Mauri Sariola

Mauri Aukusti Sariola (25 November 1924 – 9 August 1985) was a crime writer from Finland.

His books have been sold more than two million copies.

In addition to crime fiction, Sariola wrote war books and non-fiction.

Sariola worked at a law firm, in a bank, as a primary school teacher and a journalist. He was a crime reporter at Helsingin Sanomat for ten years before becoming a freelance writer. Susikoski was based on a real-life policeman Martti Salander, whom Sariola had learned to know during his years as crime reporter.

Sariola had conservative values, and described eternal fight of the good and the evil. The criminals are nearly superhuman, and their motivation is explained to justify their needs. The murderers often kill for saving their honor. Women are described superficially, they are either decadent vamps or clean family girls.

Sariola was loved by his audience, but not so much by the critics. Some of his books were written very hastily.