Introductions

[Jonathan]

HI Mal. You're just beginning a great adventure getting into Nordic Noir mystery. Jo Nesbo is awesome and the best from Norway. You mentioned Jussi Adler-Olsen...def read him. In my opinion he's one of the best period and the best from Denmark. Then another writer who I love and really has a unique voice that is a must read with a great set of running characters is the Van Veeteren series by Hakan Nesser, my favorite Swedish writer. Another great Swedish writer is Johan Theorin. For Iceland, read Arnaldur Idridason who is also unique - main detective very morose, but great.

[Mal]

Jonathan wrote: "HI Mal. You're just beginning a great adventure getting into Nordic Noir mystery. Jo Nesbo is awesome and the best from Norway. You mentioned Jussi Adler-Olsen...def read him. In my opinion he's on..."
Thanks very much Jonathan! I'll follow-up on all those authors.
Mal

[Deane]

Deane Thomas
I recommend Camilla Lackburg. The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen is an all time favorite. There is Scottish Noir too. I read the first four by Peter May because they took place on the Isle of Lewis which was on our vacation itinerary. Ian Rankin is good too and his take place in Edinburgh.

[Mal]

Deane wrote: "Deane Thomas
I recommend Camilla Lackburg. The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen is an all time favorite. There is Scottish Noir too. I read the first four by Peter May because they took place o..."
Thanks Deane, I have bought several of Camilla's now from the Kindle Store and I've read the Lewis trilogy, but wasn't aware of a fourth novel set there. Does it also feature Finn? I've not read Ian Rankin but know of his work via the Rebus TV series.

[???!!!]

Welcome! Mal! I see that you've watched many TV series. Which one is your favorite? What did you think about Spring Tide?

[Deane]

Mal wrote: "Deane wrote: "Deane Thomas
I recommend Camilla Lackburg. The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen is an all time favorite. There is Scottish Noir too. I read the first four by Peter May because the..."

The fourth is I'll Keep You Safe. On Lewis but not with Finn. Talks about tweed.

[Jonathan]

I agree with Deane. The first 3-4 books by Camilla Lackburg are excellent. And I also love Scottish Noir, esp Peter May. His Black House trilogy is awesome! I've even read a stand alone novel (Entry Island) of his in Canada which was great. Ian Rankin from Ediburgh is good too but I like May better. Another very good Scottish mystery writer is Denise Mina. Then of course, although English, Ann Cleaves is a fantastic mystery writer who wrote the "Shetlands" series that takes place in the Shetlands in Scotland. Its also a series you can get on Netflix (in the US at least). Cleaves has another excellent noir series, also on TV (Acorn in the US) in North Umbria, England called Vera.

[Mal]

???!!! wrote: "Welcome! Mal! I see that you've watched many TV series. Which one is your favorite? What did you think about Spring Tide?"
Gee, that's a hard one as I watched some of them years ago. Not sure I could easily point one out, but perhaps The Bridge and The Killing are standouts.

[Mal]

Deane wrote: "Mal wrote: "Deane wrote: "Deane Thomas
I recommend Camilla Lackburg. The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen is an all time favorite. There is Scottish Noir too. I read the first four by Peter May..."
Thanks, I will find and read that for sure. He writes about tweed in the Blackhouse trilogy as well:)
Peter May writes for TV too, so I'm sure to have seen some of his dramas as well.

[Mal]

Jonathan wrote: "I agree with Deane. The first 3-4 books by Camilla Lackburg are excellent. And I also love Scottish Noir, esp Peter May. His Black House trilogy is awesome! I've even read a stand alone novel (Entr..."
Thanks I have watched Shetlands on Netflix and Vera airs every now and then on free-to-air in Australia. My mother loved it, so I bought her several series on DVD.

[Peter]

Mal wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I agree with Deane. The first 3-4 books by Camilla Lackburg are excellent. And I also love Scottish Noir, esp Peter May. His Black House trilogy is awesome! I've even read a stand ..."
All good recommendations coming from this thread... thanks for getting the ball rolling! Don't forget Karin Fossum, the "Norwegian queen of crime". Her Inspector Sejer series is very good.

[Mal]

Oh dear! Even more to read. I've not heard of her, but that is perhaps I wasn't paying enough close attention to a recent short podcast series called "Noir Hear This" (from SBS in Australia). They did one episode (#3) on Norway, featuring the writers Gunnar Staalesen, Jermund Eriksen ("Mammon") and Frode Sander Øien (aka Samuel Bjork).
I'll search for that Inspector Sejer series (as well as some books by Staalesen, Eriksen and Øien/Bjork) for sure! Thanks:)
So much reading, so little time!

[Mal]

Mal wrote: "Oh dear! Even more to read. I've not heard of her, but that is perhaps I wasn't paying enough close attention to a recent short podcast series called "Noir Hear This" (from SBS in Australia). They ..."

I should have recommended that Noir Hear This podcast earlier as I really loved listening to it and the interviews with all those Noir authors. There are only eight episodes and all are between 20-30 mins. Easy to find on iTunes.

[Fran]

Greetings Mal and others,

I have also finished, not to long ago, the Jo Nesbø Harry Hole series. At least everything I could find in English translation.
Over the course of the past half decade I have read quite a bit of nordic noir. I should make a bookshelf of just my Nordic readings.

I started with The Icelandic Authors, and to this day love the works of Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson (The Flatey Enigma, House of Evidence, Daybreak, and Sun on Fire.) and the Dectective Elendur series by Arnaldur Indriðason. I have also read a few of the works of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. Last year I went to Iceland for 11 days and loved seeing places mentioned in the books. Ragnar Jonasson is an up and coming new Icelandic writer. I have read his first book at the recommendation of Ingolfsson, and I am looking forward to gwetting my hands on his latest works in English.

Swedish Authors I have read include Henning Mankell's Wallendar series, Stieg Larsson.s Millenial series, and Åsa Larsson's Rebecka Martinsson series. All very good. some older Swedish noir writers are Per Fredrik Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall who wrote their crime series together, and Håkan Nesser who created a fictional countriy for his crime series. My most recent Swedish reading has been the works of Viveca Sten. Her stories are often set, at least partly, in the Islands off Stockholm.

Jussi Adler-Olsen is a Danish authors whose Department Q series I have been enjoying. Nicely noir. But Peter Høeg's work Smilla's Sense of Snow is a must read for any lover of Nordic noir.

For more Norwegian writers beyond Jo Nesbø I would recommend Karin Fossum, and her Inspector Sejer series.

I realized I had neglected the Finnish writers so I began the Maria Kallio series by Leena Lehtolainen. Not my favoritie but interesting. I have read the first 4 so, I guess I will keep going. But Finnish writer Antti Tuomainen is next on my list to try.

I hope this gives everyone a few places to start some more good Nordic noir reading. I should also mention the writings of Quentin Bates. Bates has translated for other Scandinavian writers, but also wrote a few books of his own set in Scandinavia. I enjoyed them.

A good starting point for new Nordicv Noir readers is to read every Glass Key award winner you can find in English, and branch out from there. It will give you a taste of the whole Scandinavian region, and introduce you to a wealth of great authors.

Happy reading in the Nordic noir.
Fran

[Jonathan]

Peter wrote: "Mal wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I agree with Deane. The first 3-4 books by Camilla Lackburg are excellent. And I also love Scottish Noir, esp Peter May. His Black House trilogy is awesome! I've even r..."

Agreed Peter - good call. Karen Fossum and her Inspector Sejer series is also excellent. I prefer her to fellow Norwegian writer Jørn Lier Horst. Horst is good too, but I feel like his like his main character, Inspector Wisting is a bit on the boring, dry side.

[Lane]

Mal wrote: "Mal wrote: "Oh dear! Even more to read. I've not heard of her, but that is perhaps I wasn't paying enough close attention to a recent short podcast series called "Noir Hear This" (from SBS in Austr..."

Thanks for the recommendation. I've dowloaded the first three episodes. Looking forward to listening on my next walk!

[Lane]

Thanks for the tip re the Glass Key Award winners... I'm checking them out right now!

[Mal]

Fran wrote: "Greetings Mal and others,

I have also finished, not to long ago, the Jo Nesbø Harry Hole series. At least everything I could find in English translation.
Over the course of the past half decade I..."
Sorry for the late reply but I've been away for a few days.
This is a very comprehensive listing and I'm going to note all the authors and keep an eye out for them on the Kindle store. I bought a Kindle earlier this year as I just cannot fit any more books in at home and I'm really enjoying it. Great for travelling too.
I've already got about five Camilla Lackberg books ready to go, but currently I'm reading the first three Will Trent books by Karin Slaughter. As a detective Will is a fair bit like Harry Hole. Karin was recommended on Goodreads when I finished the Harry Hole series.