August Audiobooks Take Readers to War-Torn Oulu and a Teen Girl's Murder Mystery

Helsingin Sanomat is offering subscribers two audiobooks for August: Paavo Rintala's classic novel "Pojat" (Boys) and Elina Backman's debut crime novel "Kun kuningas kuolee" (When the King Dies). Both will be available through the HS app's "Listen" section starting August 1st and will be removed at the end of the month.

"Pojat," originally published in 1958, is set in Oulu during the war years. The story follows five boys from the Raksila area as they navigate school, boredom, and adventures. While depicting youthful escapades, the novel also subtly conveys the transience and fatefulness of the war era. The character of Jake, abandoned by his parents, is particularly affected by the wartime circumstances. The novel was also adapted into a 1962 film directed by Mikko Niskanen, featuring Vesa-Matti Loiri in a breakthrough role.

HS has also republished previous articles about Paavo Rintala in audio format to honor the classic "Pojat." These include an interview with Loiri from September 1973 and the original 1958 book review of "Pojat."

Elina Backman's "Kun kuningas kuolee" centers on Saana, a 30-something who, after losing her job as a "clickbait journalist," moves to her aunt's in Hartola for the summer. There, she becomes intrigued by an unsolved teenage murder from 30 years prior, aiming to write a true crime book or podcast about it. Simultaneously, a body marked with a branding iron is discovered in Suomenlinna, prompting an investigation led by homicide chief Jan Leino, a lone wolf whose mother is dying in a nursing home.