Kjell Westö

Although The Sulphur-Yellow Sky begins with a crime, it is not about uncovering a mystery. More than that, it asks how complicit are those who watch, who are involved but not involved, who see but do nothing.

Written in elegantly simple prose, with just the right degree of 1930s formality in the dialogue, the novel successfully fuses history-as-it-happens with the stories of the individuals leading their lives at this particular juncture.

The title refers to the unrealistic notion of business as usual in 1938, as the world heads inexorably towards crisis and conflict.
Translated by Sarah Death

The fourth in a quartet of novels set against the backdrop of 20th-century Helsinki.
Translated by Paul O'Mahony

Kjell Westö is a first-class storyteller and you don’t have to be interested in Finnish history to enjoy his books.

A curated list of compelling historical fiction, as reviewed in Swedish Book Review.

Kjell Westö’s epic novel spans the early twentieth century and a volatile period of Finland's history.

Dusk 41, number nine in Kjell Westö’s group of novels reflecting twentieth-century Finnish history, follows a handful of people ‘like you and me’ who lead their lives as best they can while their country is at war and, after a brief, anxious peace, is drawn into an even bigger war.