Nothing but the Truth (35 page)

Helsinki Homicide: Vengeance

Jarkko Sipila (2010, 335 pages)

Tapani Larsson, a Finnish crime boss, walks out of prison with one thought on his mind: Vengeance. Wanting to reclaim his gang's honor and avenge those who have wronged him, Larsson targets Suhonen, the undercover detective who put him in prison. Meanwhile, Suhonen's best friend, an ex-con himself, wants to wash his hands of crime, but in the process, is driven deeper into it. With the help of his boss, Lieutenant Takamäki, and the National Bureau of Investigation, Suhonen hunts for the loose thread that could unravel the entire gang. But with every string he pulls, he flirts with death itself.

Raid and the Blackest Sheep

Harri Nykanen (2010, 242 pages)

Hard-nosed hit man Raid is driving toward the Arctic Circle with Nygren, a career criminal in the twilight of his life. As they journey northward, Nygren puts his affairs in order, wreaking vengeance on those who have wronged him and paying penance to those he has wronged. Their first stop is at a church, where a sham preacher is fleecing his congregation for money. Soon, both cops and crooks are on the trail of the mysterious pair. Detective Lieutenant Jansson and his colleagues are interested in any potential jobs the notorious criminals might be planning. A couple of accomplices from Nygren's past believe he has a hidden stash of cash, and want a share for themselves. In the end, the pilgrimage leaves a trail of wounded and dead in its wake.