The Witch Hunter

Starred review from September 21, 2020
One winter night, Sgt. Jessica Niemi, the heroine of Finnish author Seeck’s stellar debut, arrives at the home of author Roger Koponen and his wife, Maria, in an upscale Helsinki neighborhood, where shortly before two patrol officers found Maria dead at her dining room table, dressed in a black cocktail dress and her face “twisted up in a hysterical grin.” Roger is across the country in Savonlinna, talking about the latest book in his bestselling Witch Hunt trilogy. The police chief there sets out to drive Roger home, but they never arrive—instead the car and two burned bodies are found the next day. Jessica and her team realize there are similarities between the deaths and the killings of witches by inquisitors described in Koponen’s thrillers, leading them to expect more bodies. The police investigators have their own secrets, most of all Jessica herself, whose backstory Seeck skillfully reveals through her memories and in a separate story line set in the past. One twist follows another, baffling the police and readers alike. Seeck imbues this riveting procedural with a deliciously creepy undertone. Readers will be excited to see what Seeck does next. Agent: Rhea Lyons, HG Literary.