SEPTYNI MAJOS ŽIEDAI (SEVEN RINGS OF MAYA)
Slow-burn historical crime thriller
Berlin, 2017. In an abandoned amusement park ruled by teenage gangs, drugs, and weapons, an infant is found abandoned on a bench, wrapped in a cloth embroidered with an unknown language. A Lithuanian teenager, inadvertently witnessing the scene, tries to remain unseen—but later that same night, he discovers a murdered young woman nearby. As Detective Johann Hartog dives into the investigation, he realizes these deaths defy ordinary logic. The answers lie not just in Berlin’s dark corners, but deep within the roots of a single family, stretching from the 1945 siege of Königsberg to modern-day Syria. Tied together by the fate of four generations of women and an ancient curse, Hartog must navigate a labyrinth of history, illusion, and revenge before the circle of pain claims its next victim.
KRITUSIŲ MAZGAS
2022 Winner of the Alma Littera fiction competition
In Berlin, amidst the refugee crisis of 2015, the murder investigation of a journalist unveils a web of historical crimes, far-right extremism, and corporate corruption, weaving together a decades-long tale of deadly greed. A crime drama set in a specific historical context — the European refugee crisis of 2015. The story explores universal themes of striving for a better life: some seek love, some money, and others safety. How much are we willing to sacrifice for a better future, and where are the limits of human greed?
Recognition
- 2022: Winner of the "Alma Littera" fiction competition.
- 2023: Selected for Lithuania's "National Book of the Year" recommended list.
- 2024: Recognized as one of the most cinematic works of the year in Lithuania.
THEY SAID
"In her debut novel, the author not only weaves a gripping detective story but also conveys a sense of authenticity—one feels she has thoroughly explored the subjects she describes. Add a journey through various countries, compelling societal issues, intriguing characters, and you get a refreshing gust of literary crime fiction, a rarity in Lithuania."
— Audrius Ožalas, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of 15min.lt, literary critic, and literature expert.
"I've never read such a well-crafted, engaging, impactful, logical, and intricately woven Lithuanian thriller before. The structure, precision, and logic essential to detective stories are excellent. The themes are timely: migration, conflicts between the familiar and the foreign, the dark entanglements of business and politics, consumerism, childish dreams, and careerism. The female characters are particularly convincing. In Lithuanian genre literature, finding well-rounded female characters is often like searching for a needle in a haystack. Here, women are fully developed, complex protagonists with their own stories, motivations, and arcs — not just objects of male desire or decorative figures. The novel is meticulously written, maintaining constant tension throughout. Highly recommended — a true discovery this year!"
— Virginija Kulvinskaitė, writer and literary critic.
OTHER TITLES
VALKNUT
From page to screen: a 2-hour crime drama adapted from the bestselling novel. 2024 Heart of Europe Festival finalist.
DETAILS
THE RINGS OF MAYA
COMING IN 2026. One woman, four identities, three generations of secrets. A psychological crime novel about guilt, inherited pain, and the crimes of the modern world.
DETAILS
TOOTH AND NAIL
12 urbanites fight tooth and nail for the opportunity to win a house in the countryside. A dark comedy TV reality series about the limits of human ambition.
DETAILS