Helsinki, June 1953, at the heart of the Cold War. Hella, now a reluctant private investigator, has been asked by her former boss at the Helsinki murder squad to do a background check on a member of the Finnish secret services. Not the type of job Hella was hoping for, but she accepts it on the condition that she is given access to the files concerning the roadside death of her father in 1942, at a time when Finland joined forces with Nazi Germany in its attack against the Soviet Union. German troops were sent to Finland, the Gestapo arrived in Helsinki and German influence on local government was strong, including demands for the deportation of local Jews.

Colonel Mauzer, his wife and other family members were killed by a truck in a hit and run incident. An accident, file closed, they said. But not for Hella, whose unwelcome investigation leads to some who would prefer to see her stopped dead in her tracks.

Praise for Katja Ivar:

'A captivating first novel... 'My dear girl,' her patronizing boss instructs, 'justice in a cold climate is not a natural phenomenon'. But the stubborn and resourceful Sgt. Mauzer seems just the police officer to deliver it.' - Wall Street Journal

'The misdirection and manipulation of the evidence is worthy of Agatha Christie, but the quirky humour is Katja Ivar's own. Ultimately, though, it is her portrait of Helsinki - 'a city of lost souls' - that is most impressive.' - The Times

About the Author
Katja Ivar grew up in Russia and the U.S. She travelled the world extensively, from Almaty to Ushuaia, from Karelia to Kyushu, before finally settling in Paris where she lives with her husband and three children. She received a B.A. in Linguistics and a master's degree in Contemporary History from Sorbonne University. 'Evil Things' was her debut novel and the first in the Hella Mauzer series. 'Deep as Death' was the second.


Book Information
ISBN 9781913394776
Author Katja Ivar
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Bitter Lemon Press
Publisher Bitter Lemon Press