Finnish Whodunnit Society

The Finnish Whodunnit Society (Finnish: Suomen dekkariseura ry) is a Finnish registered association for crime and mystery fiction enthusiasts and writers. It was founded in 1984 and is based in Helsinki, where it operates as a non-profit literary society rather than a commercial publisher in the conventional sense. Its membership spans readers, authors, translators, critics and others active in the Finnish crime-fiction field. The society is best known for two things: its magazine Ruumiin kulttuuri and the literary prizes it organises. Ruumiin kulttuuri (roughly "the culture of the corpse") is described by the society as a rarity even by European standards: it has appeared continuously for 40 years and is currently published as a full-colour, 100-page print magazine. The society's own summary of its editorial line is deliberately tongue-in-cheek: "we produce more corpses!" The magazine is a member benefit, and the society also produces the Dekkaribrunssi podcast as an audio companion to it. The society organises several awards. The most prominent is the Clue of the Thread award (Finnish: Vihjeen vihje / Johtolanka), launched in 1985 and usually given to the best Finnish crime novel of the previous year, though radio plays, television dramas and non-fiction studies of the genre have also won. Unlike some national crime-writing prizes, it may be won more than once; Matti Yrjänä Joensuu won it three times for his Harjunpää detective novels, while Pentti Kirstilä and Harri Nykänen each won it twice. A separate prize for foreign crime writers was launched in 1993, and an honorary award is given irregularly to Finnish crime writers and others connected to the field. The society is run by an elected chair and board, with contact addresses in Helsinki and a membership-services function. It maintains a website at dekkariseura.fi and a Facebook presence, and it sells supporter merchandise and a member newsletter. Its activities are aimed at Finnish-language readers and the domestic crime-fiction community, though its prize lists and magazine are also used by researchers and international genre organisations such as the Scandinavian Crime Writers' Association, whose Glass Key award has gone to Finnish winners including Matti Rönkä.

The Finnish Whodunnit Society (Suomen dekkariseura ry) was founded in 1984 as an association for Finnish crime and mystery fiction enthusiasts and writers. From the outset it functioned as a literary society rather than a commercial venture, bringing together readers, authors and others involved in the Finnish crime-fiction scene. Its magazine, Ruumiin kulttuuri, became the society's central ongoing project. By the 2020s the society described the magazine as having appeared continuously for 40 years, making it a rarity in European crime-fiction publishing; it is currently issued as a full-colour, 100-page print magazine and is distributed to members. The society's editorial motto, quoted on its website, is "tuotamme lisää ruumiita" ("we produce more corpses"), a playful statement of its commitment to the genre. In the 2020s the society extended the magazine's reach through audio: the Ruumiin kulttuuri audio segment and the Dekkaribrunssi podcast, which continued into 2025. A defining part of the society's history is its prize programme. The Clue of the Thread award (Johtolanka) was launched in 1985 and is usually given to the best Finnish crime novel of the preceding year, although radio plays, television dramas and non-fiction studies of the genre have also been recognised. The prize may be won more than once, and several authors have done so: Matti Yrjänä Joensuu won it three times for his Harjunpää detective series, while Pentti Kirstilä and Harri Nykänen each won it twice. In 2006 the award went to Matti Rönkä's novel Ystävät kaukana, which the following year won the Glass Key award, given by the Scandinavian Crime Writers' Association for crime fiction from the five Nordic countries. A separate prize for foreign crime writers was launched in 1993. An honorary award is also given irregularly to Finnish crime writers and people connected to the field; recipients have included the crime writer Pirkko Arhippa in 2005, for lifetime achievement, and the film director Matti Kassila in 2009, for crime films. The society is administered by an elected chair and board and maintains contact addresses in Helsinki. Its website, dekkariseura.fi, publishes news, event information, prize winner lists and membership details, and the society also runs a Facebook page and sells supporter merchandise and a member newsletter. Its activities are conducted primarily in Finnish and are aimed at the domestic crime-fiction community, while its prize lists and magazine are also referenced by researchers and by Nordic genre organisations.

• 2025

  The Dekkaribrunssi podcast and Ruumiin kulttuuri audio segment continue, with all episodes available to listen to.

  [1]Suomen dekkariseura ry – official websitedekkariseura.fi
• 2009

  Film director Matti Kassila receives the honorary award for crime films.

  [3]フィンランド・ミステリ協会 – Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
• 2006

  Matti Rönkä's novel Ystävät kaukana wins the Clue of the Thread award; it goes on to win the Glass Key award the following year.

  [3]フィンランド・ミステリ協会 – Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
• 2005

  Pirkko Arhippa receives the honorary award for lifetime achievement.

  [3]フィンランド・ミステリ協会 – Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
• 1993

  A separate award for foreign crime writers is launched.

  [3]フィンランド・ミステリ協会 – Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
• 1985

  The Clue of the Thread award (Johtolanka) is launched, usually given to the best Finnish crime novel of the previous year.

  [3]フィンランド・ミステリ協会 – Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
• 1984

  The Finnish Whodunnit Society (Suomen dekkariseura) is founded as a Finnish literary association for crime and mystery fiction.

  [3]フィンランド・ミステリ協会 – Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org

A non-profit Finnish literary society for crime and mystery fiction, known for its long-running member magazine and national genre awards.

• Ruumiin kulttuuri

  A crime-fiction magazine described by the society as rare even by European standards; it has appeared continuously for 40 years and is currently published as a full-colour, 100-page print magazine.

• Dekkaribrunssi podcast

  An audio companion to Ruumiin kulttuuri; the society announced it continues in 2025 and that all episodes are available to listen to.

• Johtolanka (Clue of the Thread) award

  Launched in 1985; usually given to the best Finnish crime novel of the previous year, but radio plays, television dramas and non-fiction studies have also won. It may be won more than once.

• Foreign crime writer award

  Launched in 1993.

• Honorary award

  Given irregularly to Finnish crime writers and people connected to the field; recipients include Pirkko Arhippa (2005) and Matti Kassila (2009).

1. 1Suomen dekkariseura ry – official websitedekkariseura.fi
2. 2Finnish Whodunnit Society – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3フィンランド・ミステリ協会 – Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org