The third Ellen Lähde cozy mystery exposes the dark underbelly of love.
Author: Eppu Nuotio
Finnish original: Elämänlanka (Ellen Lähde Investigates #3)
Publisher: Otava, 2020
Genre: crime, cozy mystery
Number of pages: 285 pp.
Reading material: Finnish original, English sample, English synopsis
Rights sold: Latvia, Petergailis
Ellen Lähde has traveled to Berlin to mind her son Leo’s twins and home while he’s away and enjoy the city’s gardens. Meanwhile, another Finn arrives in Berlin: the movie director Johannes Svärd. Before long, the papers are awash with stories about Svärd, his wife and star of his latest film, Aino, and his German ex-wife, Elke. Ellen agrees with the general consensus: the love triangle Svärd directed, A Glorious Life, is the love story to end all love stories.
By chance, Svärd and his wife Aino happen to rent Leo’s second home for the duration of the film festival. When Elke ends up the victim of a brutal crime on the evening of the gala, Ellen is on the scene and sure something fishy is afoot.
The Showy Strangler is the third and final instalment of the Ellen Lähde Investigates series, in which the good-natured, energetic pensioner Ellen enjoys everyday life, good company, a drink, and love. The Showy Strangler rose to number five on Finnish bestseller lists: Ellen Lähde’s cozy mystery books have won readers over.
“Eppu Nuotio’s The Showy Strangler is a light, easy read. […] Blithe, breezy novels like this are always welcome, but particularly this spring, with Covid running rampant.”
– Luetut.net book blog
Also available:
Those Deadly Bells (Ellen Lähde Investigates #1) (2017)
Tongues Like Knives (Ellen Lähde Investigates #2) (2019)
Love Like a Strange Land (2021)
About the author:
Eppu Nuotio