Auf die feine Art: Maria Kallios zweiter Fall: Ein Finnland-Krimi (Die Maria Kallio-Reihe 2)

Maria Kallio #2

by Leena Lehtolainen

After solving her first murder and leaving the Helsinki Police Department behind, Maria Kallio thought that a move to the neighboring city of Espoo would signal a fresh start—a chance to not only put her new law degree to use, but to nurture her budding romance with Antti Sarkela. But when she discovers the strangled body of a new acquaintance, old habits die hard for the redheaded sleuth—especially since the accused is not only the victim’s fiancé, but a member of Antti’s family.

Though she works as a legal counselor, Kallio soon finds herself unofficially investigating the murder, now labeled a sex crime. While Antti’s relative may have some peculiar sexual tendencies, Kallio doubts that the man she’s agreed to defend is capable of the crime. To crack the case, Kallio will have to pull back the curtain on Espoo high society…and uncover a secret someone is willing to kill to keep hidden.

Her Enemy, the latest addition to Lehtolainen’s bestselling crime series, sends intrepid Detective Kallio into the dark side of human passion.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Finnish Literature, Nordic Noir, Audiobook, Scandinavian Literature

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Leena 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.

Reviews

[Heba · Rating 1 out of 5]

وهكذا كان هذا اللقاء الثاني والأخير مع سلسلة المحققة ماريا كاليو.... وداعاً 😏

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Description: After solving her first murder and leaving the Helsinki Police Department behind, Maria Kallio thought that a move to the neighboring city of Espoo would signal a fresh start—a chance to not only put her new law degree to use, but to nurture her budding romance with Antti Sarkela. But when she discovers the strangled body of a new acquaintance, old habits die hard for the redheaded sleuth—especially since the accused is not only the victim’s fiancé, but a member of Antti’s family.

Though she works as a legal counselor, Kallio soon finds herself unofficially investigating the murder, now labeled a sex crime. While Antti’s relative may have some peculiar sexual tendencies, Kallio doubts that the man she’s agreed to defend is capable of the crime. To crack the case, Kallio will have to pull back the curtain on Espoo high society…and uncover a secret someone is willing to kill to keep hidden.

Dedication:

  For Mari

Opening quote:

Out of the ash
I rise with my red hair
And I eat men like air.
- Sylvia Plath

Opening: The cherry trees were the first thing I saw when I woke up. The spring had been warm, and now the trees were blossoming with fluffy, fragrant bunches of flowers. Antti always wanted to sleep with the curtains open so we could see the curled branches against the night sky. It made it hard for me to sleep, but I'd gradually gotten used to it.

3* My First Murder
3* Her Enemy

[Carolien · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's unfortunate when there is a murder in your boyfriend's extended family and you find the body. Even more concerning is when you start your own investigation into the murder because you are not convinced the police has the right suspect and you are interrogating various family members. I really enjoy this series and recommend it for anyone who likes their Scandinavian crime not too dark.

[mystery__maven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria moves to Espoo as a an attorney rather than detective only to be embroiled in a murder case again. The only problem , her boyfriend family is mixed in this case. Her detective instincts take over and she tries to absolve the victims fiancée suspected of murder while representing as his legal counsel.
If you want to read a Scandinavian mystery that is less dark , more whodunnit, then I suppose Maria series is the one . I felt the first one was better than this and it was on slower side of pace centered around the suspect’s sexual preference a lot of time that tend to be repetitive. Despite this, it is a good mystery to read in an afternoon while sipping some tea.

[Ken Fredette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book would let me know if Leena was good or not, I read the book one Saturday and Sunday. I think even Anna would love this woman, Maria Kallio, an ex-cop, legal beagle, no nonsense bit__ . I like the book for many reasons, going through all the characters my main reason, next was the human element, she had a love which made sense, always good to have. I rated the book 5 stars, probably should be more!

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the surface a typical murder/mystery but this novel is sprinkled with a hint of a feminist agenda. Maria Kallio ,the pushbike riding, feminist ex cop now lawyer, who was “useless before my morning coffee” often debates the place and position of women in society and how though independent, educated and employed she still questions her position in society and women’s place in the world . I loved this complex modern young woman and I loved that the author added the subtle back story of women’s place in society to this intriguing murder mystery. During the unravelling of this tale Lehtolainen sculpts a story that bravely discusses the usually taboo subjects of self harm, drug use and domestic/family violence and the sex clubs and the activities and illustrates how attitudes to towards women ( and sex) have not really progressed despite the sexual revolution. “Why did I consider the cleanliness of my house and the frequency with which I baked fresh pulla a measure of my value as a woman?” asks Maria.
This book hits the spot, a good mix of murder and sex without either element being gratuitous, add frequent references to Sylvia Plath poems, and in particular to the famous poem Lady Lazarus, some further intrigue and some questioning of values and relationships and what you have is an atypical heroine and a tightly crafted modern murder mystery. Since having recently discovered translations of Nordic crime writers I must say that in general l am very impressed – like Her Enemy the Nordic stories I have read thus far are well crafted, the narrative complete all without undue emphasis on blood and gore. Yes there is violence but that is part of not the dominant theme of the narrative. I look forward to reading the prequel to this story My First Murder and the rest of the Maria Kallio crime series. (This book can be read as a standalone novel as the author provides a sufficient introduction to the main character and her situation in her opening chapter)
I suggest that this book be read with a tipple or two of Mother Sarkela’s Lemon Vodka 

[Reetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ihan kiva välipaladekkari. Tykkään Maria Kallion hahmosta, ja vaikka näissä ei mitään sen suurempaa jännitystä tai toimintaa olekaan, niin mukaviahan nämä on. Tarina kulkee reippaasti ja kieli on sujuvaa. Vähän tahatonta huumoria syntyy ajankuvasta, joka tulee hyvin esiin vaatteista ja tavaroista. Ehkä pitää elää vielä 40 vuotta lisää, ennenkuin voi ajatella hikinauhoja ja silkkipaitoja virnuilematta itsekseen....

[Shannis McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This second installment in the series was an improvement upon the first but only just. I enjoyed seeing Maria's relationship with Antti unfold, but she's still super weird and I'm still not positive that's not just a failure of the translation. Also, I found myself getting hung up on a fact that always plagues me about procedurals about small town detectives or cops or whatever: how many murders in the same inner-circle of family and friends can we be expected to believe as a series progresses? It's bizarre. But the book wasn't bad.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Enemy by Leena Lehtolainen is the second book of the Maria Kallio mystery series set in late-20th-century Finland. Maria has left the Helsinki police force, completed her law degree, and obtained a well-paying position with an established law firm. She's moved to Espoo (west of Helsinki) with her boyfriend Antti Sarkela. For the summer, they're living in his parents' spacious home, near the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Maria's not certain - but hopeful - their relationship may become permanent.

At a Sarkela family party, Maria meets Antii's extended family and friends. (Luckily for the reader, a Cast of Characters is provided.) Day after the party, Maria discovers a murder victim, a woman she had met at the party. When the police immediately arrest the victim's boyfriend, without a thorough investigation, Maria feels compelled to do the sleuthing herself. Evidently she can leave a detective job, but she can't stop detecting...

Family dynamics provide many backstories, clues and red herrings. Maria becomes convinced the current murder links to an earlier death in the family, a supposed suicide. Even after threats on the phone, and her bike is sabotaged, Maria bravely (& stubbornly) persists in digging into the past, as well as questioning/re-questioning family and friends. It's not enough to have the falsely accused boyfriend freed, she wants the truth about both murders to be fully revealed.

Maria Kallio is an engaging, feisty protagonist who challenges tradition and "the status quo" at every opportunity.

[Annija · Rating 5 out of 5]

IZCILA!!

[Meg GlitteryOtters · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Valpuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

started rereading this old detective series, between En language books it's nice to read in Finnish. I think this is a good series, not sure what the translations are like though

[Chris Aylott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whodunit is still a little too obvious, but the characters and language are much sharper in Maria Kallio's second adventure. I like Maria's mix of cynical and caring attitudes, and especially appreciated the idea that she and her boyfriend are both a bit freaked out at getting caught up in two murders in a fairly short period of time. A good read, especially at the tail end of a Finnish winter when midsummer seems far, far away.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

No longer a detective Maria is the attorney for the only suspect in a murder trial. In order to cast doubt on his involvement, she needs to find another suspect, and witnesses who can place him somewhere else at the time of the victim's death. Because of this she is acting as sleuth here as well.

I don't know anything about Finland law, but why is the detective in the room while Maria is interviewing her client? Not only that, he is questioning the client at the same time she is.

This delves a bit deeper into the lives of Maria and those she is closest to. She no longer is the cardboard cutout of the previous book. The author successfully weaves the backgrounds of her main characters into the mystery.

Because new characters are once again introduced and I am not familiar with the foreign names, I again struggle to keep track of who's who. Names are a bit difficult. For example, 'Antti' sounds like the American 'auntie' when in actuality, it is Maria's boyfriend's name. One could easily think it refers to Maria's aunt.

I'm still not finding myself caring about any of the characters. Yes, not even Maria. The only one she seems to care about is her old detective partner but not in an amorous way.

Not bad.

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying these books quite a bit - currently reading the 3rd of the series - not because they are great mysteries (they are not) or super great writing (they are not, though I'm also reading them in translation) but because they are so evocative of Finland, and because the main character is compelling - female, flawed, competitive, moral. Anyway, I'm enjoying the immersion in Finland, saunas and all.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. There is a certain... emotional distance that sometimes troubles me in these books. I’m not sure whether that is a flaw of the main character or just a cultural difference between Finns and North Americans. But even that wasn’t as distracting in this book. And Maria’s job seemed to fit her better than temporary cop on a break from studying.

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy Lehtolainen’s books, even though her minimalistic (or simplistic?) style takes getting used to. I like reading about places that I know in a language that I hardly use anymore. However, it is quite annoying when it takes the detective half a book longer to discover the identity of the murderer then it takes me, even though all the clues are in front of her.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Maria Kallio better as a police officer than an attorney. It was an interesting mystery but the "all men are evil and all women but Maria are weak" spiel is getting a little old. I hope the next book is better.

[Debbie Menk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria Kallio is one of my favorite characters

Another great mystery. I find the Maria Kallio books hard to tear myself away from. Great characters and interesting settings.

[Ninaminacat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great improvement on the first Maria Kallio case

I enjoyed this a lot more than the first book in the Maria Kallio series, 'My First Murder'. Maria's character seemed much more fleshed out and realistic rather than being defined by her unusual career choice for a 1980s Finnish woman, a police officer. I also enjoyed being privy to her personal relationships with her boyfriend, Antti, and and her sisters as well as seeing her in a professional capacity, in a manner somehow reminiscent of Camilla Lackberg - though of course her novels are predated by those of Leena Lehtolainen. The characters of Antti and of a new acquaintance, Makke are partially developed, too, making the overall reading experience more pleasurable.

Some reviewers have complained about the large number of characters but I rather liked the number of potential suspects. (There is a glossary of characters family by family, giving their respective relationships, if you need to refresh your memory.) What's more, I didn't work out the identity of the murderer.

However, as with the first book in the series, credibility was sometimes stretched. I can see that we are heading for Maria's return from law firm to the police force in future books, but that doesn't make her one woman mission to solve the whole case - not just clear her client's name - any more credible. I am sure in real life she would have suffered the repercussions of her totally inappropriate behaviour from either the police or her employer in the law firm, if not both.

I shall continue with the series in the hope of further improvement - probably listening to them, as I have with the first two books. (This may be a way forward for those struggling with the Finnish names.)

[Syrdarya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria Kallio is now working as a lawyer in Espoo and dealing with the intricacies of settling into a relationship with her boyfriend Antti. After a family party where she meets many of Antti's friends and relatives, one of the partygoers offers to help Maria out with some sewing, and it's clear that Armi wants to confide in Maria about something. When she goes to visit Armi, she discovers her acquaintance is dead. Armi's boyfriend is immediately arrested, and Maria takes on his case. When she discovers that the police and even most of the people she knows are willing to just let the boyfriend go to jail, she starts to investigate on her own.

Way too many of the characters were introduced at once, and far too many characters had names beginning with the same letter (M and T in particular). Despite there being a character list at the beginning of the book, I had to write out family trees to figure out who was connected to whom to understand a lot of what was going on.

Also, Antti just seems unable to deal with anything and Maria's concerns about whether she should move out or not at least were relevant to this book (whereas in the first book all her concerns about friendships became annoying to me).

I liked this one a lot better than My First Murder, although the murderer became obvious to me a bit before Maria realized it.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

After solving her first murder case, Maria Kallio has left Helsinki for neighbouring Espoo and is now working in a law office and trying out cohabiting with her boyfriend Antti. She nevertheless soon finds herself with a new death to investigate when she discovers the body of a young woman she had just met the previous evening. The fact that the prime suspect, the murder victim's fiancé, happens to be part of Antti's extended family makes things tricky, especially given that the detective in charge of the case isn't bothering to investigate any other suspects and nobody seems particularly happy to have Maria digging around on her own.

The mystery was intriguing, but all the irritating and obstreperous characters sure got on my nerves, including the protagonist's asshat of a boyfriend. Maria makes a few extremely stupid mistakes during her investigation, making her look rather incompetent at times.

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex but well written

I am reviewing this second book in the series before doing the first one because it took some getting used to this author's plotting style. I was quite confused with all the characters, their back stories and the twists and turns of the various story lines. This was also true in this volume but maybe I was more used to her style and understood Maria's character a bit more. I also think the story was more interesting in this one. Both could bear rereading because there is so much in them. I am still not sure if I like this series but will soldier on to the next one. I have a feeling I am hooked but I remain unsure of my feelings so far except that I am quite scramble brained from it all. Has anyone else out in reader land had similar reactions?

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is second in a series of mysteries set in Finland. In the first one the detective is working temporarily for the police while finishing law school. In this one she is now a lawyer, but can't resist doing some investigating when an old police rival arrests her client, who is also part of her new live-in lover's family. All the Finnish names are a bit tough to sort out, but it's a well plotted mystery with lots of suspects, and theories. I also enjoyed the setting in Finland and the glimpses of Finnish culture since it's not something I'm very familiar with. I'm moving on to the next in the series.

[Arska-täti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lehtolaisen toisessa Maria Kallio -dekkarissa punapäinen ex-poliisi Maria Kallio on lakiasiaintoimistossa töissä ja asuu poikaystävänsä Antti Sarkelan kanssa Tapiolassa kesää tämän vanhempien asunnossa.

Leppoisa kesänvietto keskeytyy, kun Marian etäinen sukulainen Armi kuristetaan tämän kotipihalla, ja Maria ryhtyy puolustamaan syytettynä olevaa Kimmo Hännistä, Armin poikaystävää, jota muut poliisit pitävät selvänä syyllisenä. Marian sekaantumisesta asiaan ei pidetä, ja erityisen raivoissaan siitä on Marian vanha vihamies Pertti Ström.

Melko kevyt ja arvattava dekkari, joka on kuitenkin suht viihdyttävää luettavaa.

[The Library Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still having trouble with Finnish names, and here the combination of many similar names and some extremely intricate family relationships makes it even worse. A family tree would have been more helpful than a cast of characters. Nonetheless, this series continues to be a really good read. The author makes occasional references to Dorothy Sayers character Lord Peter Wimsey, and like that queen of mysteries she creates not just mysteries but solid characters Maria is trying to build a career and, a romantic relationship, and even repair ties with her family-- a scene where she and her sisters come to understand each other better is very well done. And I'm a fan of Einstein the cat!

[Rhyllis Bignell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dogged determination wins out

Maria's choice of career has chaged, she is working for a local lawyer now. Living with Antii in his parents' cottage. When she sets out to free Kimmo from his false murder charges, Maria uses both her cop skills and legal knowledge to investigate, friends, family and townsfolk, looking deep into their backgrounds and hidden motive. Accidents, threats and questions about her own purpose, relationships and career choices make Maria a stronger character. Loved the story, setting and cast of characters another great novel by this author.

[Bud Mallar · Rating 4 out of 5]

my bad - finished this and forgot to do the 'review' which means I don't remember as much as I might have. In addition, my excuse, in the hospital for 6 days, should get me some sympathy...

This, like several others in trying to find more Nordic Noir similar to that I've started, isn't Noir - just happens to take place in that part of the world.

But the story was good, the characters good, perhaps a 'Nordic' convention, but lots of characters (many with strange names) to keep up with.

A good whodunit and I look forward to continue reading this series.

[Piret Tamm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klassikaliselt tugev krimka. Natuke "ajast maas", kirjutatud 90ndate keskpaigas.
Kiire ja lihtne lugemine. Omajagu tegevussuundi, mis on kenasti põimitud. Kuigi Soome autor ja tegevus toimub Soomes, on lugu kirja pandud kuidagi nõnda, et Soome ja soomlaslik (...ta võttis veel paar liigset klaasikest...)küll aimdub, aga on lihtsalt (läbi teemade ja olukordade) mõistetav ja samastatav väga laias kultuuriruumis.
Peaks autori uuemaid lugusid ka lugema.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

flatter than the first one in the series. some huge translation issues: “boondocks of Helsinki” - nope, try a term that’s less american.
the pronunciation of the names does not quite make it either, even though it’s the same voice as in the first book: “Kiimo”, “Aniita” and many other examples - where the names are pronounced as spelled, yet somehow the voice still gets the double consonants and double wovels backwards.