Rights to Leena Lehtolainen’s bestsellers sold to Russia and Turkey

Press Release

Finnish crime star Leena Lehtolainen is entering new markets once again when her books are made available for millions of readers in Russia and Turkey.

The Russian language rights to Lehtolainen’s Maria Kallio series’ Ensimmäinen murhani and Harmin paikka were acquired by Moscow-based AST Publishers in July. The publisher is planning to release both titles in Spring 2011.

Turkish Bizim Kitaplar recently bought the rights to Kuolemanspiraali for their 2011 crime list, making Turkey the 17th Leena Lehtolainen country!

Elina Ahlbäck Literary Agency has successfully sold Lehtolainen’s rights since March 2010. In Germany and France Leena Lehtolainens position on the crime fiction markets has already been stabilised with new titles coming out frequently. Other recent Lehtolainen deals have been made with Spanish, Italian and Polish publishing houses.

The 11th Maria Kallio title will be published in Finland by Tammi Publishers today. See Leena Lehtolainen brochure here.

More information:
Elina Ahlbäck, Literary Agent, CEO, tel. +358 400 548 402

 

About author


Leena Lehtolainen

Leena Lehtolainen is the top female crime author in Finland: her new titles always head straight to #1 on the Finnish bestseller lists.

Lehtolainen created her successful protagonist, detective Maria Kallio, in 1993. Having already featured in 16 novels and a complete TV series, a new Maria Kallio TV reboot series was launched in Fall 2021 on C More. Lehtolainen’s novels have been translated into 30 languages and have sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.

And just like the events in Bodyguard, a that takes the heroine Hilja Ilveskero all around Europe, Lehtolainen’s own work takes her to book festivals, exhibitions and other events across the globe.

Leena Lehtolainen has also published outside the crime genre; her book The Charm of Figure Skating was voted sports book of the year 2010 in Finland, and A Life in Six Scenes showed her return to literary fiction.

The Crossing of the Green Dragon is her first title for YA audiences.

In her free time, Lehtolainen enjoys all kinds of music and follows lynx trails in the forests – just like Maria Kallio.

Photo credit: Ville Juurikkala

Bibliography


2025, Crime & Suspense

The Snow Leopard's Heart

Leena Lehtolainen


2022, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

The Crossing of the Green Dragon

Leena Lehtolainen


2016, General Nonfiction, Memories & Biographies

The Charm of Ice

Leena Lehtolainen