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PRESS & MEDIA

Like Water for Weary Souls

By Liisa Kovala

Historical Fiction/Mystery

Themes: Sisterhood, truth, justice
ISBN: 978-0-9950834-3-1 
Paperback Available: October 12, 2025

Ebook: Preorder available now

Global Book Awards: Bronze

Sisu's Winter War

By Liisa Kovala

Historical Fiction: Winter War

Themes: Loss, love, memory, Alzheimer's, 
ISBN:  9781988989471 
Latitude 46 Publishing: Paperback, ebook

Surviving Stutthof

By Liisa Kovala

Family Memoir; Non-fiction

Themes: Courage, hope, survival
ISBN: 9780994918390

Latitude 46 Publishing: Paperback, ebook, audiobook

Northern Lit Award (shortlisted)

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Hygge and Homicide

By A. L. Jensen

Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth
ISBN: 978-0995083424
Paperback Available: March 3, 2026

Ebook: Preorder available now

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Midsummer, Marriage, and Murder

By A. L. Jensen

Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth
ISBN:  978-0995083462 
Paperback available: April 2, 2026

Ebook: Preorder available now

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Murder by Nordic Design

By A. L. Jensen

Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth
ISBN: 978-0995083479

Paperback available: August 2, 2026

Ebook: Preorder available now

Author Bio

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Long Bio

Liisa Kovala is an award-winning Finnish Canadian author and book coach. Her second historical novel, Like Water for Weary Souls, won a Global Book Award for Women's Fiction. Her debut novel, Sisu’s Winter War, was released by Latitude 46 Publishing in 2022. Surviving Stutthof: My Father’s Memories Behind the Death Gate (Latitude 46, 2017) was translated and published by Docendo in Finland, and short-listed for a Northern Lit award. Liisa also writes the Hygge House Cozy Mystery series under the pen name A. L. Jensen. Liisa’s short stories and creative non-fiction have been published in a variety of anthologies and literary magazines, and she received first prize in Geist’s 18th Annual Literal Literary Postcard Short Story Contest. As a certified Author Accelerator fiction and memoir book coach, Liisa works with writers both in small group settings and individually. Liisa features fellow writers in her Women Writing newsletter, hosts the Women Writing Podcast and co-hosts Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreats. Liisa lives with her husband in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. She is inspired by her Finnish heritage and the northern landscape she calls home.

Short Bio

Liisa Kovala is an award-winning Finnish Canadian author and book coach. She is the author of Like Water for Weary Souls (2026),Sisu's Winter War (Latitude 46, 2022) and Surviving Stutthof: My Father's Memories Behind the Death Gate (Latitude 46, 2017) which was shortlisted for a Northern Lit Award and published in Finland by Docendo (2020). She also writes the Hygge House Cozy Mystery series under the pen name A. L. Jensen. Liisa lives with her husband in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. She is inspired by her Finnish heritage and the northern landscape she calls home.

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Liisa is represented by Creative Edge Publicity.

​Contact: Mickey Mickelson

Email: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com

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About Like Water for Weary Souls

In Nolin Creek, the water runs deep and the secrets run deeper.

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In the harsh landscape of a Depression-era Northern Ontario mining town, Finnish immigrant sisters Hanna and Essi Kivi scrape together a living as domestic workers, sharing a room in a disreputable boarding house owned by a protective madame.

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When Hanna's body is discovered in the icy waters of Nolin Creek, the police call it a tragic accident. But Essi knows better. Her sister would never have risked crossing unstable ice—not after they lost their youngest sister Martta to drowning years before.

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Haunted by guilt and driven by loyalty, Essi begins to unravel the secrets Hanna kept hidden. As Essi digs deeper into her sister's final days, she discovers that in a town built on desperation and dreams for a better future, everyone has something to hide.

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A gripping tale of love, family, sisterhood, and the search for truth.

Advanced Reviews: Like Water for Weary Souls

"She knew water. She knew ice.” Essi Kivi is observant and wise beyond her years. Her grief-torn world pulls us in, as she struggles to make sense of the cold hard facts about her sister, Hanna. In this soulful novel about the fateful choices people make during the Great Depression, we meet a young woman braving the odds to heal her family. Liisa Kovala writes with wisdom, heart, and intuition. She knows instinctively what drives justice-seekers, especially when they’re women—what they carry in their bones, what they’ll risk to unearth secrets and bring dark truths to light. And why, sometimes, hearts must break before they can be healed.

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~ Susan Scott, ed., Body & Soul: Stories for Skeptics and Seekers

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In her second novel, Like Water for Weary Souls, Liisa Kovala weaves the story of a Finnish-Canadian family in Sudbury that is struggling with the obstacles that many new Canadians still face today: the friction between parents and children, the desire for each generation to better itself in terms of career goals, and the search for a place to call home. It’s also the tale of two sisters who struggle to understand one another, but who keep secrets of their own, as well. The resiliency of the characters is embodied in the Finnish word sisu, an idea that conjures the tenacity and strength of not just existing—but thriving—in a new world. Beautifully written and aptly evocative of a specific time and place in Northern Ontario history, Like Water for Weary Souls is a story that will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned. 

 

~Kim Fahner, author of The Donoghue Girl

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Liisa Kovala’s Like Water for Weary Souls draws readers into the gripping atmosphere of 1930s Northern Ontario, a challenging landscape that tests the human spirit. This is more than a mystery; it’s a heartfelt story about the deep strength of immigrant women and the lengths one sister will go to for truth. As young Essi Kivi searches for answers about Hanna's tragic death, the novel explores themes of love, loss, and quiet determination. Kovala offers a vivid and honest look at a difficult time, crafting a story that stays with you, showing how powerful the human spirit can be even in the face of great sorrow.  

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~Caroline Topperman, author of Your Roots Cast a Shadow

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A family tragedy. A murder. A young and naive, but gutsy Finish immigrant woman determined to find justice for her sister and answers for her bereaved parents. In Like Water for Weary Souls, Liisa Kovala  has crafted a fast paced, dramatic story that takes you from a small subsistence farm in the declining countryside to the gritty underbelly of a northern Ontario mining town in 1933–the Depression era when people struggled to exist, but still dared to dream of something better. Like Water for Weary Souls will make you holler at injustice, cry at betrayal and cheer at triumph. It embodies the tenacity and hopefulness of the human spirit.

 

~Emily De Angelis, award-winning author of The Stones of Burren Bay 

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Part murder mystery, part romance, part family drama— two sisters in the rugged 1930s find themselves entangled in circumstance--one drawn to the promise land of Karelia that may exist only in dreams, the other bound by the shadow of a suspicious death. Though familial devotion runs deep, secrets fester like frost beneath thawing earth. This wonderful elixir of story is steeped in the bitter herbs of reality and the sweetness of possibility.  

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~Eleanor Albanese, award-winning author of If Tenderness be Gold

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A touching story of family secrets and dreams, Like Water for Weary Souls beautifully delineates the opportunities and dangers of life in a Northern Ontario mining community in the grinding poverty of the 1930s. Sisters Esteri and Hanna Kivi demonstrate the persistence and courage of their Finnish immigrant heritage—encountering prejudice and injustice in Canada while considering the dubious promise of a better life in Karelia, Russia—as they make their way in Sudbury’s rough Donovan neighbourhood, with friends old and new.

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~Marion Agnew, author of Making Up the Gods

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About Hygge and Homicide

Escape to the charming small town of Lakewood in this delightful Scandinavian-inspired cozy mystery!

 

When talented interior designer Minna Halonen returns to her idyllic northern hometown after decades away, she's ready for a fresh start. Recently divorced and with her daughter grown, Minna eagerly takes over Nordic Cozy, her mother Elsi's beloved home décor shop, embracing the hygge lifestyle and peaceful natural surroundings she'd forgotten she missed.

 

Partnering with her lifelong friend Christie, a creative event planner with an eye for detail, Minna pours her heart into transforming an old lakeside property into Hygge House—a cozy retreat for workshops, gatherings, and the perfect blend of Scandinavian comfort and woodland charm.

But on Grand Opening morning, Minna's dreams of a tranquil new beginning crumble when she discovers a dead body on her doorstep! With whispers spreading through Lakewood's tight-knit community and business grinding to a halt, Minna must channel her designer's eye for detail into amateur sleuthing.

 

Can this middle-aged entrepreneur catch a killer and restore harmony to her picturesque hometown? Or will Minna's second chance at happiness be cut tragically short?

 

Hygge and Homicide is the first book in the delightful Hygge House Cozy Mystery series—where murder meets Scandinavian comfort in a rustic northern town.

Advanced Reviews: Hygge and Homicide

"Hygge and Homicide is a delightful blend of small-town charm and sharp wit. A. L. Jensen perfectly captures the essence of hygge—warmth, comfort, and connection—while weaving a mystery that will keep you guessing until the final page. Grab a cardamom bun, wrap yourself in your favorite throw, and settle in. This is a debut that feels like coming home."

 

~ ACF Bookens, author of the St. Marin's Cozy Mystery Series​

"There's not much better for a book lover than to get in on an excellent new mystery series! Hygge and Homicide is the just such a book, in what promises to be a wonderful new cozy mystery series by author A. L. Jensen. Set in a small town in northern Ontario, this Scandinavian-inspired cozy mystery has all of the elements that will draw cozy fans in--well-rounded and relatable characters, vividly described settings, a complex mystery, plenty of suspects, and enough red herrings to keep you turning the pages to the very end. I particularly enjoyed the insight into Finnish Canadian culture, something unique that I have not come across before in the many cozies that I have read. In particular, the core concept of hygge, which at its heart embodies coziness, is brought to life in this tale of friends and family coming together to support the main characters Minna and Christie as they work to bring their dream of Hygge House, a place for hosting events and eventually a B&B, to fruition despite the murder that mars opening day.


Jensen has written a fascinating and enjoyable book with suspense, mystery, humour, and a hint of romance that is sure to keep readers coming back for more. Thank you to the author for the ARC of this excellent book."

 

~ Kelly Young, author of the Travel Writer Cozy Mystery Series

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"I can think of no better way to spend a winter evening than cozying up by the fire with a warm cup of chai and a compelling read, Hygge Homicide.What made this novel particularly cozy was discovering Easter eggs woven throughout: local landmarks from my town that added a personal connection to the story. The author's attention to detail in crafting these scenes brought the setting to life in unexpected ways. The Finnish elements give the book its distinctive character. From Tuuli, the aptly named bicycle, to my new favourite hair colour—Nordic Blonde—these touches offer a refreshing perspective within the genre. The mystery itself is well-constructed, keeping the culprit's identity concealed until the final pages. For readers seeking a cozy mystery with cultural depth and a satisfying puzzle, Hygge Homicide delivers."

 

~ Holly Gutwillinger, author of North of Broken: A Furever Home

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"Hygge and Homicide is A.L. Jensen’s first installment in the Hygge House cozy mystery series. It takes place in the quaint tourist town of Lakewood. Minna has just moved back to her hometown from Toronto and is a little bit guarded, a character trait which puts the reader on edge from the beginning of the book. The plot moves along with interesting details and tidbits about Minna’s daughter, her mother, her best friend, as well as her trusty companion Hugo Dogberg. We also learn more about the town and its inhabitants including the contractor James who Minna seems to have a little crush on. We’re quickly invested in Minna and want to see her new business venture with best friend Christie do well. When the unthinkable happens the night of their open house, we see another aspect of Minna’s personality and find out that she has been an amateur sleuth since her teens. Lakewood seems like an unlikely setting for a murder but as Minna “investigates” the town’s inhabitants possible motives pop up. It takes place at her newly opened Hygge House, which is excellent motivation for her to solve the case as quickly as possible. Her upfront, polite demeanor makes it easy for the town’s folks to open up to her questions. 

 

Even though the town’s detective is annoyed with Minna’s meddling, her curiosity and suspicions are enjoyable and thought provoking for the reader. We are pulled into the story and the clues as we also try to solve the crime. The nods to Minna’s Nordic heritage are another nice addition to the story, and provide something new to learn about and visualize as Minna and Christine renovate Hygge House. Hygge and Homicide is the perfect read for a morning, afternoon, or after dinner hygge."

 

~ Nancy Daoust

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"Perfect for enjoying with a warm pot of tea and a quiet, comfy spot to curl up and step into the world of Minna Halonen and the people of Lakewood. As the first book in a series, HYGGE AND HOMICIDE will leave the characters and a longing for more. I will be waiting patiently for the April release of book two: MIDSUMMER, MARRIAGE, AND MURDER."

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~ Shannon Smith

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© 2023 by Liisa Kovala, Book Coach.  Powered and secured by Wix

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