Matti Yrjänä Joensuu

The protagonist of Joensuu's novels, the senior constable Timo Harjunpää, is a sympathetic character who is equally human about the criminals he encounters in his work as his family. Joensuu also describes the world of thought of his people. The surname Harjunpää writer borrowed from 1966 from a deceased constable Reino Harjunpää. Joensuu's Harjunpää stories have also been adapted for Film & TV. Joensuu's work has been translated into English, Bulgarian, Dutch, Italian, Norwegian, French, Swedish, German, Slovak, Danish, Hungarian, Armenian, Russian and Estonian.

The recorded working language is Finnish. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are detective fiction. Places of work recorded in the authority are Helsinki. Residence is recorded at Valkeakoski. Distinctions recorded are Finnish State Prize for Literature, Best Crime Novel in Swedish Translation, Clew of the Year and Cross of Merit of the Police.

• Name — Matti Yrjänä Joensuu • Born — 31 October 1948 • Birthplace — Helsinki, Finland • Died — 4 December 2011 • Place of death — Valkeakoski, Finland • Occupation — Author • Years Active — 1976–2010 • Genre — Crime fiction • Notable Works — Timo Harjunpää series

Joensuu has written several novels about the personal life and work of policeman Timo Harjunpää. He is a very credible and pleasant man, who treats the criminals as humanely as his own family, which consists of Timo, his wife Elisa and three children (Valpuri, Pipsa and Pauliina). Another major character is Harjunpää's police partner Onerva Nykänen.

• Väkivallan virkamies (1976) • Possu ja paavin panttivangit (1977) • Harjunpää ja pyromaani (1978) • Harjunpää ja kapteeni Karhu (1981) • Harjunpää ja ahdistelija (1982) • Harjunpää ja poliisin poika (1983) (Harjunpää and the Stone Murders, translated in English by Raili Taylor) • Harjunpää ja heimolaiset (1984) • Harjunpää ja rakkauden lait (1985) • Harjunpää ja kiusantekijät (1986) • Harjunpää ja rakkauden nälkä (1993) (To Steal Her Love, translated in English by David Hackston) • Harjunpää ja pahan pappi (2003) (The Priest of Evil, translated in English by David Hackston) • Harjunpää ja rautahuone (2010)

• Year of release — Title — Harjunpää actor — Media type • 1983 — Harjunpää och kalla döden / Harjunpää ja kylmä kuolema — Johan Simberg — TV • 1985 — Harjunpää och antastaren / Harjunpää ja ahdistelija — Johan Simberg — TV • 1993 — Harjunpää ja kiusantekijät — Kari Heiskanen — Film • 1995 — Harjunpää ja heimolaiset — Kari Heiskanen — TV • 2007 — Rakkauden nälkä — Markku Maalismaa — TV • 2010 — Harjunpää & pahan pappi (Priest of Evil) — Peter Franzén — Film • 2022 — Harjunpää — Olli Rahkonen — TV