UNDERTAKER - DEATH ANGEL
For a long time, the police have been chasing a nameless ghost-like criminal boss, and now they have a clue: the undertaker/murderer Kivi’s right-hand man has ratted on him. Kivi manages to hold his cover, but is now in need of a new aide, and Kivi’s new assistant at the funeral home, Tuomas, seems like a perfect replacement. Tuomas starts sinking into the world of crime: by the time his brother’s killer is revealed, there may not be any other option left than to accept his fate.
MARKO KILPI is a policeman, documentarist and author, who, among only a few other crime writers, has been nominated for the coveted Finlandia Prize (2011). His work has been lauded for its accurate depiction of the outcasts of our society, and has been adapted for television.
Undertaker - Death angel will be out march 2018.
Foreign affairs - Elina Ahlback literary agency
UNDERTAKER - DEATH SENTENCE
Young student Tuomas Lintu and his girlfriend Maria have always tried to do the right thing, but with their underprivileged backgrounds, it’s not easy. When Tuomas’ brother dies, he agrees to organize the funeral, although he can’t even afford to buy food. Undertaker Jarmo Kivi offers him a helping hand in the form of a job. Little does he know Kivi is a high-level criminal boss - and responsible for Tuomas’ brother’s death. Enter the heart of darkness.
The Undertaker series about the thin line between right and wrong continues with an anticipated new novel. The series will be adapted as a TV series, an international coproduction, with the shooting set to start in fall 2018.
“A work of art.” - Kauppalehti newspaper “Sweeps you away, irresistibly.” - Kirjavinkit blog“An explosively energetic kick-off of a new series.” - Savon Sanomat newspaper
Foreign affairs - Elina Ahlback literary agency
IMMORTAL - out now!
Foreign affairs - Elina Ahlback literary agency
8 - B A L L
8-ball is a crime movie, based on author Marko Kilpi's crime novel The land of the living which was honored 2012 with Savonia prize for literature. More information about the movie 8-pallo.fi. 8-ball was released in Finland 22.2.2013.
Official 8-ball music video
THE DISAPPEARED (Die Verschwundenen) PUBLISHED IN GERMANY
Olli Repo, once a high-earning advertising professional and now a mentor for young police trainees, is faced by a wave of violent crime: A man tortures himself and forces others to watch, a young woman brutally takes her own life after a chase, and former Big Brother candidate Sami disappears without a trace.
It proves difficult for Olli to focus on these events, however, as his current protégé Heikki shows little awareness of his responsibilities as a future policeman. Quite the opposite in fact – during an assignment, Heikki goes berserk and turns out to be extremely violent.
On top of all this, the journalist Saastamoinen is breathing down his neck. It almost seems as if she knows in advance what’s going to happen. And her coverage bears consequences. For fifteen minutes of fame, no crime is too terrible it seems – can Olli prevent the worst?
Die Verschwundenen (The Disappeared) by Marko Kilpi was created in response to the shooting rampages at Finnish schools and celebrity hype pushed by the media. A gripping novel on the absurdity of the desire for fame and the outcome of simmering violence.
The Disappeared is shortlisted for the Finlandia Prize 2009. The jury praised The Disappeared as follows:
"Kilpi’s book blows away the accepted conventions of the detective genre. In it, crime solving is not presented as the pursuit of a criminal, in the form of an intellectual puzzle. Instead, the crime is looked at as a serious social phenomenon with psychological, human and moral undertones. A violent criminal is seen as a psychologically abnormal person who is prompted to carry out his crimes by today's media society, the police are described as psychologically stressed individuals who have to deal with the human pain and cruelty that results from violent crime, and the victim is viewed as something other than just an individual who is rescued or dies - the possibility is considered that despite being “rescued”, the victim ends up having lasting psychological damage as a result of his ordeal that prevents him ever living a normal life again. Kilpi’s novel shows us how traumatic violent crime can be to all those who come in its path."
“The Disappeared takes issue with the malaise of the youth and our harsh life values. The book manages to describe people's feelings and motives with sensitivity. This detective story is liked by many readers."
Kotiliesi
“The book is a veritable horn of plenty in the way that it takes issue with the phenomena of the day. It portrays the murky underside of the small-time celebrity cult that is promoted by tabloid press, the indifference of career parents, and the instrumental nature of life itself. Kilpi has plenty to say about all these things, but the real brilliance of the novel lies in its ability to establish a link between the different elements and the recent high school killings. Marko Kilpi offers a believable portrayal of the background from which future mass murderers emerge to commit their crimes.”
Kansan Uutiset
Shortlisted for Finlandia-prize 2009
Shortlisted for Savonia-prize 2009
Kuopio art society Minna-prize 2010
AMONG THE LIVING
Marko Kilpi's third crime novel, Among the Living, follows the police at close quarters in their battle against the drug trade. Senior detective Olli Repo's new partner is an experienced officer who uses unorthodox methods and likes to act rather too independently. This results in internal conflicts.
Kilpi can also identify with hardened criminals. Pike is the queen of the neighbourhood drug trade, who gives birth to a baby boy in prison. Upon her release, Pike wants to live an ordinary life. She learns to shop and goes
for walks with her baby in a pram. Everything is difficult however. And Pike cannot escape from her son's father, Lalli. Is it possible to start afresh when your have a tainted past?
Marko Kilpi's unique approach and ability to identify with the characters
makes him an exceptional crime writer. Kilpi's narration of the police work
is far from superficial: he makes his readers think deeply about difficult
ethical questions, takes a closer look at familiar values, and tackles some
of the most acute problems of our society.
Introduction video from Among the living
GERMAN TOUR
A German book tour was organised at the end of September/beginning of October in partnership with translator Gabriele Schrey-Vasara. The first date of the tour was staged in
The tour had a very tight schedule and covered one city per day. Longer distances flew by on high-speed trains which could reach up to 300 km per hour, and at no stage were there any hitches in the organisation of the events. Everything happened with German effectiveness and punctuality.
Tour locations:
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- Bad Segeberg
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- Düsseldorf
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- Frankfurt
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THE DISAPPEARED SOLD TO GERMANY
German publisher Grafit Verlag has purchased the translation rights to Marko Kilpi’s novel Kadotetut (The Disappeared). Grafit published Kilpi’s debut novel, Jäätyneitä ruusuja (Frozen Roses) in German in spring 2010. The work was received with great enthusiasm and reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. The Lost will be published in
Grafit publisher
Stilton literary agency
Gummerus
Gummerus/The Lost
Please also see the book introduction video
CONTEMPLATING THE GLASS KEY IN
The Glass Key Prize for the best crime novel of 2009 in the Nordic countries was awarded in
- Johan Theorin, Sweden – Night Storm
- Lene Kaaberböl and Agnete Friis, Denmark - Drengen i kuffertena
- Vidar Sundstölin, Norway - Drömmenes land
- Arnaldur Indridason, Iceland - Hardskafi
- Marko Kilpi, Finland – Frozen Roses
The Glass Key Prize was awarded to Johan Theorin, who also won the Golden Dagger Prize in Great Britain for the best foreign crime novel of 2010. Nominees on that occasion included Stig Larsson.
The authors Kilpi and Theorin relaxing in Blue Lagoon Spa after the previous evening’s prize-giving gala. The situation was made all the more remarkable by the significant earthquake that shook the Spa during the swim; shattering their already contorted perception of time and place.
The Glass Key Prize is awarded annually to the best Nordic crime novel. A Finnish author has taken home the Prize once; in 2007 Matti Rönkä accepted it for his novel Ystävät kaukana (Friends Afar). An international crime literature conference was taking place at the same time in
Introduction video is released
This video is a introduction video about Marko Kilpi's crime novels. It's produced by Mediafactory inc.