HELENA THORFINN

Weaving together intimate human drama
with international settings

Rights 
Sweden

Awards

Helena Thorfinn is a bestselling author of four previous novels which have sold in excess of 220 000 copies domestically. Helena, with a background in journalism, is an expert on international human rights and is also a sought-after speaker, columnist, and creative writing teacher. Helena has three adult children, and her British husband works for the UN. They currently reside in Bangkok, after having lived and worked in London, Washington DC, Dhaka (Bangladesh), and Yangon (Myanmar). THE FOURTH FRIEND (Romanus & Selling, 2026) is Helena’s fourth novel and international breakout.

Helena grew up in Lund, in southern Sweden. Before becoming an author, Helena worked for many years as a journalist at Swedish media organisations including Svenska Dagbladet, TV4 and SVT. Since the turn of the millennium, Helena Thorfinn has divided her time between consulting for major international aid organisations such as UNICEF and Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and writing fiction.

Her debut novel, Before the River Takes Us, is set in Bangladesh, where she also lived for three years as a diplomat. The novel sold over 100,000 copies. Her subsequent two novels were also set in Asia with the latest, In the Monk’s Shadow, set in Myanmar, where she lived for four years between 2014 and 2018. She has also lived in Washington DC, from where she reported for the Swedish media. Currently, Helena lives in Bangkok with her husband who is a Director at UN Asia.

Her novels have given her a platform in the Swedish public debate on issues relating to human rights, international politics with a focus on Asia, and gender equality. Her novels are set in a world where the legacy of colonialism shapes people’s lives, and where moral dilemmas are ever-present for those trying to make a difference there.

Helena also regularly runs popular creative writing courses in Italy, and still consults in both the aid and the private sector. The Fourth Friend, Romanus & Selling 2026, is set in her hometown of Lund and on the Swahili Coast of Kenya. 

Bibliography

2026 – The Fourth Friend (Den fjärde väninnan), novel
2021 – In the Monk’s Shadow (I munkens skugga), novel
2017 – Those Who Walk the Tiger Paths (De som går på tigerstigar), novel
2012 – Before the River Takes Us (Innan Floden tar oss), novel 

 

Author photo

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