Fatal Headwind

I am reading these Maria Kallio books in random order and I am absolutely thrilled with this interesting woman. Maria Kallio is not a character who would be convincing as an American. She is so definitively "other" – a true feminist, a free thinker, a woman in a position of responsibility, a committed life partner, a new mother. All these jobs are embraced with energy, intelligence, and an entirely human ambivalence. No, Maria Kallio is not an American.

I received a review copy of "Fatal Headwind: The Maria Kallio Series, Book 6" by Leena Lehtolainen translated by Owen F. Witesman (AmazonCrossing) through NetGalley.com.

Finnish policewoman Maria Kallio is back from maternity leave and into a new job as head of the Violent Crime unit, but she doesn't get much time to settle back into things. Right away, she's in the middle of a murder investigation with a personal angle -- a year before the murder she's investigating, a former boyfriend died under very similar circumstances. Meanwhile, Maria's personal life is in high gear. In the office, the detective she beat out for her new job is not happy. At home, her baby and her husband are just fine, but she has to deal with guilty feelings about leaving them. And the murder investigation is complicated when Maria finds that her own emotions are in play. All in all, a satisfying mystery, and an interesting look show more at life in Finland. show less

That was a nice palate-cleanser.

Eine Frau zwischen Korruption und Kindergarten
Auf dem Weg zu einer Stadtratssitzung wird ein bekannter Innenarchitekt überfallen und getötet. Schnell findet Maria Kallio heraus, dass der Kleinkriminelle Marko die Tat begangen hat. In fremdem Auftrag offenbar; doch bevor Marko aussagen kann, wird auch er umgebracht. Da erhält Maria Anweisung, die Ermittlungen einzustellen. Und sie fragt sich: Wäre es nicht angenehm, einmal die Verbrechen zu bekämpfen anstatt ihrer bornierten Vorgesetzten?