UNDER THE ORANGE TREE

A Finnish biotech firm may be hiding sinister secrets in Thurman’s thriller, the first in a series.

After Chairman of the Finnish Democrats Jukka-Pekka Ansakoski is tortured and killed, a photo of his nude body is posted online. Tackling the case is stressed-out Detective Chief Inspector Markku Penttilä. He’s a recent widower with a son facing imprisonment for drug possession. Katariina, a live-casting journalist, and her twin Liina, a psychiatrist and eco-activist, get caught up in the investigation when Liina’s DNA is found at the crime scene and Katariina tries to help clear her sister. Katariina learns that Saint Angot, a biotech company, may be involved in the crime after seeing an online photo of the CEO with Anaskoski, which suddenly vanishes. While conducting an interview at Saint Angot, Katariina notices Ebrima, a young Nigerian wearing a hospital gown. Fleeing from Boko Haram terrorists who murdered his sister and aunt, Ebrima applies for Finnish asylum but is rejected. Needing money to bring his grandmother to Finland, he takes part in a shadowy drug trial conducted by Saint Angot; the company is seemingly unconcerned by Ebrima’s undocumented status. When three dead Africans are found in a landfill, the situation grows even more dangerous for everyone involved. Thurman states in the introduction that her book’s theme is racism, and she does a good job of weaving this into the mystery plot. Ebrima feels safe “in a country that has the world’s happiest people,” yet he’s given an untested drug, and there are threats of ethnic attacks at the daycare where Liina brings her mixed-race son Tumppi. The author keeps readers engaged with complex characters who experience little downtime: Katariina loves a now-married former boyfriend and has mental health issues; Penttilä worries about a pregnant colleague and his weak heart; and Ebrima suffers flashbacks to his harrowing prior life. The book’s thriller elements are effective, switching rapidly between different characters’ viewpoints and using simple language for descriptions and conversations.

A swift, pared-down, and thought-provoking thriller.