great Scandanavian authors and why you like them

[[deleted user]]

I have not read the T.P. Boje book and don't think I will be - I am offically 'over' serial killers - don't care what country they are in.

[Elizabeth]

"Purge" What an unbelievable book. The author is Finnish and a new star for that country. It is not your serial killer read. Would love comments on any who have read it. Sofi Oksanen

[[deleted user]]

who is the author Elizabeth?

[Elizabeth]

Sofi Oksanen the new great author from Finland. The book is beyond great especially the late 30's. It is a tough read. I found myself crying especially since my daughter in law and her Mother are from Estonia.

[Elizabeth]

Please let me know what you think about this book?

[[deleted user]]

Sounds inense...doesn't look like it has been released here yet but I will keep an eye out for it

[[deleted user]]

Hasn't been released in Australia (where I am) yet.

[Elizabeth]

Great list Doreen! Still have not read Stieg Larsson's books. They keep getting put back to the bottom of the pile.
"Redwolf" comes again tomorrow."

[Doreen]

Elizabeth wrote: "Almost finished with "Purge" by Sofi Oksanem (Finnish). It will be a 5 star for me."

Hi, Elizabeth --
Purge sounds so good to me, I bought the kindle version! Thanks for the recommendation!

[Elizabeth]

"Purge" by a young Finnish author who has become a star in her country. Very gut wrenching, graphic, and a 5 star for me.

[Darlene]

I'm thinking I might have to read Purge... There is such a common thread in all the Scandinavian literature... infighting and jealousy from other groups.

[Elizabeth]

The Dogs of Riga (Henning Mankell) just jumped in my arms at the bookstore plus various other. "The Preacher" was still in hardback darn it.

[Elizabeth]

Wallander where have you been all my life?? Just watched "Firewall." Henning Mankell. Reading "Facelss Killers"and "The Dogs of Riga". Good Reads you are the greatest!!!

[Pat]

I am english but been living in Switzerland for the past 44 years. It seems that Scandinavian books are generally translated into German before english, so I read them usually in German. My husband introduced me to the Scandinavian mysteries, and I am now addicted. I was lucky to be able to read Stig Larson's millenium trilogy long before it achieved the fame it now has. That wetted my appetite. I have never actually read any Wallender stories, but we get the original tv swedish films on our tv, dubbed in German. I much prefer them to to the english series now made with Kenneth Brannagh. One day I will begin reading them, but there are no many good scandinavian police thrillers.

Anyhow I have now discovered a Danish author Jussi Adler Olsen and have read his first two books featuring detective Carl Molk. I am now waiting for the third book in this series to be published (in german of course). They are so good.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks for the great news for new mysteries!

[Elizabeth]

Any comments of Purge by Oksanen? Anxious to hear other comments.

Everyone hooked on Wallendar movies from BBC?

[Elizabeth]

Where are all the Scandinavian mystery lovers?

Comments on The Troubled Man?

[Linda]

Elizabeth wrote: "Any comments of Purge by Oksanen? Anxious to hear other comments.

Everyone hooked on Wallendar movies from BBC?"

Elizabeth wrote: "Where are all the Scandinavian mystery lovers?

Comments on The Troubled Man?"

I found the Troubled Man a bit sad as Wallander is really showing his age. It was great to bring back a wonderful character (won't give it away!) to this book.
I am also hooked on the Wallander Series from BBC- they are just terrific.

[Elizabeth]

Henning Mankell is looking at me as I type (gorgeous pic) and his blogs from The Dailey Beast on My Gaza Flotilla Diary are next to him. Thank you bulletin board. If you have not seem his blogs check them out. Now onto "Shame" Karin Alvtegen. Loved "Missing"

[[deleted user]]

I loved Stieg Larsson but have only just completed the trilogy - which is weird because I have been reading Scandinavian crime for ages and kind of missed him out for some reason. I really like Mari Jungstedt, Arnaldur Indridason, Ake Edwardson, Jo Nesbo. I'm not sure why I like them but probably a mixture of the darkness, the absolute foreigness of the settings of their books and I find their main characters endearing. Not a very good explanation - I'll have to think about it more!

[Elizabeth]

I love the use of their enviroment in their books and also many authors have such a great love of animals (pets). Anne Holt and Karin Fossum make you feel you
are lving then door to their charcters.
Indridason and his writing about the red berry bushes.I would suppose currants in that climate.
The Scandinavian authors bring a real sense of humanity in their books.
"Semilla's Sense of Snow" (Hoeg) Snow is a main character!!!

[Nikolaus]

You have yet to read the Jussi Adler-Olsen novels; the first book ( Mercy ) in the series has recently been translated, with the next three to follow soon.

[Pat]

I have read the first two of the Jussi Adler-Olsen novels and the third one has just been published in German paperback which we bought last week. Just love those stories about Carl Morck, his police inspector, and Assad the Arab assistent (something strange and mysterious about him). I am addicted - so good. Luckily I don't have to wait for the english translations as I have no problem reading German.

[Pat]

It seems that the Jussi Adler-Olsen books, particularly those about Carl Morck the Danish police inspector, are being realised slowly first of all in German and afterwards in English. I now have the third one - Flaske post is the Danish title, which probably translated means bottle post. I am reading the German edition as the english is not yet available and it is known as "Erlösung" meaning Deliverance. I have only just started it and have read about 100 pages. It is quite amusing in parts and I am sure I will not be disappointed.

[Elizabeth]

New to me Ake Edwardson " Never End". Really liking the book and the inspectors.

[Trish]

For those of you who are interested in Scandanavian novels, in August the NYRB Classics group is reading Tove Jansson's The Summer Book. The group link is here. I know this is a mystery group, but...you might be interested in this, too.

[Darlene]

I also know this is a mystery group, and I love all the leads to Scandinavian mystery novels.

Much talk the last few days has centered around the horrific events in Norway, and I must say, it's nothing new to me. I've been fighting the Norwegian racist mindset all my life.

www.VermillionRoadPress.com

I don't mean to hijack the thread, I'm just upset.

[Elizabeth]

I just got "The Summer Book" and also "Frozen Tracks" and "The Shadow Woman." Love Detective Erik Winter.
The Scandi's are by Ake Edwardson. Comments?

[Trish]

Elizabeth wrote: "I just got "The Summer Book" and also "Frozen Tracks" and "The Shadow Woman." Love Detective Erik Winter.
The Scandi's are by Ake Edwardson. Comments?"

Elizabeth, we just began discussing The Summer Book on the NYRB thread. Join us there if you want. It is a wonderful, summer idyll of a read.

[???!!!]

I just finished Mankell's "Dogs of Riga" and I have to say that it's not one of my favorites of Mankell's. I did finished John Theorin's "Echoes from the Dead" yesterday and find it captivating. I find many similarities between this book and Larrson's "Girl w/ Dragon Tattoo",to be honest, I think it could even be better. It may not be such a thriller and may not involved a grand scale of a story,a girl with "super powers", but ordinary and broken peoples' relentless and tenacity are equally amazing.

[Trish]

???!!! wrote: "I just finished Mankell's "Dogs of Riga" and I have to say that it's not one of my favorites of Mankell's. I did finished John Theorin's "Echoes from the Dead" yesterday and find it captivating. ..."

Interesting. I'd like to read some Theorin. I have noticed him, just haven't gotten there yet. May even have bought something by him, waiting for attention...

[David]

Sarah Weinman once said on her old blog that even though a lot of people like Mankell she just couldn’t get into it. This led me for some reason to try one of his books and I have been hooked on Scandinavian crime fiction ever since. I love the gritty realistic crimes and criminals, plus the flawed investigators who solve them. So I love Mankell, Nesbo, and Larsson and try to read everything they have put out. For my money you can’t do better than Mankell’s 10 book Wallander series.

Prior to a family vacation to Iceland a few years back I read all I could from my library on Icelandic crime fiction and loved it. I anxiously await the latest books from both Indritason and Sigurdardottir. FWIW Iceland was a fantastic vacation and I cannot recommend it highly enough (though it can be a little expensive).

Please note Sigurdardottir’s latest book is currently up on Goodreads giveaway program. Good luck to everyone except if you beat me out for a copy 

Also Indritason’s Jar City is a movie and currently available on Netflix streaming.

I am also excited that I have two new to me authors sitting right now in my to read pile, Liz Marklund’s Red Wolf and Thomas Enger’s Burned.

[Kim]

Just read about a new Swedish writer on the scene:
http://eurocrime.blogspot.com/2011/11...

The first book is called "The Andalucian Friend"... this was the notice I received in my alert:
"The Knopf Random Canada Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of a major new crime thriller trilogy by Alexander Soderberg-- The Andalucian Friend. The novel was hailed as the book of the Frankfurt book fair, with rights already sold in hotly contested auctions in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Norway and Denmark. Louise Dennys, Executive Publisher for the Knopf Random Canada Group, said: “Alexander Soderberg impressed publishers around the world with his storytelling skills and sophisticated, gripping narrative. It’s a riveting tale with a fabulous female protagonist which has led to comparisons to the trilogy being a female version of The Godfather.”

The Andalucian Friend is the first book in a trilogy that follows the life of Sophie, a Swedish nurse and single mother, who gets dragged into an incendiary conflict between two powerful crime syndicates and a group of corrupt police officers."

Cool! I'll be on the lookout for this book in the spring, hopefully.

[[deleted user]]

I like Jo Nesbo, Steig Larsson, Camilla Lackberg, Mankell and Nesser. I do not know more, but every time I find a Scandinavian mystery writer I am not disappointed. For me it is very hard to get information about new and good writers since I am from Colombia and it is hard to get books there that have not been first translated to English and gained popularity in the United States. I just have to go by ear or reading the covers of the books I like and taking on the recommendations they give...I also like the Wallander show and Forbrydelsen.

[David]

I just read Jussi Adler-Olsen and really liked his characters a lot. Look forward to all his books being translated (Danish).

Plus finished Marlund's Last Will last week and I will b going to a book signing next week. Very exciting stuff.

[ALLAN]

I am trying to comment when my wretched tablet allows me. I could not help but note Elizabeths and Dagsa comments about Henning Mankells Wallander series which has been the subject of a BBC series starring Kenneth Branagh. I have to admit I did not like the series and I felt that it gave an altogether bad impression of Sweden and the Swedes, although this was largely the fault of the translator and the actor,who hadnt the remotest notion of how to pronounce the name of his character,it is pronounced VAL LANDER NOT WALLANDER,the stress is on the SECOND syllable of the name by the way.Now,I note, Laurie Thompson has been entrusted with translation of my so far favourite Swedish author, Åke Edwardsson, so I do hope that he does not murder,forgive the pun,THE ERIK WINTER SERIES in the same way

[Elizabeth]

Having read most of Wallander's books ( only 1 of the
youth books) I do agree that the television series pales in comparison to the books.
Thanks so much for your comments. I have read some of Ake Edwardsson's books but will go for more.

[Linda]

There is another series based on the Wallander books featuring Swedish actor Krister Henriksson. These are filmed in Sweden and the actor seems more world weary and authentic as Wallander than Kenneth Branaugh. I borrowed them from my local library, they are available for purchase from Amazon.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks great news!

[Jane]

Halla wrote: "I really like the icelandic writers, Yrsa Sigurdardottir and also Arnaldur Indridason. Have you read something of theirs?"

I've read all the Indridason books that have been translated to English. Just finished Into Oblivion. Love his books, though Into Oblivion not as much.

[Gisela]

I more or less like all the above and like with most of us it all started with Wallander. Love, love, love the guy and have always liked anything Swedish, not even ashamed that I like IKEA.

My current favourite is Kjell Eriksson as he managed to create a crime department, which sounds pretty realistic (quite like Wallander's) which has its ups and downs with a number of detectives whom you get to know better throughout the series. The main detective is Ann Lindell, but not always and she is no wonder woman, but he describes her and the others warts and stupid decisions as well as her good points and clever detecting. The other thing I love about the series, is that the crime is not the most important thing, but the reasons why and circumstances are. You not only get to know more about Sweden and Swedish society, but also other countries and people. All sort of topics, really interesting.

What is a pain with the series however, that somehow neither the English/British/US publishers nor even Amazon seem to manage to publish a proper order of books, which meant I read them in the wrong orders. However, apart from some Aha moments when you all of a sudden realize why somebody reacts they way they do about certain subject or in certain circumstances, it doesn't really matter.
Great read.