17:00 Jo Nesbø: Iconic voice of Nordic noir (English)
Jo Nesbø, the Norwegian author who is one of the most read authors in the world, opens the Helsinki Noir festival and chats on stage with author and journalist Tuomas Niskakangas.
17:30 International Nordic noir stars: Jo Nesbø, Max Seeck & Satu Rämö (English)
The Nordic noir genre gains new readers around the world year after year. What is it about dark Nordic crime novels that excites them? Discussing that are the genre’s superstars Jo Nesbø, Satu Rämö and Max Seeck, who have between them sold millions of books. Interviewer: Tuomas Niskakangas.
18:00 Propaganda and information war: Helena Immonen & Charly Salonius-Pasternak (Finnish)
With their works, fiction and non-fiction authors alike are part of the conversation on security policy. How can fiction treat issues related to society’s security and global crises, and can thrillers more freely process threats to Finland than non-fiction books can? Interviewer: Petri Korhonen.
18:30 Revenge as a driving force: Skúli Sigurdsson, Max Manner (English)
Revenge is often a driving force in crime novels, from coolly calculated retribution to its more human, even love-tinted variety. Is revenge ever justified? What about the theme appeals to the reader and how can writers build enticing suspense around it? Interviewer: Lina Schiffer.
19:00 Crime novels’ unlikely heroes: Joona Keskitalo, Heikki Valkama, Anna Äärelä (Finnish)
Why do unlikely heroes appeal to both authors and readers of crime novels? The panellists have put memorable characters at the centre of their books, such as a police officer suffering from past traumas, a cook and a mute man. Interviewer: Laura Friman.
19:30 Murder in translation – the Finnish crime novel goes global: Max Seeck and Leena Lehtolainen (Finnish)
From Finland to the world – how the crime novel transcends language barriers. Leena Lehtolainen’s crime novels have been translated to over 30 languages and Max Seeck’s to over 40. What kinds of experiences do the authors have of working with international publishers and book marketing tours? Do the authors already consider other languages and cultures when they are writing? Interviewer: Leena Balme.
20:00 Crime literature as mirror to society: Kale Puonti, Mikko Kiiskilä and Janne Huuskonen (Finnish)
How does literature reflect society’s pain points and give a voice to those who would otherwise go unheard? Former policeman Kale Puonti, former prison guard Mikko Kiiskilä and journalist and author Janne Huuskonen talk about the themes and human fates that the broader public does not always hear about.
20:30 World premiere: Satu Rämö & Lilja Sigurdardóttir (English)
Big news from Iceland!
Interviewer: Laura Friman.
21:00 Helsinki Noir house band
LAUANTAI 28.2.2026
11:00 Where lava meets darkness – Iceland noir in focus: Lilja Sigurdardóttir, Skúli Sigurdsson and Satu Rämö (English)
What is it about Iceland and Icelandic crime novels that appeals to readers? On stage are Icelandic crime novelists Lilja Sigurdardóttir and Skúli Sigurdsson as well as long-time Iceland resident Satu Rämö. Interviewer: Laura Friman.
12:00 Multiverse – Crime novelists as masters of many worlds: Leena Lehtolainen and Christian Rönnbacka (Finnish)
Maria Kallio and Hilja Ilveskero, Henna Björk and Antti Hautalehto. How do crime novelists navigate the worlds of the main characters in their series? Interviewer: Kale Puonti.
12:30 Psychology of evil: Vera Vala & Helinä Häkkänen (Finnish)
We dive into the darkest aspects of the human mind. How are criminals profiled? Discussing this are criminal psychologist and non-fiction author Helinä Häkkänen and crime novelist Vera Vala, whose series starts the forensic psychology student Salla Kotka. Interviewer: Lina Schiffer.
13:00 Lunch
14:30 Deadline and murder – Journalists on the trail of crimes: Aarnipuro & Härkönen (Finnish)
Journalists seek out scoops. How do these two crime novelists with journalist backgrounds, famous for their Kaarina Riikonen ratkaisee and Walta series, use their newsroom experience, and are the crimes and main characters’ experiences in their books based on real life? Interviewer: Leena Lehtolainen.
15:00 Elly Griffiths – the queen of British crime fiction (English)
Finns love the atmosphere of British crime novels. Elly Griffiths, famous for her Ruth Galloway and Brighton mysteries series, talks about her novels with host Lina Schiffer.
15:30 Elly Griffiths & Helena Steen – from history to mystery (English)
Escapism or nostalgia? Historical crime novels continue to be popular. Elly Griffiths and Devon-based Finnish author Helena Steen, both of whom are known for their warm crime novels, discuss their books, which ooze the charm of yesteryear.
16:00 The most incredible crime blunders (Finnish)
Ex-prisoner Mika “Immu” Ilmén and ex-policeman Kenneth Eriksson have delved into less well-known but without contest the stupidest Finnish crime cases. What were they?
16:30 Fearless Chris Whitaker: from trauma to triumph (English)
A mystery, serial killer thriller and love story. The multi-award-winning English author Chris Whitaker talks about his globally popular novel, All the Colours of the Dark. Interviewer: Leena Balme.
17:45 Crime loves the screen: Matti Laine, Kale Puonti, Christian Rönnbacka, Helena Immonen (Finnish)
The thriller writers behind the TV series. How does a crime novel become TV and how does screenwriting a TV series differ from writing a book? Discussing this are Matti Laine, screenwriter of the new Hildur series, Kale Puonti and Christian Rönnbacka, known for their Pasilan myrkky and Hautalehto series, and Helena Immonen, a screenwriter for the Konflikti series. Interviewer: Laura Friman.
18:30 Master of suspense: Stefan Ahnhem (English)
Pure Nordic noir. A hallmark of the works of Stefan Ahnhem, who is also known as a screenwriter, is the combination of painfully culminating suspense with a cinematically powerful plot flow. Ahnhem talks about his popular Fabian Risk series and its new, seventh, instalment.
19:00 In the series’ grip: Stefan Ahnhem & Nilla Kjellsdotter (Swedish)
Murder in the north. The Swedish master of suspense Stefan Ahnhem and Swedish-speaking Finnish crime novelist Nilla Kjellsdotter discuss how their home regions shape their stories, be that the coast near Helsingborg or the plains of Ostrobothnia.
19:30 Family as crime motive: Matti Laine & JP Koskinen (Finnish)
Crimes within the family stick in the craw. What makes family members turn on one another, or makes the whole family plot crimes? JP Koskinen’s Murhan vuosi series follows the Arosuo clan, in which crimes are passed down from generation to generation. Matti Laine’s Kovaset series, set in the brutal world of international crime, stars a family which has buried its past. Interviewer: Janne Huuskonen.
20:00 Familiar and dangerous: Normalized crime as entertainment – Patricia G. Bertényi, Matti Remes and Anna Harju (Finnish)
The crime novelists Patricia G. Bertényi, Matti Remes and Anna Harju discuss the significance of the local environment in crime novels. How do a hospital, pharmacy or sunny paradise work as crime scenes? Interviewer: Heikki Valkama.
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