve a little eye candy every now and then. Goodness knows there isn’t much of it.”
In Finland, the offices of small-town sheriffs are a sort of local government dumping ground for all sorts of legal administration from simple debt recovery and permit issuing on up to leading the police department and acting as public prosecutor.
I wondered how Johnny had never noticed the crush I had on him fifteen years earlier, since even now I was completely useless around him.
My mind was restless. I couldn’t calm down enough to go to bed, so I just kicked a sofa cushion around the room like it was a soccer ball. Still, sleep didn’t come until sunrise, which so close after Midsummer, meant around two thirty in the morning.
I pulled on my purple linen dress. I had bought it for Antti’s dissertation defense, and it was the most expensive piece of clothing I had ever owned. But no one had told me how easily linen wrinkles. I rolled on my new lace stockings and climbed into my four-inch heels, which I was finally learning to walk in reasonably well.
Ella’s husband, Matti, wore a caramel-colored corduroy suit designed by Vuokko Nurmesniemi; nowadays those wide, straight pant legs and Nehru jackets are practically the official uniform for artists in Finland.
Annilina: a frighteningly skinny girl; a shaved head and baggy sportswear emphasized the concentration camp prisoner look.
Six cows watching the world with relief after their morning milking.
I noticed the copper heart that had hung from Merrita's left ear was missing.
I suddenly realized we hadn’t found Meritta’s handbag. That was a bit odd. Wouldn’t you expect a woman who had so carefully painted her eyelids copper to bring something to touch up her makeup during the course of the evening? And she had to have kept her key to the Tower somewhere. Where had her purse ended up?
A hammer had always felt better in my hand than a crochet hook, although I did know how to darn socks.
“My sister the police hero is solving another murder,” Eeva said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why doesn’t anyone call me a hero for changing Saku’s diaper before I’ve had my morning coffee?”
But of course a thirty-four-year-old is different from a nineteen-year-old. All of our minds now had growth rings, making them harder to penetrate with each passing year.
"Have you run into Warshawski?” Searching for V.I. Warshawski and the bar she frequented in Sara Paretsky’s novels had been one of our favorite diversions while I was visiting Chicago.
Nowhere did I see mascara or a powder box, even though Meritta clearly had used both products. But, of course, most women kept those things in their purses.
It was a spiteful painting, perfectly merging how Jaska viewed himself with how the rest of us saw him. I hoped Jaska would never see it. Actually, I wished I had never seen it.
While choosing a career was still difficult, and loving Antti was tricky, all in all life felt much better now than it had fifteen years earlier. Maybe that was growing up.
Loneliness didn’t bother me. And to me that felt like a good prerequisite for sharing a life with someone: I loved Antti, but I wasn’t dependent on him. Five days out of seven I would have said yes if he proposed. But on the other two days, even the thought of getting married made me shudder.
You’d think four years would be long enough to get over turning thirty.
Knowing that the best remedy for pain was more pain, I headed to the weight room in the basement of the local swimming club. Descending those concrete steps felt like walking back through time to puberty.
When we were kids, we thought we really had a choice. We just had to shape our lives to be exactly what we wanted. Life would hand us everything on a silver platter if we just got out of this little town.
Really? I had just been offered the thing I once wanted more than anything else in the world, and now I was ready to just toss it away with some vicious words thrown in for good measure?
The worst thing about returning to Arpikylä was that everyone I knew had aged eleven years, and looked as if they were wearing masks.
When was I going to find a job where I didn’t have to constantly violate my own principles?
A support person should always go with an officer delivering news of a death, but that practice hadn’t reached Arpikylä yet.
Hi, Maria. If you’re reading this, something happened to me. It’s Meritta’s. She said she didn’t dare keep it herself so she gave it to me. It’s supposed to be valuable. Jaska.
December 19, 2013
I got this book through Goodreads' First Reads program! Thank you Goodreads and Amazon!
'Copper Heart' is third in a series, but it works perfectly well as a self-contained, stand-alone story.
Cop Maria Kallio has taken a temporary job in her hometown as acting Sheriff, for the summer. She's a bit emotionally ambivalent about going back to the small mining town she was so happy to escape, and even more emotionally confused about running into Johnny, the object of her unrequited teenage crush.
But things get even worse when an old acquaintance, the free-spirited artist Meritta, is found dead - and Johnny may be the primary suspect.
It's not bad, but it's a pretty formulaic mystery which doesn't transcend genre. There's a murder, there's a cast of characters, all of whom may have some kind of motive for murder, and the investigator does her investigating. Good for light entertainment.
'Copper Heart' is third in a series, but it works perfectly well as a self-contained, stand-alone story.
Cop Maria Kallio has taken a temporary job in her hometown as acting Sheriff, for the summer. She's a bit emotionally ambivalent about going back to the small mining town she was so happy to escape, and even more emotionally confused about running into Johnny, the object of her unrequited teenage crush.
But things get even worse when an old acquaintance, the free-spirited artist Meritta, is found dead - and Johnny may be the primary suspect.
It's not bad, but it's a pretty formulaic mystery which doesn't transcend genre. There's a murder, there's a cast of characters, all of whom may have some kind of motive for murder, and the investigator does her investigating. Good for light entertainment.
April 21, 2017
Kuparisydämessä Maria Kallio on saanut pieneltä kotipaikkakunnaltaan nimismiehen viransijaisuuden. Paluu juurille on paikallaan elämänsä suuntaa etsivälle Kalliolle. Poikaystäväkin on sopivasti rapakon takana pidemmällä työkeikalla.
Työkeikka ei osoittaudu niin leppoisaksi kuin Kallio oli ajatellut. Arpikylän kaivostornin avaijaisten jälkeen tornin juurelta löytyy ruumis. Onko hän hypännyt tornista vai onko putoaminen tapahtunut avustetusti? Kallio joutuu kiusalliseen tehtävään eli kuulustelemaan ja epäilemään hänelle tuttuja ihmisiä.
Kuparisydän on niin perusdekkari kuin vain voi olla. Sujuvaa juonenkuljetusta, epäiltyjä vain kourallinen ja se ilmeisin tekijä ei välttämättä ole syyllinen. Pientä maustetta tarinaan tuo Kallion nuoruuden rakkauden kohtaaminen ja omien tunteidensa setviminen.
Kaipasin tarinan hahmoihin lisää särmäkkyyttä. Lehtolainen pyrkii rikkomaan perusarkkityyppejä mukavasti, mutta hahmot eivät silti lähde oikein lentoon. Keihäänheittäjä Kaisassa on hyvää yritystä ja potentiaalia, mutta siinäpä se sitten onkin.
Työkeikka ei osoittaudu niin leppoisaksi kuin Kallio oli ajatellut. Arpikylän kaivostornin avaijaisten jälkeen tornin juurelta löytyy ruumis. Onko hän hypännyt tornista vai onko putoaminen tapahtunut avustetusti? Kallio joutuu kiusalliseen tehtävään eli kuulustelemaan ja epäilemään hänelle tuttuja ihmisiä.
Kuparisydän on niin perusdekkari kuin vain voi olla. Sujuvaa juonenkuljetusta, epäiltyjä vain kourallinen ja se ilmeisin tekijä ei välttämättä ole syyllinen. Pientä maustetta tarinaan tuo Kallion nuoruuden rakkauden kohtaaminen ja omien tunteidensa setviminen.
Kaipasin tarinan hahmoihin lisää särmäkkyyttä. Lehtolainen pyrkii rikkomaan perusarkkityyppejä mukavasti, mutta hahmot eivät silti lähde oikein lentoon. Keihäänheittäjä Kaisassa on hyvää yritystä ja potentiaalia, mutta siinäpä se sitten onkin.
June 28, 2018
Uaagh. Jos en olisi autossa työmatkoilla kuunnellut, vaan käyttänyt aikaani lukemiseen, kaduttaisi. Nämä Maria Kalliot vaan pahenevat. Jatkuva alemmuudentunteessa rypeminen ja jatkuva tuttavien lahtaaminen näissä kirjoissa on jo aika koomista. Naiset ja miehet tietävät totisesti paikkansa, vaikka Maria käykin ihan salilla. Ja tämä juoni. Kun kirja päättyi, en tajunnut mitään. Motiivit olivat jostain takaperähikiältä ja ihan sairaasti käytettiin aikaa mihin tahansa muuhun kuin rikosten selvittämiseen. Kaivoksesta, bänditouhuista ja ties mistä stripparibaarista saatiin aivan älyttömästi faktoja. Ei luoja enää näitä.
February 18, 2021
Interesting foray into Finnish culture— my first! Reasonably good mystery with lots of suspects to ponder. Very grateful for Cast of Characters listed at beginning of book as so many names use a few different letters! LOL!! This is the 3rd of a series with the main (woman) detective character, and other than a minor few references to earlier events—very easy to jump in and read. Some references to specific Finnish cultural norms do not have clear meaning in English translation.
September 15, 2020
Väga soomelik
September 18, 2025
rereading this series
February 22, 2025
قلب نحاسي سلسلة المحققة ماريا كاليو رواية من فنلندا
ل لينا ليهتولاينين ترجمة نهى مصطفى
ماريا محققة بوليسية تتمنى هجر عملها لتصبح محامية، إلا أنها تضطر للعودة إلى بلدتها الريفية "أربيكولا" -صاحبة الرائحة الكريهة للنحاس وحمض الكبريتيك من برك مختلفات المنجم- تاركة حبيبها آنتي في شيكاجو حيث ينهي عام من الدراسة،
لقد طلب منها مأمور البلدة الالتحاق بوظيفة نائب قائم بالأعمال الخاصة حتى يستطيع الانتهاء من دراسته الجامعي في علوم الطب الشرعي..
يعود المنجم إلى العمل كمنتزه سياحي، والذي يديره رجل تثار حوله عدة علامات للاستفهام، وإلى جوار المنجم يقف برجًا شامخًا يثير الكثير من الأفكار والذكريات في نفس ماريا..
تلتقي ماريا التي ذهبت للعيش في بيت عمها بالعديد من الأصدقاء القدامى، إيلا صديقتها منذ أيام الدراسة، جوني الوسيم الذي أحبته في فترة المراهقة وغيرهما..
فهل ستؤثر عودتها على علاقتها بآنتي؟!
تعتبر ماريا شرطية حازمة يسخر منها فريق المركز ولكنها لا تتوانى عن توبيخهم إذا جلس أحدهم في سيارة الشرطة ومحركها يدور، أو تطلب لوالدها سيارة أجرة عندما يشرب كأسان رافضة أن تحرر له مخالفة قيادة سيارة في حالة سكر..
قرية صغيرة بعيدة عن الحياة الصاخبة، لا يوجد بها سوى ثلاث سيارات أجرة..
قرية تطلق عليها ماريا جملة:
"هذه مدينة الجروح بالفعل" لما بسكانها من نزعة ذكورية أرهقتها منذ الولادة وحتى عودتها إليها.. قرية هادئة ولكن حالها ينقلب رأسًا على عقب عند اكتشاف جثة الفنانة ميريتا، والتي وجدت ماريا لها عدة أشخاص يكرهونها منهم ابنتها..
هل ستتمكن ماريا من حل هذه القضية خاصة مع وصول محققين من المحافظة، من خارج بلدتها ومنهم زميلها كويفو؟
تهتم الكاتبة كثيرًا بأدق التفاصيل حتى أنها تخبرنا بأسماء دور الأزياء لبدلة هذا أو ثوب هذه، تتحدث عن الموسيقى والفرق الموسيقية، وغير ذلك من التفاصيل التي تثري معرفتنا بفنلندا.. وهي تلوم التلفزيون مثلًا على بثه لكارتون المومنز بالنسخة اليابانية بدل من الفنلندية الأصلية..
المترجمة تحتاج إلى مراجعة الرواية ثانية فكلمة you في الإنجليزية تعني كما نعلم أنتَ وأنتِ، جاء في كثير من المواضع كلمات تفيد المذكر وهي للمؤنث، والعكس.. أو مثلًا تكتب ما زال الدراجة، والمفترض زالت..
وهذا يعيدنا لأمر هام؛ هو الترجمة من خلال برنامج ترجمة، فإن تم هذا وهو مفيد أحيانًا للمترجم فعليه أن يعيد مراجعة عمله مرات بعد ذلك..
كما جاء خلطًا في الأسماء مثل وضع اسم ياسكا بدلًا من تومبي. وللحق إن الأسماء تحير القاريء وتجعله في حاجة إلى التركيز لمعرفة كل اسم وكل شخصية، وبالتالي على المترجم مراجعة الأسماء دومًا..
حتى المياه كتبت المترجمة عنها "غرغرت" والصحيح هي كلمة خرخرت..
والمرأة كتبتها "المرآة" وهنا أصبحت "مرايا وليس نساء"..
رواية جميلة، في انتظار المزيد من الروايات المترجمة لهذه الكاتبة..
#نو_ها
ل لينا ليهتولاينين ترجمة نهى مصطفى
ماريا محققة بوليسية تتمنى هجر عملها لتصبح محامية، إلا أنها تضطر للعودة إلى بلدتها الريفية "أربيكولا" -صاحبة الرائحة الكريهة للنحاس وحمض الكبريتيك من برك مختلفات المنجم- تاركة حبيبها آنتي في شيكاجو حيث ينهي عام من الدراسة،
لقد طلب منها مأمور البلدة الالتحاق بوظيفة نائب قائم بالأعمال الخاصة حتى يستطيع الانتهاء من دراسته الجامعي في علوم الطب الشرعي..
يعود المنجم إلى العمل كمنتزه سياحي، والذي يديره رجل تثار حوله عدة علامات للاستفهام، وإلى جوار المنجم يقف برجًا شامخًا يثير الكثير من الأفكار والذكريات في نفس ماريا..
تلتقي ماريا التي ذهبت للعيش في بيت عمها بالعديد من الأصدقاء القدامى، إيلا صديقتها منذ أيام الدراسة، جوني الوسيم الذي أحبته في فترة المراهقة وغيرهما..
فهل ستؤثر عودتها على علاقتها بآنتي؟!
تعتبر ماريا شرطية حازمة يسخر منها فريق المركز ولكنها لا تتوانى عن توبيخهم إذا جلس أحدهم في سيارة الشرطة ومحركها يدور، أو تطلب لوالدها سيارة أجرة عندما يشرب كأسان رافضة أن تحرر له مخالفة قيادة سيارة في حالة سكر..
قرية صغيرة بعيدة عن الحياة الصاخبة، لا يوجد بها سوى ثلاث سيارات أجرة..
قرية تطلق عليها ماريا جملة:
"هذه مدينة الجروح بالفعل" لما بسكانها من نزعة ذكورية أرهقتها منذ الولادة وحتى عودتها إليها.. قرية هادئة ولكن حالها ينقلب رأسًا على عقب عند اكتشاف جثة الفنانة ميريتا، والتي وجدت ماريا لها عدة أشخاص يكرهونها منهم ابنتها..
هل ستتمكن ماريا من حل هذه القضية خاصة مع وصول محققين من المحافظة، من خارج بلدتها ومنهم زميلها كويفو؟
تهتم الكاتبة كثيرًا بأدق التفاصيل حتى أنها تخبرنا بأسماء دور الأزياء لبدلة هذا أو ثوب هذه، تتحدث عن الموسيقى والفرق الموسيقية، وغير ذلك من التفاصيل التي تثري معرفتنا بفنلندا.. وهي تلوم التلفزيون مثلًا على بثه لكارتون المومنز بالنسخة اليابانية بدل من الفنلندية الأصلية..
المترجمة تحتاج إلى مراجعة الرواية ثانية فكلمة you في الإنجليزية تعني كما نعلم أنتَ وأنتِ، جاء في كثير من المواضع كلمات تفيد المذكر وهي للمؤنث، والعكس.. أو مثلًا تكتب ما زال الدراجة، والمفترض زالت..
وهذا يعيدنا لأمر هام؛ هو الترجمة من خلال برنامج ترجمة، فإن تم هذا وهو مفيد أحيانًا للمترجم فعليه أن يعيد مراجعة عمله مرات بعد ذلك..
كما جاء خلطًا في الأسماء مثل وضع اسم ياسكا بدلًا من تومبي. وللحق إن الأسماء تحير القاريء وتجعله في حاجة إلى التركيز لمعرفة كل اسم وكل شخصية، وبالتالي على المترجم مراجعة الأسماء دومًا..
حتى المياه كتبت المترجمة عنها "غرغرت" والصحيح هي كلمة خرخرت..
والمرأة كتبتها "المرآة" وهنا أصبحت "مرايا وليس نساء"..
رواية جميلة، في انتظار المزيد من الروايات المترجمة لهذه الكاتبة..
#نو_ها
August 12, 2026
Ein Leseabenteuer im Krimiformatt:
Maria Kallio ist in ihrer Heimatstadt. Bei der Anwaltskanzlei hat sie gekündigt, außerdem ist diese in Konkurs gegangen, im Gewaltdezernat Helsinki hat sie keinen Job bekommen, der Freund Antti ist in den USA.
In ihrer Heimatstadt hat sie die Vertretung der Polizeidienststellenleitung übernommen. Beim Joggen trifft sie ihren Jugendschwarm Johnny Jarmo Miettinen, jetzt geschieden, 2 Kinder, Sportlehrer. Tuija Miettinen, seine Frau
Sie wohnt am Hof ihres Onkels, der nach Herzanfall halbseitig gelähmt und hier nicht mehr leben kann.
Ella, Kulturdezernentin, Schul- und Jugendfreundin von Maria. Matti Virtanen, ihr Mann, bildender Künstler.
Seppo Kivinen, Wiedereröffner des alten Kupferbergwerkes für Touristen, Barbro seine Frau
Kaisa Miettinen, international erfolgreiche Speerwerferin, soll im Schauwerk einen Trainingsraum bekommen
Jaska Korhonen aus der früheren Band von Maria, arbeitslos, Meritta Flöjt, seine Schwester, Künstlerin, eine Tochter, Aniliina, deren Vater Marten Flöjt, Solocellist, in der Versenkung verschwunden.
Es dauert bis Seite 45, dann endlich hat Lehtolainen das Zurückkommen in die Heimat durchdekliniert und den im Krimi auftretenden Personenkreis vorgestellt. Jetzt kommt der Anruf des Leichenfundes. Die Malerin der Männerakte, die berühmte Meritta Flöjt, die Mutter der anorektisch pubertierenden Aniliina, die Partnerin des Bergwerksinvestors Seppo Kivinen ist es. Beim Bergwerksturm wurde sie von einer Spaziergängerin, Ritva Matikainen, gefunden. Meeri Korhonen ist die Mutter der Malerin übrigens.
Also wieder ein Mord im Bekannten- und Freundeskreis von Kallio, der dritte Kallio-Roman, der dritte Bekanntentod. Ein Muster.
Meritta ist nach einem Kampf in der Nacht nach dem Eröffnungsfest vom Turm des Bergwerkes gestoßen worden.
Neue Entwicklung auf Seite 118: der Besitzer des Lokals Kupferkrug will sein Lokal zu einem Erotikcafe (topless Kellnerinnen, Stripteasetanz) ummodeln, damit er gegen das neue Bergwerkslokal bestehen kann. Meritta Flöjt hat den weiblichen Angestellten, die da nicht mitgehen können, versprochen, ihren Protest zu unterstützen.
Da gibt es so einen Handlungsnebenzweig, ein Konkursverfahren gegen die Baufirma Saastamoinen wo durch familiäre Verflechtungen auch die kreditgebende Bank ins schiefe Licht gerät. Hat zumindest bisher mit dem Haupthandlungsfaden nichts zu tun, vielleicht nur ein Sittenbild der ländlichen Bürgerschaft.
S 147: Jetzt ist der Jaska auch ermordet. Möglicherweise hatte er Informationen in Bezug auf den Mord an Meritta, die war ja seine Schwester. Möglicherweise wollte er diese Informationen zu Geld machen, das er ja benötigte, um eine Platte finanzieren zu können. Jaska ist ja so ein ewiger Versager. Hinterlassen hat er ein Kuvert an die Maria in dem ein Schlüssel ist, den er möglicherweise aus der verschwunden gewesenen Handtasche von Meritta entwendete, was ihn jetzt in noch nähere Beziehung zum Tod von Meritta, nach dem ja die Handtasche weg war, bringt. Und da war er wohl auch der Eindringling in Merittas Atelier (Maria kann sich jetzt an den Geruch desselben erinnern, der ja dann entfliehen konnte). Jetzt sucht Maria das zum Schlüssel passende Schloss und da kommt man zu einem Kunstatelier, das sie gemeinsam mit Matti nutzte. Matti Virtanen, der Kunstmaler und Mann von Ella, auch er eine verdächtige Person. Und dann gibt es ja auch noch die Verbindung von Onkel Pena zu Meritta, wollten da der rote und die grüne Gemeinderätin einen gemeinsamen Deal durchziehen? Leider Pena liegt mit mehreren Herzanfällen vernehmungsunfähig im Krankenhaus. Und jetzt ist auch noch Johnny verschwunden - und was weiß die Speerwerferin Kaisa, die die Leiche von Jaska gefunden hat?
Ein Stilelement von Lehtolainen ist wohl auch die Menge von Personen, die sie auftreten lässt und die einen mit finnischen Namen nicht vertrauten Menschen doch verwirrt.
153: Soeben kam mehr Licht in die Sache Konkursverfahren Saastamoinen. Der Polizeidirektor Jussi, den Maria derzeit vertritt, ist der Schwager des Bankdirektors, der die fraglichen Kredite an seinen Schwager Saastamoinen vergeben hat, ein Geschäft in das Jussi jetzt Licht bringen sollte (was jetzt Marias Sache ist). Außerdem hat Jussi ein toll gebautes Haus, ein Schalk, wer da komische Gedanken bekommt.
Ein Veikko Holopainen fährt alkoholisiert viel zu schnell Auto.
192: Es gab neue Erkenntnisse: das vom Kunstverein falsch verbrauchte Geld kam Matti zugute. Und Meritta hat es aufgedeckt, es Ella gesagt und außerdem gleich gedroht, sie würde auch andere Unregelmässigkeiten jetzt abschaffen (s. Saastamoinen ) - da gibts ja auch ein Motiv. Auch hat sich herausgestellt, dass sowohl Johnny als auch Ella (und vielleicht auch Matti) am Merittamordabend beim Kupferturm waren.
Vor dem Höhepunkt noch ein kurzer Berichtshwischenstopp, ein Cliffhanger sozusagen. Maria ist jetzt draufgekommen, Pena und Meritta hatten ein gemeinsames Geheimnis. Unterlagen sind in Penas Haus aufbewahrt (Maria wohnt ja dort), der Schlüssel Merittas passt auf ein Geheimfachschloss bei Pena, dort liegen Kupferschachtunterlagen, da muss man rein, dort liegt wohl des Rätsels Lösung. Maria will mit einem Polizeikollegen da rein, sie weiß, das ist gefährlich. Da ruft der des Mordes verdächtigte und flüchtige Johnny an, sie soll zum Bergwerk kommen, er wartet dort auf sie, er kann seine Unschuld beweisen. Mal sehen - auf geht’s in die letzten 20 Seiten.
Und es ist ein wahres Höhepunktende. Johnny ist in der Gewalt von Kivinen. Der bringt ihn und Maria in die Tiefen des Bergwerks bis zu einer Einbruchstelle, wo noch ein Haufen altes Sprengmittel gelagert ist. Es gab da einen Plan: Kivinen schafft das erhaltene Fördergeld auf seine Seite, dann sprengt er die Mine (Kollateralschaden in der Stadt Arpikylä ist ihm egal, er als Sohn eines Bergwerkers hasst die Bürgergesellschaft sowieso), stellt es als Pech hin, dass da alter Sprengstoff, von dem niemand was wusste, explodierte. Meritta und Pena waren ihm auf die Schliche gekommen, das komische Bergwerksgeschäft war ihnen suspekt gewesen. Meritta hatte die Sprengstoffladung auskundschaftet, das wieder hat Kivinen gemerkt, darum musste sie sterben. Jaska hat die Tasche Merittas gefunden, versucht Kivinen zu erpressen mit dem Besitz des Schlüssels, darum musste er sterben, von Johnny vermutete er, dass er Zeuge des Mordes an Meritta geworden war, darum sollte er sterben und Maria war einfach als Ermittlerin zu gefährlich. Also Showdown in den Tiefen des Bergwerks, Johnny und Maria sollen sterben, es soll nach einem Werk Johnnys ausschauen und darum führt Kivinen die beiden da runter, um sie zu erschießen und das Ding zu sprengen. Maria gelingt im letzten Moment Kivinen außer Gefecht zu setzen und sich und einen verletzten Johnny aus dem Berg zu retten, bevor er explodiert. Diesmal überlebt auch der Täter wieder, obwohl verletzt kann er sich in Sicherheit bringen - und wird natürlich festgenommen.
Happy End nach Showdown: die lesbische Speerwerferin wird Europameisterin und wagt endlich, zu ihrer Liebe zu stehen, Pena überlebt die Schlaganfälle, Aniliina macht eine hoffentlich erfolgreiche Therapie und Maria -
„Ich war zum Happy-End bereit, als ich aufstand und Antti entgegenlief.“
Maria Kallio ist in ihrer Heimatstadt. Bei der Anwaltskanzlei hat sie gekündigt, außerdem ist diese in Konkurs gegangen, im Gewaltdezernat Helsinki hat sie keinen Job bekommen, der Freund Antti ist in den USA.
In ihrer Heimatstadt hat sie die Vertretung der Polizeidienststellenleitung übernommen. Beim Joggen trifft sie ihren Jugendschwarm Johnny Jarmo Miettinen, jetzt geschieden, 2 Kinder, Sportlehrer. Tuija Miettinen, seine Frau
Sie wohnt am Hof ihres Onkels, der nach Herzanfall halbseitig gelähmt und hier nicht mehr leben kann.
Ella, Kulturdezernentin, Schul- und Jugendfreundin von Maria. Matti Virtanen, ihr Mann, bildender Künstler.
Seppo Kivinen, Wiedereröffner des alten Kupferbergwerkes für Touristen, Barbro seine Frau
Kaisa Miettinen, international erfolgreiche Speerwerferin, soll im Schauwerk einen Trainingsraum bekommen
Jaska Korhonen aus der früheren Band von Maria, arbeitslos, Meritta Flöjt, seine Schwester, Künstlerin, eine Tochter, Aniliina, deren Vater Marten Flöjt, Solocellist, in der Versenkung verschwunden.
Es dauert bis Seite 45, dann endlich hat Lehtolainen das Zurückkommen in die Heimat durchdekliniert und den im Krimi auftretenden Personenkreis vorgestellt. Jetzt kommt der Anruf des Leichenfundes. Die Malerin der Männerakte, die berühmte Meritta Flöjt, die Mutter der anorektisch pubertierenden Aniliina, die Partnerin des Bergwerksinvestors Seppo Kivinen ist es. Beim Bergwerksturm wurde sie von einer Spaziergängerin, Ritva Matikainen, gefunden. Meeri Korhonen ist die Mutter der Malerin übrigens.
Also wieder ein Mord im Bekannten- und Freundeskreis von Kallio, der dritte Kallio-Roman, der dritte Bekanntentod. Ein Muster.
Meritta ist nach einem Kampf in der Nacht nach dem Eröffnungsfest vom Turm des Bergwerkes gestoßen worden.
Neue Entwicklung auf Seite 118: der Besitzer des Lokals Kupferkrug will sein Lokal zu einem Erotikcafe (topless Kellnerinnen, Stripteasetanz) ummodeln, damit er gegen das neue Bergwerkslokal bestehen kann. Meritta Flöjt hat den weiblichen Angestellten, die da nicht mitgehen können, versprochen, ihren Protest zu unterstützen.
Da gibt es so einen Handlungsnebenzweig, ein Konkursverfahren gegen die Baufirma Saastamoinen wo durch familiäre Verflechtungen auch die kreditgebende Bank ins schiefe Licht gerät. Hat zumindest bisher mit dem Haupthandlungsfaden nichts zu tun, vielleicht nur ein Sittenbild der ländlichen Bürgerschaft.
S 147: Jetzt ist der Jaska auch ermordet. Möglicherweise hatte er Informationen in Bezug auf den Mord an Meritta, die war ja seine Schwester. Möglicherweise wollte er diese Informationen zu Geld machen, das er ja benötigte, um eine Platte finanzieren zu können. Jaska ist ja so ein ewiger Versager. Hinterlassen hat er ein Kuvert an die Maria in dem ein Schlüssel ist, den er möglicherweise aus der verschwunden gewesenen Handtasche von Meritta entwendete, was ihn jetzt in noch nähere Beziehung zum Tod von Meritta, nach dem ja die Handtasche weg war, bringt. Und da war er wohl auch der Eindringling in Merittas Atelier (Maria kann sich jetzt an den Geruch desselben erinnern, der ja dann entfliehen konnte). Jetzt sucht Maria das zum Schlüssel passende Schloss und da kommt man zu einem Kunstatelier, das sie gemeinsam mit Matti nutzte. Matti Virtanen, der Kunstmaler und Mann von Ella, auch er eine verdächtige Person. Und dann gibt es ja auch noch die Verbindung von Onkel Pena zu Meritta, wollten da der rote und die grüne Gemeinderätin einen gemeinsamen Deal durchziehen? Leider Pena liegt mit mehreren Herzanfällen vernehmungsunfähig im Krankenhaus. Und jetzt ist auch noch Johnny verschwunden - und was weiß die Speerwerferin Kaisa, die die Leiche von Jaska gefunden hat?
Ein Stilelement von Lehtolainen ist wohl auch die Menge von Personen, die sie auftreten lässt und die einen mit finnischen Namen nicht vertrauten Menschen doch verwirrt.
153: Soeben kam mehr Licht in die Sache Konkursverfahren Saastamoinen. Der Polizeidirektor Jussi, den Maria derzeit vertritt, ist der Schwager des Bankdirektors, der die fraglichen Kredite an seinen Schwager Saastamoinen vergeben hat, ein Geschäft in das Jussi jetzt Licht bringen sollte (was jetzt Marias Sache ist). Außerdem hat Jussi ein toll gebautes Haus, ein Schalk, wer da komische Gedanken bekommt.
Ein Veikko Holopainen fährt alkoholisiert viel zu schnell Auto.
192: Es gab neue Erkenntnisse: das vom Kunstverein falsch verbrauchte Geld kam Matti zugute. Und Meritta hat es aufgedeckt, es Ella gesagt und außerdem gleich gedroht, sie würde auch andere Unregelmässigkeiten jetzt abschaffen (s. Saastamoinen ) - da gibts ja auch ein Motiv. Auch hat sich herausgestellt, dass sowohl Johnny als auch Ella (und vielleicht auch Matti) am Merittamordabend beim Kupferturm waren.
Vor dem Höhepunkt noch ein kurzer Berichtshwischenstopp, ein Cliffhanger sozusagen. Maria ist jetzt draufgekommen, Pena und Meritta hatten ein gemeinsames Geheimnis. Unterlagen sind in Penas Haus aufbewahrt (Maria wohnt ja dort), der Schlüssel Merittas passt auf ein Geheimfachschloss bei Pena, dort liegen Kupferschachtunterlagen, da muss man rein, dort liegt wohl des Rätsels Lösung. Maria will mit einem Polizeikollegen da rein, sie weiß, das ist gefährlich. Da ruft der des Mordes verdächtigte und flüchtige Johnny an, sie soll zum Bergwerk kommen, er wartet dort auf sie, er kann seine Unschuld beweisen. Mal sehen - auf geht’s in die letzten 20 Seiten.
Und es ist ein wahres Höhepunktende. Johnny ist in der Gewalt von Kivinen. Der bringt ihn und Maria in die Tiefen des Bergwerks bis zu einer Einbruchstelle, wo noch ein Haufen altes Sprengmittel gelagert ist. Es gab da einen Plan: Kivinen schafft das erhaltene Fördergeld auf seine Seite, dann sprengt er die Mine (Kollateralschaden in der Stadt Arpikylä ist ihm egal, er als Sohn eines Bergwerkers hasst die Bürgergesellschaft sowieso), stellt es als Pech hin, dass da alter Sprengstoff, von dem niemand was wusste, explodierte. Meritta und Pena waren ihm auf die Schliche gekommen, das komische Bergwerksgeschäft war ihnen suspekt gewesen. Meritta hatte die Sprengstoffladung auskundschaftet, das wieder hat Kivinen gemerkt, darum musste sie sterben. Jaska hat die Tasche Merittas gefunden, versucht Kivinen zu erpressen mit dem Besitz des Schlüssels, darum musste er sterben, von Johnny vermutete er, dass er Zeuge des Mordes an Meritta geworden war, darum sollte er sterben und Maria war einfach als Ermittlerin zu gefährlich. Also Showdown in den Tiefen des Bergwerks, Johnny und Maria sollen sterben, es soll nach einem Werk Johnnys ausschauen und darum führt Kivinen die beiden da runter, um sie zu erschießen und das Ding zu sprengen. Maria gelingt im letzten Moment Kivinen außer Gefecht zu setzen und sich und einen verletzten Johnny aus dem Berg zu retten, bevor er explodiert. Diesmal überlebt auch der Täter wieder, obwohl verletzt kann er sich in Sicherheit bringen - und wird natürlich festgenommen.
Happy End nach Showdown: die lesbische Speerwerferin wird Europameisterin und wagt endlich, zu ihrer Liebe zu stehen, Pena überlebt die Schlaganfälle, Aniliina macht eine hoffentlich erfolgreiche Therapie und Maria -
„Ich war zum Happy-End bereit, als ich aufstand und Antti entgegenlief.“
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2014
Much better than previous installments of this series. Copper Heart is more fluid and, even if Maria Kallio is still obsessed over not fitting the norm, the investigation is the main focus. In a way, it reminds me of Camilla Lackberg, since Maria's personal life keeps getting in the way of her sleuthing. We still have a lot of chauvinist pigs, but the women are better defined here. There are some very compelling characters. I'm looking forward to the next book.
April 16, 2015
Perus-Kallio. Pikkukaupunkielämä ja -politikointi oli aitoa, tarina Maria tarkkaileva ja suvaitsevainen kolmekymppinen nainen murheineen. Harmiton, ei huono dekkari, jolla lienee tuhansia ystäviä.
September 15, 2016
A solid entry in the Scandinavian mystery. Best read after reading the first two books.
November 21, 2019
I wish I could give an enthusiastic recommendation, but… arms flail, as the reviewer seeks the right words fruitlessly
These are good books. But… something about them seems awkward. Part of it is Maria Kallio herself. She seems so reluctant to do the work she trained for. And then she keeps finding herself absurdly connected to the people in each case.
I wonder whether there are two factors at play: one, these aren't new books. They were first published about a quarter-century ago. And… that's in that awkward in-between where it isn't always clear how old it is when you're reading it. (Especially given the delay before the series began to be published in English translation.) Speaking of translation, it is the other factor I wonder about. Not that I know whether it's a good or bad translation, but I wonder whether, despite the efforts of the translator, something of the original is lost as it is translated from Finnish to English. Or it could be cultural: that I don't have the background, as somebody who's lived all my life in North America, that the author had in mind, presumably writing for a domestic audience.
I think I liked this better than I remember feeling about the second book. But it's definitely in that zone where I really end up thinking before deciding to add the next book to my TBR list, not an automatic decision.
These are good books. But… something about them seems awkward. Part of it is Maria Kallio herself. She seems so reluctant to do the work she trained for. And then she keeps finding herself absurdly connected to the people in each case.
I wonder whether there are two factors at play: one, these aren't new books. They were first published about a quarter-century ago. And… that's in that awkward in-between where it isn't always clear how old it is when you're reading it. (Especially given the delay before the series began to be published in English translation.) Speaking of translation, it is the other factor I wonder about. Not that I know whether it's a good or bad translation, but I wonder whether, despite the efforts of the translator, something of the original is lost as it is translated from Finnish to English. Or it could be cultural: that I don't have the background, as somebody who's lived all my life in North America, that the author had in mind, presumably writing for a domestic audience.
I think I liked this better than I remember feeling about the second book. But it's definitely in that zone where I really end up thinking before deciding to add the next book to my TBR list, not an automatic decision.
June 13, 2023
Happily, I think I own a large collection of this series - thanks to Amazon almost giving them away or that gift card they gave me for getting their credit card.
I read a lot of the reviews after I finished this and was kinda surprised at the low marks and comments. Like our hero doing unprofessional police things and planning to marry her sweetiie but interested in a guy in the story, and the cat, and her dumb decisions.
This is only partly a police procedural, and quite often our hero isn't even in charge. But she, along with her buddies, are involved in a very interesting whodunit. And no, not Nordic Noir, just takes place in that part of the world.
No, everything wasn't perfect, and my mind went wandering off trying to figure out the whodunit on too many false leads, and no I didn't figure it out.
But the characters, I thought, were real, like one would expect in a small town. And of course, our hero had issues, don't they all nowadays, but they became part of the story.
And of course I could be wrong, but I think the 'faults' people complained about were written as part of the story, part of the charm of the characters.
So I liked it. You should start with #1 - a few things will make more sense.....
I read a lot of the reviews after I finished this and was kinda surprised at the low marks and comments. Like our hero doing unprofessional police things and planning to marry her sweetiie but interested in a guy in the story, and the cat, and her dumb decisions.
This is only partly a police procedural, and quite often our hero isn't even in charge. But she, along with her buddies, are involved in a very interesting whodunit. And no, not Nordic Noir, just takes place in that part of the world.
No, everything wasn't perfect, and my mind went wandering off trying to figure out the whodunit on too many false leads, and no I didn't figure it out.
But the characters, I thought, were real, like one would expect in a small town. And of course, our hero had issues, don't they all nowadays, but they became part of the story.
And of course I could be wrong, but I think the 'faults' people complained about were written as part of the story, part of the charm of the characters.
So I liked it. You should start with #1 - a few things will make more sense.....
April 19, 2019
Enjoyable but would have preferred more detective work
There is a lot to like in the third Maria Kallio novel; a range of interesting characters, a case well worth investigating, a good ending and, as usual, some sociopolitical comment, all be it at a superficial level - about which I will say no more to avoid spoiling the plot for you.
However, even for a cosy style detective story, there is far too much emphasis on the love triangle (or is it a square?!), with constant references to Maria's indecision as to the direction of her love life. Unsurprisingly, her mooning over a former heartthrob in a way more suited to an adolescent than a woman on her late twenties, leaves little time for the pursuit of the case itself - which, for me at least, is the purpose of reading the series.
In spite of the books' failings, I am finding the series strangely compelling. I recommend reading them in order for a better understanding of Maria's personal life and character. 3.5 stars
There is a lot to like in the third Maria Kallio novel; a range of interesting characters, a case well worth investigating, a good ending and, as usual, some sociopolitical comment, all be it at a superficial level - about which I will say no more to avoid spoiling the plot for you.
However, even for a cosy style detective story, there is far too much emphasis on the love triangle (or is it a square?!), with constant references to Maria's indecision as to the direction of her love life. Unsurprisingly, her mooning over a former heartthrob in a way more suited to an adolescent than a woman on her late twenties, leaves little time for the pursuit of the case itself - which, for me at least, is the purpose of reading the series.
In spite of the books' failings, I am finding the series strangely compelling. I recommend reading them in order for a better understanding of Maria's personal life and character. 3.5 stars
June 10, 2018
For once I am reading through a series in order, and it's probably a good thing, because keeping track of all the Finnish names and locations is a bit of a stretch for me. But, it's also one of the things which has kept me going with the series, and I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting comfortable with Maria and her peripatetic lifestyle. In each of the books she is working somewhere different, and she goes back and forth between working in law enforcement and as a lawyer. In this one she is back in her hometown in a summer position filling in for the local "sheriff" (I'm not sure if that's a real position in Finland), doing everything from signing off on driver's licenses and various legal permits to solving murders. As you can imagine, the good old boys in the office aren't completely happy to have a temporary female boss. I'm enjoying a glimpse of Finnish culture, including the political aspects of local law enforcement, which sounds pretty familiar.
August 24, 2026
Kuparisydän on Maria Kallio -sarjan kolmas osa, jossa Maria palaa lapsuutensa maisemiin Pohjois-Karjalan kaivoskaupunkiin selvittämään murhatapausta. Miljöö on kiinnostava ja poikkeaa mukavasti perinteisestä kaupunkidekkarista, sillä vanha kaivosympäristö luo tarinaan oman tunnelmansa.
Kirja toimii hyvin kevyenä kesälukemisena. Tarina etenee sujuvasti, henkilöhahmot ovat tuttuun Lehtolaisen tapaan helposti lähestyttäviä ja sivuja kääntää vaivatta. Jännitys pysyy mukana loppuun asti, mutta tällä kertaa juoni tuntui melko ennalta-arvattavalta. Ratkaisun suunta alkoi hahmottua jo hyvissä ajoin ennen loppuhuipennusta, mikä söi osan dekkarin yllätyksellisyydestä.
Maria Kallio on kuitenkin edelleen pidettävä päähenkilö, ja hänen henkilökohtaiset pohdintansa sekä paluu vanhoihin maisemiin tuovat tarinaan lisää syvyyttä.
Hyvä perusdekkari kesään, mutta kokeneelle rikoskirjallisuuden lukijalle juoni saattaa olla turhan helposti arvattavissa.
Kirja toimii hyvin kevyenä kesälukemisena. Tarina etenee sujuvasti, henkilöhahmot ovat tuttuun Lehtolaisen tapaan helposti lähestyttäviä ja sivuja kääntää vaivatta. Jännitys pysyy mukana loppuun asti, mutta tällä kertaa juoni tuntui melko ennalta-arvattavalta. Ratkaisun suunta alkoi hahmottua jo hyvissä ajoin ennen loppuhuipennusta, mikä söi osan dekkarin yllätyksellisyydestä.
Maria Kallio on kuitenkin edelleen pidettävä päähenkilö, ja hänen henkilökohtaiset pohdintansa sekä paluu vanhoihin maisemiin tuovat tarinaan lisää syvyyttä.
Hyvä perusdekkari kesään, mutta kokeneelle rikoskirjallisuuden lukijalle juoni saattaa olla turhan helposti arvattavissa.
April 22, 2018
imagine like a Stephanie Plum, but remove all humor, put them in the “boondocks” of Finland, make the protagonist a “sheriff” (there are no sheriffs in Finland, so a poor translation of terms as a frosting on the dale), add a cast of rather flat characters and stir it up i guess. on the plus side, you can easily fall asleep during the book.
many of the characters were undeveloped and flat. the pronunciation of the names was inconstant and often incorrect (at least in audiobook); “Jaaska”, “Anilina” etc. The protagonist, “sheriff” Maria, tells the story in first person, often focusing too much in details like what she is eating and drooling on men other than her boyfriend instead of actually investigating the case. So not a detective, not a procedural, not a thriller. Maybe there was some humor in the original then that just didn’t translate?
many of the characters were undeveloped and flat. the pronunciation of the names was inconstant and often incorrect (at least in audiobook); “Jaaska”, “Anilina” etc. The protagonist, “sheriff” Maria, tells the story in first person, often focusing too much in details like what she is eating and drooling on men other than her boyfriend instead of actually investigating the case. So not a detective, not a procedural, not a thriller. Maybe there was some humor in the original then that just didn’t translate?
September 12, 2020
It was amusing to read yet another story set in the Finland of about 1994, in a North Karelian mining town fictionally renamed "Arpikylä", although based on the real mining town of Outokumpu. In compensation for its somewhat predictable plotting and the continuation of its protagonist Maria Kallio's emotional ups and downs as she solves yet another dastardly crime or two in her childhood home setting, the novel makes good use of its historical references to Joensuu and the very real problem of the conflict between the racist skinheads and the recently-arrived Somali refugee community. The translation into American English is reasonably competent. As a crime novel, maybe a low three-star ***?
April 14, 2018
Going home stories are great for getting under the skin of a protagonist, and Lehtolainen makes the most of Maria Kallio's return to the half-dead mining town where she grew up. Kallio is her usual irascible self, but digging through her past also forces her to think about her future and what she wants out of life.
Lehtolainen draws a fine portrait of both her detective and her detective's origins. The mystery is stronger too, though it goes a little over the top at the end, and even Kallio thinks the villain is twirling the metaphorical mustache a little. You've got to love a series where the hero is willing to call the plot out.
Lehtolainen draws a fine portrait of both her detective and her detective's origins. The mystery is stronger too, though it goes a little over the top at the end, and even Kallio thinks the villain is twirling the metaphorical mustache a little. You've got to love a series where the hero is willing to call the plot out.
June 6, 2021
I liked this one!
I am finally getting into the swing of her writing and appreciated this book. Wasn't so sure about the first two although now in retrospect they are each adding to the next. The plot was exciting, everyone was a suspect, Maria's relationship with her ex-crush was interesting, Koivu's experience with his fiance is a roller coaster and everyone is quite human. Maria comes to peace with much of her past, with family, fears of intimacy, children and her choices. Loved Mikko, an outstanding addition! Nice sense of place and sensitive description of the environment, weather and surroundings.
I am finally getting into the swing of her writing and appreciated this book. Wasn't so sure about the first two although now in retrospect they are each adding to the next. The plot was exciting, everyone was a suspect, Maria's relationship with her ex-crush was interesting, Koivu's experience with his fiance is a roller coaster and everyone is quite human. Maria comes to peace with much of her past, with family, fears of intimacy, children and her choices. Loved Mikko, an outstanding addition! Nice sense of place and sensitive description of the environment, weather and surroundings.
April 22, 2026
Currently re-reading the Maria Kallio books and this book is one of those that seem so unlikely to the reality. The plot goes around mostly about the situation in the small town and its council business gets highlighted too.
Some outside of the mystery is the love life of Maria Kallio, she has some decisions to be made and in the book I think the relationships around the other characters made it excellent writing to correspond her ideas of future to the lives of her close circle.
Not the best in the series but then again this was on of the first ones in the series and still maybe gaining its characteristics
Some outside of the mystery is the love life of Maria Kallio, she has some decisions to be made and in the book I think the relationships around the other characters made it excellent writing to correspond her ideas of future to the lives of her close circle.
Not the best in the series but then again this was on of the first ones in the series and still maybe gaining its characteristics
July 22, 2019
Maria returns to her home town in order to temp as sheriff and house-sit for a sick uncle. Soon she is thrust into a double homicide case, and forced to resolve feelings she has for an old flame. This is a good mystery in keeping with the rest of the series, started slow but ended strong. Also enjoyed the glimpse into Finnish culture and social commentary around the state of the LGBT community in Finland. I definitely want to continue this series.
October 7, 2019
Slow Start.
This third instalment of The Maria Kallio series is a bit dissapointing. It started slowly. Taking 60 pages before someone was murdered. Also, again, the victim is known to Kallio. Even the Author acknowledges this. There were some positives to come out of this story. The plot does improve after the slow start and the mystery evolves. There is even some good tension toward the end.
This third instalment of The Maria Kallio series is a bit dissapointing. It started slowly. Taking 60 pages before someone was murdered. Also, again, the victim is known to Kallio. Even the Author acknowledges this. There were some positives to come out of this story. The plot does improve after the slow start and the mystery evolves. There is even some good tension toward the end.
August 17, 2017
Exactly what I expected of the third in this series except I felt better able to keep track of all the characters in this one. Maria returns to her home town and the disused copper mine. There are political, social, class, historical and sexuality issues in this novel including the more recent problems created by immigration and refugees. Looking forward to the next stage in Maria's career.
February 5, 2019
Kolmas Maria Kallio-dekkari vie Marian tämän lapsuudenkotiin arpikylään nimismiehen sijaiseksi. Ikävä kyllä rauhallinen pikkukyläkään ei säästy murhmysteeriltä Marian ollessa kuvioissa.
Kevyt ja mukavan nopealukuinen dekkari. Maria Kallioon alkaa hiljalleen kiintyä yhä enemmän, etenkin kun hänen nuoruudestaan kerrotaan lisää.
Kevyt ja mukavan nopealukuinen dekkari. Maria Kallioon alkaa hiljalleen kiintyä yhä enemmän, etenkin kun hänen nuoruudestaan kerrotaan lisää.
September 1, 2020
Tämä oli aika yllätyksetön tarina, mutta silti ihan mukiinmenevä dekkari. Tykkään kovasti Maria Kalliosta hahmona, ja peukutan Marian feminististä asennetta täysillä. Tämä oli mielenkiintoinen kirja myös siksi, että itse Joensuulaisena olen tutustunut myös "Arpikylän" elämään jonkin verran. Täytyy toivoa, että pikkukylissä asuvilla on nykyään paremmat oltavat kuin silloin joskus ennen.
January 19, 2023
Book three in the Maria Kallio book series
Maria Kallio returns to her hometown as temporary sheriff and investigates the death of a local artist who has fallen from a copper mine's tower. Was it an accident, suicide or murder that is the question with many suspects. An interesting Finnish murder mystery. Recommended.
Maria Kallio returns to her hometown as temporary sheriff and investigates the death of a local artist who has fallen from a copper mine's tower. Was it an accident, suicide or murder that is the question with many suspects. An interesting Finnish murder mystery. Recommended.
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