great Scandanavian authors and why you like them

[Elizabeth]

Which Scandinavian or Nordic authors do you like and why?

[Elizabeth]

Okay Bernadette? Please someone discuss Peter Hoeg. Very few of his works seem available.

[Elizabeth]

Has everyone seen the movie Semilla's Sense of Snow.
Easy to get on netflix. Comments?

[Daga]

I've started to watch it. But having seen the cast, I somehow couldn't carry it. It didn't go along with my idea of these characters. Ever since it's been on TV couple of times but I wasn't able to force myself to watch it. I prefer, I guess, to reread the book. It's more fun.

[Elizabeth]

Daga I do agree with you. The book was so sensational that the movie could not compare. I think it will always be in the pile by of books by the bed.

Has anyone been folowing Wallender on B.B.C.?

[Talliscat]

Elizabeth wrote: "Daga I do agree with you. The book was so sensational that the movie could not compare. I think it will always be in the pile by of books by the bed.

Has anyone been folowing Wallender on B.B.C.?"

I love the Swedish versions of Wallander and am now hooked on The Killing- very atmospheric and compelling. I've just finished reading 3 seconds and am about to read the second Martin Beck. Having read a lot of American crime, I now find I much prefer Scandi crime!

[Elizabeth]

Thanks for the info. Will check them out on Netflix.

I am feeling the same way, am totally hooked on Scandi mysteries

[Talliscat]

The Killing is on BBC4 Saturday evenings-you can catch up on BBC iplayer or catch up TV if you have cable!

[Elizabeth]

I have a very rural cable co, and live in the woods so no Dish so netflixs is it for me. I looked it up and I think I checked the right one. Hope so.
I have only 2 Fossums left to read . Seem to be saving them for just the right moment. Inspector Sejer is so great.
Thanks for info.

[[deleted user]]

I've been having a Liza Marklund fest lately - not the horrid thing she wrote with James Patterson (which I can only assume she did for the mega bucks) but her Annika Bengtzon books - have just started my third one Red Wolf and enjoying it very much, also read Studio Sex which was almost perfect and Prime Time which was very good.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks Bernadette I am off to search for them. Finished my last Karin Fossum that I can get without big bucks.

[Elizabeth]

Oh no now onto Mind's Eye by Nesser. Starting out great. Says he lives in both Sweden and New York. Where does that qualify?

[Nancy]

I have to tell you -- I'm just starting the last book of the Martin Beck series by Maj Sjowall & her husband Per Wahloo, and I'm going to be sad to see this series come to an end. Even though these books were written in the 60s and 70s, many of the issues are quite pertinent today, and well, these authors really knew how to write. There are no extraneous digressions in these books, the crimes are well plotted, and the characters are very well done. I've been reading crime fiction for a very long time, and I have to say that these are some of the best books of the genre.

[Elizabeth]

Just finished Mind's Eye. Could not put it down. More Ness needed and the Martin Beck series sounds intriqing.

[Elizabeth]

The Ice Princess by Lackberg. Wonderful !!!!

[Elizabeth]

Just finished Woman With a Birthmark. Not a 5 star for me but a 4.
Got two Marklund books reserved Studio Sex and Red Wolf. Really excited about the "Marklund Fest"

[Cloudedleopard]

This year I had the Larsson-trilogy. Great read! I hesitated some time, because I didn't want to read an author again who is just popular, but I was positively surprised.

[Elizabeth]

Have not read the trilogy and need to.. I have heard so many diverse comments. Got 2 Marklund's today

[Elizabeth]

Read Nesbo's Red Breast. I found the plot choppy.
I do hope I like his other books better. (His or Hers)?

On to Marklund and excited to read the two I got.

[Judi]

Elizabeth wrote: "Read Nesbo's Red Breast. I found the plot choppy.
I do hope I like his other books better.

Elizabeth, I found Nemesis, the next book in the series, much more compelling than The Redbreast. I hope you give Nemesis a try.

[Elizabeth]

Judi wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Read Nesbo's Red Breast. I found the plot choppy.
I do hope I like his other books better.

Elizabeth, I found Nemesis, the next book in the series, much more compelling than The..."
Thanks for the advice. I bought Nemesis and it is waiting for me.

[Elizabeth]

What is the Danish series that The Killing is based on?

[Halla]

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

[Kim]

Elizabeth wrote: "What is the Danish series that The Killing is based on?"

I don't believe there is a book based series. The TV show is an original. The US version is very compelling, I'm finding. Very Scandanavian influenced with the moody distance of the main detective. I'm almost tempted to order the original Danish season 1 to get more of it.

[Kim]

Judi wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Read Nesbo's Red Breast. I found the plot choppy.
I do hope I like his other books better.

Elizabeth, I found Nemesis, the next book in the series, much more compelling than The..."

As the series continues, the books get tighter and tighter within time. There are still instances where Nesbo uses various time devices to expand the plot, but not as significantly as he did in RedBreast.

[Kim]

In the middle of Nesbo's 'The Leopard' right now. I can hardly put it down to do things in the real world. I have it on my Kindle and my Kindle for iPhone and Kindle for PC so I can read it where ever I am in my day. Even 10 pages at lunch only feeds my hunger to finish it. Sadly, it will be too much time for the next Nesbo after this one.

[Elizabeth]

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

I have read all of Indriadason's books and really enjoyed them . At this point I do not know of anymore that have been translated into English.
Also agree about Yrsa. Planning a trip to Iceland one day soon.

Tomorrow get to start on Marklund's Studio Sex.

[Elizabeth]

This is a good book!!! Liza Marklund's Studio Sex has a different style. I am excited!!!! Swedish author of course.

[Darlene]

Darlene Underdahl

Thanks for letting me join your group.
I’m a third generation Norwegian-American who’s written a memoir (narrative nonfiction – names were changed) that could also be called a thriller. If you’ve wondered what your misfit relatives got up to in America, here’s a small sample:
“If Dad finds out about this, he’ll go crazy. If he goes crazy, he’ll end up in the nuthouse and we’ll all starve to death.” That was how my mother forced my cooperation. “I’ll get you sent to the nuthouse” was a greater threat than “I’ll kill you.” The book is called Threadbare (www.vermillionroadpress.com).
Nice reviews would be appreciated (smile).
I’m reading the Stieg Larsson books (Sweden rather than Norway), and seeing parallels to the mythological homeland my relatives created when they felt overwhelmed in America. That has surprised me a bit.
I have a neighbor who loves books about Northern Europe, and we’ve swapped several, including the book that The 13th Warrior movie was based upon.
Thanks again for this site and letting me join.
Darlene Underdahl

[Elizabeth]

And speaking of Norway Karin Fossum's books are great .

Love the Vermillion Road Press page. Made me laugh when the sign went crooked. Will look for your book.

[Darlene]

Darlene Underdahl

Thank you!

My husband did that cute little sign; I like it too.

[Bob]

Just finished Jo Nesbo's Devils Star, part of the Inspector Harry Hole series. With each book his plots become tighter and inconsistencies and plot choppiness from earlier efforts are significantly reduced. I find the Harry Hole character to be a compellingly flawed hero. I can't wait to read his next effort.

[Elizabeth]

Great to hear as I have Nesbo's Devils Star as my next read.

[Elizabeth]

Just picked up Missing by Karin Alvtegen. Had to wait for someone so read the first 100 pages. Liked it.
Comments on her books?

[Elizabeth]

Liked "Missing" alot. Very quick read and very different plot. Have "Shame" by Alvtegen too and will start it soon. My Marklund fest has been interupted.
Need to finish Studio Sex so I can get to Red Wolf.
No comments on Karin Alvtegen??

[Elizabeth]

Went to a book store by Pacific Lutheran University and they specialize in Scandinavian literature. They have every Henning Mankell, Fossum. Yrsa, and more . Held myself to 3 new books. Could have bought the store. Good thing it is far away.

[Susan]

I am enjoying the work of a master: Mankell's the reason I started reading Scandinavian mysteries because he lets the humanity of his characters shine through the pain of unraveling a story with a bad ending.

[Susan]

The work I'm referring to is Mankell's latest, The Troubled Man.

[Elizabeth]

I have a picture of Mankell on my bulletin board by my computer and I now have his first book and will start a Mankell fest. Have about 5 of his books.

[Susan]

Around the eyes Mankell resembles or resembled my husband. Given my failing memory and despite my Kindle addicition I guess I could start the series again!

[Elizabeth]

Lucky!!!!!

[Elizabeth]

Just starting "Faceless Killers" Henning Mankell.

Should they be read in order?

[Doreen]

Newbie here. Haven't read (actually listened to) many mysteries by Scandinavian authors, but I've enjoyed (most) all I've read:
o The Fire Engine that Disappeared and The Locked Room by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo;
O The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg (not one of my favorites);
o The Man from Beijing, The Pyramid: And Four Other Kurt Wallander Mysteries, Before the Frost, and The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell; and my favorites
o Nemesis by Jo Nesbø ( with The Redbreast, The Devil's Star, and Snømannen in my library queue); and
o the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.

I'm very excited because my library just acquired several books by Ake Edwardson, Quentin Bates, Håkan Nesser, and Karin Fossum :-)

[Darlene]

Hi Doreen,

Thanks for the list; I'll keep it. I'm working my way through the Stieg Larsson trilogy. Salander is almost as sassy as I was (smile).

www.vermillionroadpress.com

[Doreen]

Darlene wrote: "Hi Doreen,

Thanks for the list; I'll keep it. I'm working my way through the Stieg Larsson trilogy. Salander is almost as sassy as I was (smile).

www.vermillionroadpress.com"
Salander is my hero :-))

[Mary]

Nancy wrote: "I have to tell you -- I'm just starting the last book of the Martin Beck series by Maj Sjowall & her husband Per Wahloo, and I'm going to be sad to see this series come to an end. Even though the..."

I agree. They are my favorite, too. Every couple of years I sit down and reread all ten.

[[deleted user]]

just finished a 5-star Scandinavian read The Vault which was called Box 21 in the US by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom. It's very sad and some of the characters made me so angry I could scream but it is very well written - totally compelling book.

[[deleted user]]

I'm going for something a bit ligher now - Camilla Lackberg's second book The Preacher- only just started and so far enjoyable.

[Elizabeth]

I loved "The Ice Princess" by Lackberg so am now excited for The Preacher. I picked up three mysteries from the library that caught my eye and they just do not have it. Cannot live without my scandianavian-nordic mysteries.

[Kim]

I love Liza Marklund and Camilla Lackberg. They are my favorites. "The Ice Princess" is very good and so is "The Preacher". I wasn't that crazy about Stieg Larssons books. The first one was great but the rest I didn't care much for. They had way too many unnecessary details. And they were a little over the top.
I have read some Mari Jungstedt but she was a little boring I think.
Has anyone in here read any T.P.Boje? I was recommended her book "One,Two...He is coming for you" by a dear friend of mine and I thought it was a great mystery story. She is a Danish author.