Harri Nykänen (1953–2023)

...nordic noir at its best!

I am continuing my love affair with mystery writers of the far north. I have to say I thoroughly enjoy the Scandinavian or Nordic Noir mystery genre! The dark side is always just under the surface. A frisson that burns through and creates that indefinable tempo that one comes to recognize and appreciate--demand even. From the personification of Mankell's Wallender, to Stieg Larsson's Blomkvist and Salander, James Thompson's Karri Varra and now, for me, Harri show more Nykanen 's Kafla.
I loved this story of detective Ari Kafla struggling with a murder investigation that flows from train deaths to drug hits, with a touch of terrorism and Mossad as a side dish.
Jewish detective Ari Kafla finds tentacles stretching back into his family, into his synagogue relations, even ambassadorial connections, all confronting him with choices of family and faith, his loyalty to all and duty as a detective.
Kafla's inner struggles strengthen the story. An excellent read. show less

For me, this thriller was just compelling enough to finish -- it did not live up to its interesting premise. It's set in Finland, but most of the characters are members of Finland's small Jewish community, including the detective who tells the story. That leaves room for conflicted loyalties, complex motives, cultural ambiguities -- all those things that can lend depth and interest to a thriller. The depth is pretty shallow, however, and the interest was just enough to keep me reading to the show more end. There's little Finnishness about the book (the main thing we hear about the country is that it is cold) There's a bit more Jewishness, and some sense of what it's like to operate in a very small community where everybody knows everybody. But if this causes the detective any conflict, it's not obvious. And the motivating force in the story isn't really character, it's far-away machinations by business people and politicians. At some point I may read the first story in the series, but I'm not in any rush. Would be give it two stars, except for the strongish characterization. show less

The bodies certainly pile up in Nights of Awe, Harri Nykänen's first foray into the series featuring Ariel Kafka of the Helsinki Violent Crimes Unit. Nykänen is no fledgling writer -- he has several books under his belt, including his Raid series, which was the basis for a TV show in Finland.

Nights of Awe is a good series opener, a very serious police procedural where the solution doesn't unravel until the very end. It's a no-nonsense story, with a different approach to Scandinavian crime show more fiction that takes place during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur known as Yamim Noraim, or Days of Awe. The main character is Ariel (Ari) Kafka, 40, unmarried, Jewish, first and foremost a policeman, then a Jew. As he notes,

"If Rabbi Liebstein was right and the world was falling to pieces, an unpleasant role had been reserved for me. It was my job to gather up all of the gears that were flying off and repair the clock so it would work again."

And considering that by the end of the novel there are eight people laying dead, all connected to one case, he's got his work cut out for him. The first two bodies are discovered at the railyard in Linnunlaulu, one having been shot and the other had fallen or had been pushed from a bridge onto the top of a passing train. All kinds of theories are put forward as to the nature of the killings, but Ari knows it's much to early to think on the theoretical side. There are few clues at the scene other than a cell phone needing a password to unlock it and a map from Hertz. As the detectives begin their investigation, more bodies turn up, and it isn't long until an inspector from the Security Police (SUPO) gets involved, much to Ari's dismay. The clues lead to an Iraqi refugee, his co-worker and his cousin, a known drug dealer, but the tabloids are linking the killings to terrorism either on the part of Israeli political extremists or Arab terrorists. In the meantime, Ari's brother and a spokesperson for the Helsinki Jewish congregation believe that the deaths are linked to a terrorist plot to blow up the synagogue during the High Holy Days, during which, coincidentally, the Israeli foreign minister is paying a visit, a theory bolstered by the involvement of the head of security of the Israeli embassy. Sorting out these theories and getting to the truth in the face of pressure being heaped on Ari from several directions is going to be difficult at best.

Nights of Awe is ambitious, to say the least, but it's a good start to what will probably be a good series to follow. The writing is straightforward with little to get in the way of the plot -- no long sessions of interior monologue expressing the main character's angst, for example, but at times it can get a little confusing as body after body piles up and new plot developments are revealed little by little. Ari's character is portrayed realistically, but some of the supporting characters are kind of just there in the background. This isn't necessarily a drawback, but rather a reflection of a first novel in a series where the lead character is the focus. And while there is a lot of action, it's sort of secondary, where the crime has already happened rather than say, a car blowing up in front of the cops' noses.

I have to admire how the author handles two major issues: first, in the treatment of Jewish attitudes toward Israeli politics, he notes that there are some who have misgivings about Israel's policies toward its Arab neighbors, but he also takes at look at things from Israel's point of view. Second, the author gives a fair treatment of the Muslims in this novel, especially when the police turn to the Imam of the local Islamic center for assistance, rather than accusation.

I do have a couple of niggles: first, there is very little in the way of sense of place here. Maybe it's just me, but after all of the Scandinavian crime fiction I've read, very little of it takes place in Finland, so it would be nice if the reader was able to absorb some of the local scene. A sense of place adds a bit more credibility as well as another dimension to any story; this is one aspect of the novel where the author fell short. I'm sure that will be rectified in coming installlments and it's definitely not a deal breaker as to whether or not I'll pick up more books by Nykänen in the future, but it is worth mentioning. Second: Mossad? Really?

In spite of my minor complaints, I'd recommend it to readers of Scandinavian crime fiction, but with the caveat that it's not the usual Nordic fare that most readers have already experienced. It's also dark and very serious in tone, so it's definitely not for cozy readers or readers that are looking for something lighthearted. I don't mind dark, and I'll definitely be ready and eager to read the next book when it's translated. show less

Raid is a criminal. He slips across the Swedish/Finnish border, toying with the police, carrying out work for hire but adhering to his own code. In this entry in a long series, Raid is assisting an old fellow con, Nygren, as he settles his affairs. Nygren is dying of cancer, but before he goes he has scores to settle. He starts with a preacher who manipulates the gullible for cash, moves on to put a violent drug dealer out of business, and tracks down a man who he wronged many years ago to show more set things right. Raid is at his side, protecting him from a couple of thugs and from an ambitious and hard-nosed narcotics detective, driving Nygren north above the Arctic Circle. A good book, well-translated. show less