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Katja Ivar grew up in Russia and the U.S. She travelled the world extensively, from Almaty to Ushuaia, from Karelia to Kyushu, before finally settling in Paris where she lives with her husband and three children. She received a B.A. in Linguistics and a master's degree in Contemporary History from Sorbonne University. Evil Things was her debut novel.
Discover the adventures of Hella Mauzer, a splendid creation by Finnish author Katja Ivar. 'Deep As Death' really is very, very good. The setting is Finland in 1953, a cold winter during a Cold War, and call-girls are ending up in Helsinki ('a city for walking fast') harbour. It ends up as a case for Hella Mauzer, a former cop turned private eye whose struggles against patronising, institutional sexism form a vital plot strand. Mauzer is an engaging protagonist, the 1950's setting and characters totally convincing. Katja Ivar writes wonderfully. ShotsMag The deaths mount up and the pressure on both Hella and Mustonen for their own distinct purposes reaches boiling point. The book ends up with an utterly unexpected and superb climax. The characters are well-drawn and the setting in a chilly, wintry Helsinki is utterly authentic. It also reflects the social mores of the time and no doubt what are now called the 'old police ways'. Enjoy! Law Society Scotland Journal June STARRED Pick of the Month: Welcome return for doughty 1950s Finnish cop Hella Mauzer, such a misfit in the male-dominated police force where we first met her in Evil Things, that she's been fired and is trying to make her way as a private detective. Roped in by her old boss to investigate a case he doesn't care about -- the death of a prostitute -- she finds herself on another excursion into the dark heart of Cold War Finland. Sunday Times Crime Club
