hello all!

[Beverly]

I just joined the group and am excited (and a little intimidated!) by how active and intelligent the topics and discussions are. I'll probably just read the daily updates until I get up to speed and feel qualified to comment.

My tastes: I'm old school! I grew up loving Joseph Conrad and Graham Greene and John LeCarre and Maj Sjowall/Per Wahloo (sorry to omit the accented letters), so I look for them in contemporary novels: noir from any country, or complicated political-conspiracy spy thrillers.

[Geza]

Welcome, Beverly. I also love the first three; don't know the last. In fact, my own thriller is a take-off on THE THIRD MAN. You will enjoy the group.

[Joseph]

Hi, Bev.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Welcome, Beverly!

I love all of the authors you've mentioned, especially (in terms of crime) Sjowall and Wahloo. As an entire oeuvre, their Martin Beck series is my all-time favorite crime fiction series ever.

I'm very happy you've joined the group.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Geza wrote: "Welcome, Beverly. I also love the first three; don't know the last. In fact, my own thriller is a take-off on THE THIRD MAN. You will enjoy the group."

tsk. BSP at work - a no-no.

[Beverly]

Geza wrote: "In fact, my own thriller is a take-off on THE THIRD MAN.

I love THE THIRD MAN for its atmosphere of threat and paranoia!

[Beverly]

their Martin Beck series is my all-time favorite crime fiction..."

I read them years ago but didn't know there was a sub-genre of similar fiction (nordic noir) until the Stieg Larsson books came out. Glad that its popularity means more such crime fiction is being translated.

[Bill]

Welcome to the group, Beverley. I've enjoyed all the John le Carre novels I've read, great author. I still have to start the Sjowall series; they're awaiting my attention on my bookshelf. I hope you enjoy yourself here.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Beverly wrote: "their Martin Beck series is my all-time favorite crime fiction..."

I read them years ago but didn't know there was a sub-genre of similar fiction (nordic noir) until the Stieg Larsson books came o..."

Actually, I don't consider the Martin Beck series to be "nordic noir" at all. There were a number of fine Scandinavian crime novelists being published before that term (and Stieg Larsson's novels) came into being: Hakan Nesser, Arnaldur Indridason, Kjell Eriksson, Henning Mankell, etc. I recommend all of these authors very highly.