The Man Who Died

This is an oddly entertaining and satisfying murder mystery—the victim performing his own investigation to find his murderer while trying to save his organic mushroom business against a fierce competitor in this quiet Finnish hamlet. Jaakko has been poisoned over a long period of time such that he became used to it while it damaged all of his internal organs. He’s on borrowed time. And does he ever make use of it. There are only two suspects but the ending is still a big surprise. And he has only one real goal other than seeing his murderer come to justice—saving his little business, a full time job given the snazzy new mushroom business down the road with its spanking new equipment and outbidding all his employees to come work show more there. While not rollicking funny it’s truly entertaining. I found myself rooting for Jaakko even when he wasn’t making the best decisions. Will he survive? Sadly no. He really is the victim of a murder. But before he goes, he’s going to take care of business. I’d really like to read more by this author if his books have been translated and made available in the US. show less

Jaakko Kaunismaa runs a successful mushroom-harvesting business with his wife, Taina. He’s in his late 30s, heading toward 40, and life seems pretty good. But he hasn’t been feeling well lately, so he goes to the doctor. Turns out that he’s being poisoned, and he’s dying from the cumulative exposure. Even if he stops being exposed to the toxins, whatever they are, there’s too much damage for him to recover. But who could want to poison him? Jaakko decides to solve his own future murder…

I enjoyed this book a great deal. The back-cover blurb mentions that it has elements of Fargo, and I’d agree with that assessment for certain scenes (there was one that nearly made me exclaim expletives in public). The first-person present show more narration makes the story feel much more immediate; we’re right there with Jaakko as he feels himself starting to shut down, and it becomes harder to do what he needs to do.

I can’t help but smile every time I think of the title, because this book came to my attention via a panel Tuomainen was on at the 2017 Bouchercon, and he explained that in Finnish, the title (Mies joka kuoli, of which “The Man Who Died” appears to be a literal translation) is hilarious. “People hear the title and go ‘hehehehehehehe!’” he said. “But in English, I say, ‘My new book is called The Man Who Died’, and you’re just like ‘Oh yes, hm, that’s interesting.’” It *is* interesting, and well worth a try if you like Nordic noir and haven’t visited Finland in books yet. show less

In the opening chapter of this clever, offbeat, action-packed mystery by Finnish author Antti Tuomainen, Jaakko Kaunismaa learns that he is dying, his bodily functions slowing shutting down due to long-term poisoning. Jaakko, who has attained success in the mushroom harvesting and distribution industry, with his business headquarters located in picturesque Hamina, Finland, is married to beautiful Taina, who also works for his company. After getting the bad news from his doctor, Jaakko heads home, intending to break it to his wife, but finds himself revising his plans on the fly when he walks in (and quickly out again without being seen) on Taina having sex with the mushroom company’s young truck driver Petri. A lesser man might show more crumble beneath the weight of two betrayals in the space of one lunch hour, but Jaakko is both shrewd and resourceful and carries on, seeking to find out who is poisoning him and why, and to get some measure of revenge against Taina and her lover. To make matters even more challenging, a rival mushroom company has set up shop just down the street, and Jaakko finds himself in immediate and constant conflict with the three men in charge of this firm, with their shadowy motives and apparently murderous intent. Tuomainen’s novel follows Jaakko as he deals with threats that crop up on multiple fronts, comes under suspicion for murder, and navigates a cautious path around those who can’t be trusted in his search for allies. The novel offers an intriguing mystery in an attractive setting while making wry, and occasionally wise, observations on life, death, friendship and love. In The Man Who Died, Antti Tuomainen takes the reader on an amusing and often hilarious ride that keeps us guessing until the very end. show less

Jaakko's organs are slowly breaking down because he has been poisoned over a period of time. He is determined to find out who poisoned him and why and to preserve his mushroom export business as a legacy in the weeks if not days he has left.

The investigation itself was interesting overall although it did sag a bit in the middle. I found the action sequences (written with one eye on a possible TV/film adaptation?) confusing more than anything and had to read them several times to work out what had actually happened. Would I read more of this author? I might but I wouldn't go out really looking for his books.

The Man Who Died functions as a darkly comic riff on the DOA narrative. A guy has been poisoned, and before he dies he needs to find out who did it. Add in the intricate details of the mushroom industry, poor eating habits, infidelity, and a missing samurai sword, and you've got yourself a stew!
Be warned, this book is absolutely disgusting. Its vision of the human body is of a fleshy tube covered in fluid-spewing orifices. Fair enough I suppose.
The best comparison in terms of style and tone is Dave Barry's novels from the late 90s and early 00s, Big Trouble and Tricky Business. Spicy, gross, comic misadventures packed with authorial voice. Definitely not for everyone, but some will get a real kick out of this one.

In THE MAN WHO DIED, by Antti Tuomainen, Jaakko Kaunismaa's life has turned completely upside down. His doctor telling him he is dying, his wife is cheating on him, and there is a new competitor to his thriving mushroom company. All of which happens in the first few pages of the book. Jaakko has to balance all of this along with other challenges that keep cropping up and figure out what he can do with his limited time left on this earth.
I would label this book a dark comedy mystery. As Jaakko navigates through the problems in front of him (probably because of his terminal illness) he has a dry wit that leaves the reader laughing. Tuomainen crafts the book with a wonderful balance of exposition, plot progression, comedic relief, and show more some truly shocking and highly entertaining surprises. As the story reaches the pinnacle and Jaakko has figured out all of his problems, the final big scene is a comedic masterpiece and satisfying to the reader who has grown to pull for Jaakko to come through the winner.
An entertaining ride, THE MAN WHO DIED will leave the reader with a smile on their face from taking this unforgettable with a uniquely delightful character named Jaakko and the tale about his last few days of life. show less

If they are giving out an award for the most unexpected crime fiction novel, then THE MAN WHO DIED would have to be an odds on favourite.

Narrated by Jaakko Kaunismaa, this is the story of a Finnish mushroom entrepreneur, based in a small town, building a successful business after being made redundant in his last career. He has a beautiful home, a thriving business, faithful employees, a loving wife who cooks elaborate meals for him, and a perfect life.

Until he finds they have mysterious competitors just around the corner, when a new mushroom export business with very odd owners in charge starts up, and immediately tries to poach his markets and his very best employees. He then discovers his loving wife is screwing the company delivery show more boy, just after he is told that somebody has been slowly but surely poisoning him and that he will die.

What ensues is, as the blurb puts it, part Fargo and part noir, but it forgets to mention surreal. THE MAN WHO DIED is black comedy that takes a lot of leads from the Knights Who Say "Ni!", with just enough caper at points to have readers laughing, even though it's distinctly uncomfortable to be laughing with a man who does constantly remind you that he is dying. And can't do anything about it.

Now obviously, with his wife's indiscretions with the delivery boy, and then the odd goings on with long-term Japanese customers, and the fact that she is always so keen to provide hearty, rich meals for him, Kaunismaa is pretty sure he knows the likely source of his poisoning. It's hard to decide if he's most annoyed that he's being killed, or that his business is being undermined though. Meanwhile the police are very interested in his interactions with the owners of the new mushroom factory, a stolen sword (which wasn't) and the disappearances of a couple of the aforementioned owners. Then there's the whole business with the sauna and the borrowed car, and a night at the posh hotel when a new mushroom variety is served and, well this was amazingly engaging.

Having listened to the audio version, at the very beginning, with a flat, laid back sort of delivery in use, there were more than a few moments when a "What The" moment had me diving for the rewind button. This was without a doubt, one of the most intriguing books I've encountered this year and it reminded me, yet again, that Antti Tuomainen is a writer who deserves (and now has) a much higher position on the must read list.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/man-who-died-antti-tuomainen show less