This Finnish detective novel, written by a German, is a muddled ethereal romp through a 33 year old murder case, somewhat in the style of Crime and Punishment. I found it of little interest. I am not sure what the message is but the plot lacks any shred of credulity. The detectives on the case start laughing for no apparent reason. Either the translation is horrific or most Finnish detectives are insane. Perhaps it is the climate. What saves this novel is the character of Timo who as a wannabe Raskolnikov gives us another look at how guilt can erode one's character.