Murder and Mayhem in Scandinavia

In the wake of Stieg Larsson’s bestselling novels, readers are discovering the rich trove of modern Scandinavian crime fiction. Coming from the region I am welcoming the trend, but I am also fascinated how reviewers describe the region: "world of bleak twilights and tortured souls, world of cold dawns and dour sleuths, world of frozen lakes and repressed detectives, a world of winters and losers" (Julia Keller, Los Angeles Times). Indeed, the region which is cold and dark for half the year has proved to be very fertile for the genre. Much of the credit for success of Nordic crime fiction also goes to plain and realistic writing, which suits the genre well.

Lead detectives in these thrillers mirror the landscape: they tend to be gloomy and cantankerous: divorce, alcoholism, preferring solitude are common traits, but they are also skilled and complex individuals and it is interesting to read how they evolve as each series progress. Hakan Nesser’s Inspector Van Veeteren, cynical form the years of police work, loves classical music and chess, and has only one unsolved case in his long career. Nesby’s Harry Hole, defiant of his superiors, but highly regarded for his past work, is also a recovering alcoholic with complex love interest. Inspector Erlendur (Arnaldur Indridason) has a disastrous marriage behind him, the drug-addled daughter, the son he rarely sess, and is haunted by the death of his younger brother in a blizzard that he survived, and so on.

Here is a selection of recent entries in the genre, all available at the MCLS:

Hypothermia (2010) by Arnaldur Indridason, Iceland’s most widely read novelist, Golden Dagger Award winner. "One of the most haunting crime novels readers are likely to encounter this year, Hypothermia will chill you to the bone." - (product description) His Inspector Erlendurnovels have been published in 26 countries.

Keeper of the Lost Causes (2011) by Jussi Adler-Olsen, Denmark. "Far from being just another morose Nordic crime writer, Adler-Olsen creates a detective whose curiosity is as active as his soul is tortured." - Library Journal "The new it boy of Nordic Noir." - The Times of London Hereceived the Glass Key Award in 2010.

Bad Intentions (2011) by Karin Fossum, Norway. Her recent honors include Gumshoe Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. "Few match her ability to conjure an atmosphere of emotional as well as geographical desolution." - The Times of London

The Snowman (2011) by Jo Nesbo, Norway. Inspector Harry Hole novel. The first novel featuring Harry Hole won the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel. Previous translated Harry Hole novels include The Redbreast, Nemesis, and The Devil’s Star. "If you don’t know Nesbo, it’s time to get with it." - USA Today

Misterioso (2011) by Arne Dahl. Sweden. " Misterioso is a unique and wonderful book. It is part mystery, part police procedural, part existential philosophy, and part comedy…it seems like the Scandinavians are having a true renaissance in crime writing and Arne Dahl is right at the top." - Mostly Fiction

The Hand That Trembles (2011) by Kjell Eriksson. Sweden. "One of those mysteries that allow readers to experience another country and culture from inside and to view history from a different mindset than their own." - Customer review One of Eriksson’s earlier mysteries, The Princess Burundi, won Sweden’s Best Crime Novel in 2002.

The Preacher (2011) by Camilla Lackberg. Sweden. Lackberg is one of Sweden’s youngest successful female writers of her genre. Her previous translated novel, The Ice Princess, featured the same detective, Patric Hedstrom and his girlfriend Erica.

Until Thy Wrath Be Past (2011) by Asa Larsson. Sweden. Prior to becoming a full time writer, Larsson was a tax laywer, a profession she shares with the heroine of her novels, Rebecka Martinson. Her second novel, Blood Spilled (2007) won the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award.

The Hypnotist (2011) by Lars Kepler. Sweden. "A tale of brilliantly immersed in Nordic dread…Kepler provides a master class in noir." - Boston Globe Kepler is actually the pseudonym of the Swedish writer couple, Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril.

The Troubled Man (2011) by Henning Mankell. Sweden. Last novel in the famous Inspector Kurt Wallander series, this is a "deeply melancholy novel, at times painful to read…but Mankell never lets his story to become engulfed in darkness." - Booklist The series has won many awards, including German Crime Prize and Golden Dagger. Mankell is married to the film director Ingmar Bergman’s daughter, Eva Bergman.

The Inspector and Silence (2011) by Hakan Nesser. Sweden. Inspector Van Veeteren novel.Nesser is three-time Best Swedish Crime Novel winner, and the Glass Key Award winner.

Three Seconds (2010) by Anders Roslund. Sweden. "A stunningly well-written police procedural meets thriller meets psychological suspense novel, this book succeeds in all three genres." - Customer review Prior to becoming a bestselling novelist, Roslund worked for many years as a news reporter specializing in criminal and social issues.

The Darkest Room (2009) by Johan Theorin. Sweden. Best Swedish Crime Novel of 2008, The Glass Key Award in 2009, and CWA International Dagger Award in 2010. A mystery novel with supernatural overtones, which takes place on the Swedish Island of Oland.

Lucifer’s Tears (2011) by James Thompson. Finland. The author, an American, has lived in Finland for over dozen years and currently makes his home in Helsinki with his Finnish wife. Helsinki is also a setting for this second Inspector Kari Vaara novel. His first, Snow Angels (2010), was set in Lapland. The third book in the series, Helsinki White, is scheduled for the U.S. release in March 2012. International film rights for the entire Inspector Vaara series have been optioned.

- Kaija G.

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