Fiction

thanks so much for sharing.



Here's a couple lists I found of top Scandinavian crime novels

Scandinavian crime fiction has become a great success all across the world and rightfully so. Sjöwall & Wahlöö ushered in a whole generation of Swedish crime writers, many of whom are now available in English. I think ours is a tradition that has much in common with English crime writing: there's a very similar care for setting, characters, and psychology. These are some of my favourites – I hope some of them will become yours.

1. The Mind's Eye by Håkan Nesser

Nesser sets his stories in a fictional country that's not quite Sweden, but the people in them are very, very real. He used to be a school teacher before becoming a writer, and it shows in the meticulous way he handles his texts. But yet his writing never feels cold or static – there's heart in everything he writes and you find yourself understanding and sympathising with some real villains.

2. Blackwater by Kerstin Ekman

Loosely based on a true story, this is dark, sinister and wonderfully written. It's been a hugely popular book for many years in Sweden, with an appeal that extends to readers who don't usually touch thrillers. A real classic.

3. Missing by Karin Alvtegen

Karin Alvtegen is the master at psychological suspense, and her plots unfold themselves naturally from the character studies. No one does this better than Alvtegen, and her homeless murder suspect, Sybilla, is one of crime fiction's most memorable characters.

4. Sun Storm by Åsa Larsson

Northern Sweden holds a special kind of magic. It's cold, lonely, and the people are tough and silent, or so the stereotype says. This is Åsa Larsson's home turf and I find as much joy in reading her closely observed descriptions of the environment, as in following her intriguing plots. And I love the fact that the heroine in her books is a tax attorney.

5. The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell

Inspector Wallander has become a household name along with the little town of Ystad where he pursues most of his cases. But Mankell's range is far from parochial. Drawing on his own experience living both in Sweden and in Africa, this tale of a serial killer takes us around Congo as well as Ystad.

6. Unseen by Mari Jungstedt

Emma and Johan, the intriguing couple caught up in this murderous plot, are characters to really fall in love with, and combined with the picturesque environment of Gotland, and a great plot, you've got a book to cherish. Mari is also not only a colleague but a close friend of mine, and we love talking about murder methods, forensics and criminal psychology over dinner.

7. Shame by Karin Alvtegen

Another winner from Alvtegen, this book really touched me. She often has a theme based on human nature and shortcomings in her books - and this book is a searing portrait of someone bearing the shame of being unloved.

8. Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin

Johan is a relative newcomer to crime fiction, but has already really carved out his own niche, which blends the murder mystery with the ghost story. It's so spooky, I could never read this one at night!


10. Midvinterblod by Mons Kallentoft (not yet translated)

The Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell
Wallander, the protagonist in Henning Mankell's popular crime series, is a middle-aged cop in a small town in southern Sweden. Wallander has a less than ideal personal life, but his detective skills are top-notch. Despite what can only be described as an overindulgence of alcohol, he brilliantly solves a series of shocking murders throughout Sweden. Start out with Faceless Killers, the first Wallander mystery, and work your way up to "The Troubled Man."

11.‘The Hypnotist’ by Lars Kepler

This book, which has been a sensation in Europe for years, was finally released in English this month, and the reviews are raves. Written under a pseudonym by a Swedish crime-writing couple, the book follows detective Joona Linna, who uses hypnotism to help question the only survivor of a grisly triple murder: a young boy who's entire family was killed before his very eyes. You won't be able to put it down.

12. ‘Three Seconds’ by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom

This gritty and fast-paced novel questions the Swedish police force's use of civilians in its operations. Piet Hoffman is a father of two who has been secretly working undercover for the Stockholm police for nine years. As part of an operation, he must get himself sent to a maximum security prison and survive there until he has enough information for the police to move in on a crime ring. The book was named “Best Swedish Crime Novel of 2009,” and the English translation has been praised for sticking close to the original.

13. The Inspector Van Veeteren series by Hakan Nesser

The protagonist of this series is Inspector Van Veeteren, a detective in the fictitious Scandinavian city of Maardam. In the first novel of the series, “Mind's Eye,” Janek Mitter wakes up one morning with a brutal hangover and finds his wife dead in the bathtub. Despite Mitter's flimsy alibi, Van Veeteren is convinced the case is more complicated than it would seem, and sets out to prove Mitter's innocence. Check out the most recent book in the series, “The Inspector and Silence.”

14. The Ann Lindell Mysteries by Kjell Eriksson

In the first novel of the series, “The Princess Of Burundi,” Ann Lindell is a policewoman living in Uppsala, Sweden, who must solve the murder of a tropical fish expert who is found dead in the snow. What sets this novel apart isn't so much the details of the crime itself, but rather the psychological insights into the characters, from the suspects to the detectives. The most recent book in the series, “The Hand That Trembles,” is due out in hardback this August.

15. ‘Misterioso: A Crime Novel’ by Arne Dahl

Detective Paul Hjelm must track down a mysterious killer who has been breaking into the homes of Sweden's high-profile business leaders and kills them while playing Thelonious Monk's jazz tune "Misterioso." This is the first novel in Dahl's "Intercrime" series and will hit American bookshelves on July 12.
Stieg Larsson’s partner reflects on their life together

15. ‘Red Wolf: A Novel’ by Lisa Marklund

Journalist Annika Bengtzon was about to interview a journalist about a long-ago attack on a nearby air base — but before she can, he is found murdered in northern Sweden. Convinced that his death is linked to the attack, Bengtzon begins to investigate his death, which is soon followed by a series of shocking murders.

17. ‘Bad Intentions’ by Karin Fossum

Detective Konrad Sejer must deal with a disturbing new local trend: The bodies of young men keep turning up in nearby lakes. This is a fast-paced thriller that will be released later this August.

18.‘The Last Fix’ by K.O. Dahl

In this Norwegian psychological thriller, Oslo detectives Frolich and Gunnarstranda investigate the murder of an ex-addict who is killed the night of a party in her honor. Was someone in her recovery center involved?

19.The Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo

Harry Hole is the protagonist in Jo Nesbo's wildly popular series, and like many of the detectives in literature, a heavy smoker and alcoholic. Though his methods may be unorthodox (and occasionally get him into trouble with his superiors,) Hole is a brilliant detective. Start out with The Redbreast and you'll be ready for his latest novel, The Leopard, when it's available later this year.

Mons came to crime fiction relatively late, after three other books including Food Noir, a collection of groundbreaking essays on food and travel. As well as a terrific plot, this book also has one of the best-realised female heroines I've read by a male writer. It's not yet translated into English, but it really should be.

MUST-READ SWEDISH BOOKS
20. April Witch (Aprilhäxan)
by Majgull Axelsson, 1997

21. The Serious Game (Den allvarsamma leken)
by Hjalmar Söderberg, 1912

22. Gösta Berling’s Saga (Gösta Berlings saga)
by Selma Lagerlöf, 1891

23. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (Hundraåringen som klev ut genom fönstret och försvann)
by Jonas Jonasson, 2009

24. The People of Hemsö (Hemsöborna)
by August Strindberg, 1887

25. Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in)
by Johan Ajvide Lindqvist, 2004

26. Simon and the Oaks (Simon och ekarna)
by Marianne Fredriksson, 1985

27. Let Me Sing You Gentle Songs (Nu vill jag sjunga dig milda sånger)
by Linda Olsson, 2006

28. The Road (Vägen till Klockrike)
by Harry Martinson, 1948

28. Popular Music from Vittula (Populärmusik från Vittula)
by Mikael Niemi, 2000