Against the Wall by Jarkko Sipila (2009; Ice Cold Crime. ISBN 978-0-982449-0-0)
Investigator Suhonen, aka Suikkanen, goes undercover as a small-time thug to catch a murderer in present-day Helsinki. There’s a dirty Finnish customs agent, the obligatory blonde with the low cut dress, and a host of supporting characters in this fast paced crime novel originally written by Helsinki television reporter, Jarkko Sipila in his native tongue and recently translated into English. The writing is taut; the pace, quick, though if a bit abbreviated in style. Aside from one or two improbabilities (searching for a gun in a Finnish lake underwater at night?), the plot is believable.
All in all, Sipila has cast a narrow net with his aspirations in creating this line of crime novels set in the seedier, less than tourist friendly climes of Helsinki. The author isn’t trying to impress; he’s trying to entertain. And the book does that in spades, though in the end, the plot is a bit shopworn and the climactic curtain close, a tad too cliche’. All in all, a quick, easy diversion. The perfect airplane or beach chair read. 3 and 1/2 stars out of 5.
