Day: December 1, 2016

The Exiled by Kati Hiekkapelto

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The Exiled by Kati Hiekkapelto

This is the first crime novel from Kati Hiekkapelto I have read, but The Exiled is the third in the series featuring Anna Fekete and I have become an instant fan of Kati’s writing. Normally the stories are set in Finland but with The Exiled is set in the Balkans.

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Anna Fekete is visiting her mother in Serbia to the village of Anna’s birth, she is on holiday, but something happens to Anna that will change her holiday plans. Anna has her handbag stolen but the culprit who stole her handbag is found dead at the scene. It becomes clear that certain items have been taken from the handbag. Now the tense gripping drama starts to unfold. Who is the dead thief and just who is behind the robbery?

The Exiled is a deeply complex and twisting crime drama played out at a slower pace than I had expected but that is not a criticism for me this helped with the drama that was being played out. Most crime dramas are played out at a faster pace and sometimes there is a struggle to keep up but this slower paced novel really worked for me it helped me get to know the key characters and also the locations. With the refugee crisis that has engulfed central Europe over recent years this also plays a key role in the story as the wave of refugees crosses Europe and gives insight as to what they face as well as the countries and society in general this is key to part of the plot and this I found incredibly insightful. At times it can be difficult reading but this is the real world that we are living at present and cannot be ignored.

For Anna now mixed up in a robbery and also a murder she is faced with some incredibly difficult situations that will involve corruption and questions about the past. The Exiled is a terrific read and left me wanting to read Kati Hiekkapelto previous two novels in the series The Hummingbird and The Defenceless both superb tense crime thrillers from one of Finland’s most celebrated crime writers.

If you enjoy a crime drama with mystery that is both captivating and tense, then I recommend you discover Kati Hiekkapelto’s The Exiled.

Thank you to Karen at Orenda Books for the advanced review copy.

The Exiled by Kati Hiekkapelto is published by Orenda Books and is available through Waterstones, Amazon and all good bookshops.

THE FINNISH INVASION OFFICIAL BLOG TOUR

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Guest Post: Vikki Patis – Weltanschauung

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Guest Post: Vikki Patis – Weltanschauung

Vikki Patis: Writing As Therapy

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Vikki Patis is a writer and blogger at The Bandwagon, where she reviews books, interviews authors, and gives her opinions on a wide variety of topics, from feminism to fibromyalgia. She’s recently published a collection of short stories, Weltanschauung, and is here today to talk about using writing as a form of therapy.

On The Bandwagon, we don’t shy away from writing about difficult things. I regularly use my blog to get something off my chest, to write about something that happened to me. I’ve made The Bandwagon a space for people to open up and share their stories, and in turn I’ve received countless emails and messages about how reading such articles has helped others to deal with their own trauma, and to continue on their journey of healing. Which is what it’s all about really, isn’t it.

I also use fiction as a similar release. I’ve hidden inside books since before I can remember, using it to escape reality. And now I use my own writing to do the same thing. Weltanschauung, my recently-published collection of short stories, is full of pieces of me. Harbinger tells the story of Zoe, and her ability to see death. As she grows up, she learns that others can see it too – they’re called the Harbingers, and they’re feared by society, to the point of violence. Harbinger describes what it’s like to be different, to sit on the outskirts of society, but to continue doing what you’re doing because you know it’s right.

Being an outspoken woman on the internet can come with a whole heap of problems. People want to shut you up, tell you that you’re wrong. But writing is my only form of therapy. Talking about things like sexual assault and everyday sexism helps us to deal with it, to heal. They tell you to write what you know. Although the stories in Weltanschauung may seem like fiction, every single one contains a piece of reality, a piece that I’ve taken out of myself and put into my story, to get it out of me, and out into the world.

Weltanschauung is available on Kindle and in paperback now. From 16th – 18th December 2016, Weltanschauung will be available for only 99p! For more information, join the Facebook event here. Follow Vikki on Twitter: @VikkiPatis