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The interview with Mark Bridgeman can be watched or listened to below in full – or you can listen to it by searching Bailiwick Podcasts wherever you get your podcasts…

A secret affair, two long-overlooked “mystery men” and a murder that has haunted Jersey for nearly 60 years are at the centre of new research into the Island’s most notorious unsolved killing.

A new interview with true-crime author Mark Bridgeman, being published by Bailiwick Podcasts in audio and video form today, sheds fresh light on the 1966 murder of Finnish au pair Tuula Höök – and the years-long investigation behind his forthcoming book, ‘Tuula – A True Crime Tragedy’.

Miss Höök, a 20-year-old from Finland, was found bludgeoned to death in a field at Rue Laurens in St Clement, on New Year’s Eve 1966 after last being seen at a Georgetown bus stop.

A “rollercoaster”

Despite extensive investigations and multiple cold-case reviews over the decades, nobody has ever been convicted of her murder.

Speaking ahead of the book’s launch this month, Mr Bridgeman described the process of researching the case as a “rollercoaster”.

“First of all, I thought there might not even be enough material for a book in this story,” he said.

“There are a few articles and podcasts that have been done on Tuula’s case before, but they always tail off, so I felt the only way was to get the cooperation of the States Police and Tuula’s family in Finland.”

An “amazing personality”

The author said the family’s willingness to help shaped the direction of the project.

“They were willing to help me and we agreed that I would make the story about Tuula [as a person], and not just about her case, which was something I wanted to do anyway – so she’s not just remembered as a victim of a murder, but as an amazing personality who would have gone on to achieve so many things,” he said.

The book builds on extensive research undertaken by Mr Bridgeman over the past three years, including multiple visits to Jersey and collaboration with the police and Miss Höök’s relatives in Finland.

Last year, Mr Bridgeman uncovered a crucial link between Tuula, a previously unidentified “mystery man”, and the man he suspects of carrying out the killing.

According to the author and researcher, Miss Höök had been involved in a clandestine relationship with a “married and wealthy” Islander whose existence had never previously been publicly linked to the case.

He claimed the alleged killer worked as a driver and “bag man” for the man, while also working part-time at a nightclub frequented by Tuula and her secret companion.

“There is no doubt that Tuula would have known this man,” Mr Bridgeman previously said, arguing that this explained why she accepted a lift from him on the night she died after reportedly refusing other offers from motorists.

The author believes the connection may explain several long-standing mysteries surrounding the case, including missing items, unexplained movements on the night of the murder, and why the suspect was never formally identified by investigators at the time.

Launch date and series preview

Mr Bridgeman’s book is due to launch at the Harbour Gallery on 21 May, with Tuula Höök’s niece expected to travel to Jersey for the event. Although the launch has sold out, the author is also planning an informal public drop-in session at the gallery the following day.

Ahead of the launch, Express’s sister publication, the JEP, will start a four-part series of extracts from the book on Saturday 16 May.