Rights sold:
WORLD ENGLISH: HarperCollins
CROATIA: Planetopia
ESTONIA: Rahva Raamat
FINLAND: Gummerus
FRANCE: Editions Leduc.s
Original title: Venäläiset tilikirjani
Author: Anniina Tarasova
Illustrator: Anniina Tarasova
Published: 2018
Publisher: Gummerus
Class/genre: Crime & Thriller
Pages: 496
Reading material
English sample & synopsis
Finnish edition
Download reading materials
Imagine a Rei Shimura mystery dropped into the business world and you have Anniina Tarasova’s debut novel, The Russia Account. The main character, Reija Wren, is a hardnosed yet blithe, imperfect heroine, whose job as an internal auditor-cum-corporate detective in the Russian subsidiary of a Finnish company takes a deadly turn.
Reija Wren receives the chance of a lifetime when she’s assigned to travel to St. Petersburg to conduct an internal audit for her company. After years of having her career languish in the shadow of her father, the chairman of the corporation, Reija now leaves her pleasant yet bland fiancé in Finland to plan their wedding, while she dives headfirst into the champagne-soaked expatriate community of St. Petersburg. But as Reija’s investigation proceeds, the assignment turns dangerous and friends transform into enemies.
The Russia Account is a blithe and original depiction of a hard-nosed woman making her way in the business world. Part career woman, part detective, and part Rei Shimura or Bridget Jones, Reija is ambitious, fearless, and imperfect. At work she tracks every decimal point and crosschecks every sum, but in her free time you’ll find Reija at the poker table with a beer in her hand and a cigar in her mouth.
“The book mixes features of chick lit and crime novel in a unique and fresh way. – – The Russia Account is a successful depiction of ambition, status seeking and brutality of working life.” – Turun Sanomat newspaper
”The author’s language is fluent and narration gripping. The story has a good rhythm, the scenes change interestingly and the setting is enjoyable.” – Länsi-Savo newspaper, Finland
“An entertaining novel of international level that surely appeals to wide audiences. The smoothly written debut novel can be recommended to friends of chick lit and easygoing detective novels. If you’re interested in Russia, read it. Or if you’re into the corporate world, this book is for you.” – Luetut.net website
“If you thought that auditor’s life is boring, you were wrong!” – Amman lukuhetki blog
“An excellent, contemporary business novel. There should be more books like this!” – Kulttuuri kukoistaa blog
“Tarasova does not stick with pure chick lit, but combines crime novel elements and contemporary, realistic business world in the plot.” – Kirja vieköön blog
“The Russia Account is an exceptionally modern, urban and international Finnish novel.” – Satuilualusta blog
“The best kind of a holiday read.” – Kirjaluotsi blog
“The humor is sparkling and unashamed, and the food depictions are even more ecstatic than the drinking scenes.” – Anun ihmeelliset matkat blog
Anniina Tarasova is a Helsinki storyteller who’s worked in the leadership of a startup. Her family comes from Finland, Karelia, and St. Petersburg—her grandfather and his parents emigrated soon after the Russian Revolution. As an adult, Anniina Tarasova reconnected with Russia, and especially St. Petersburg, during the year-and-ahalf she spent living there. In addition to workplace issues, Tarasova’s interests include startups, coding, and new business ideas. Even the cheesiest self-help books can inspire her, but her real literary influences and favorite books are to be found in other genres: Sujata Massey (Rei Shimura), Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones), Ljudmila Ulitskaja, and Charles Bukowski.
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