Nordic Noir fans, listen up: your new Danish crime fiction obsession is here! Last year, Anne Mette Hancock’s debut crime novel THE CORPSE FLOWER was published in the US to tremendous acclaim, and this coming November, she returns with her newest dark, psychological crime story: THE COLLECTOR. I’m so honored to be able to reveal the cover of THE COLLECTOR today, and to give you the opportunity to read an early, exclusive excerpt from the book! If you’re a Nordic crime fiction fan like I am, you’re going to love Anne Mette Hancock’s gritty, intricate writing—and if you’ve never tried a Nordic crime book before, Anne Mette’s work would make a great entry point into the genre for you. Anne Mette’s crime fiction exemplifies the qualities I love so much about the Nordic Noir genre as a whole. Her debut novel THE CORPSE FLOWER relied on vivid, complex character development, taking readers into the darkest corners of her characters’ lives, and introduced an unlikely investigative duo—a journalist and a police officer—whose parallel investigations of a crime made for seriously engaging reading. I think it’s fair to say that Anne Mette Hancock’s intricate and seriously dark plotting can rival that of many of the genre’s greats, and fans of books from the likes of Jo Nesbø, Lars Kepler, and Stefan Ahnhem will find much to love in her work.
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Iceland Noir 2022 Lineup Revealed!
If there’s one thing you can always count on, it’s that I’m constantly looking for my next reason to return to Scandinavia--and today, I’m hoping to give you your next reason to do the same! If you’ve been around Crime by the Book for a little bit, you’ll know what a huge fan I am of the outstanding Iceland Noir crime fiction festival. I first attended this very special festival in 2016, and I’ve been back every year the festival has been on since then. (You can read my recap of my experience at Iceland Noir 2021 here!) Today, the Iceland Noir team revealed their 2022 line up… and it’s truly their best festival lineup yet. Bonus: there are even more author announcements to come as we get closer to the festival date! I’m so honored and thrilled to be returning to Iceland Noir this fall to moderate panels at this outstanding crime fiction festival, and I hope to see you many of you in Reykjavik this coming November!! If you’ve been tempted to attend Iceland Noir in the past, this lineup might just be the final push you’ve needed to attend. Read on for more information on the festival, the 2022 lineup, and more!
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Book Review: UNHINGED by Thomas Enger & Jørn Lier Horst
Nordic Noir fans, listen up: if you’re not already reading the Blix and Ramm series, add it to your to-read pile immediately. Co-written by powerhouse Norwegian crime writers Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst, the Blix and Ramm series merges the best of its authors’ crime writing strengths to deliver a gripping blend of realistic procedural elements and character-driven, emotional suspense. Out last month in e-book and coming soon in paperback, the latest installment, UNHINGED, takes this already-excellent series to the next level. In UNHINGED, protagonists Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm face their most personal case yet when one of their colleagues is targeted in an execution-style killing. UNHINGED pushes this series’ endearing characters to their breaking points in a thrilling plot that is both gripping and deeply heartfelt. I do recommend reading at least this series’ first installment (Death Deserved) before diving into UNHINGED; while the case itself here is stand-alone, much of this story’s impact relies on our connection to its characters, and having a bit of background exposure to them will make readers all the more invested in their fates. Fans of Lars Kepler, Stefan Ahnhem, and Søren Sveistrup won’t want to miss this top-notch Nordic thriller series.
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Nordic Thriller Mini Reviews: THE ICE COVEN by Max Seeck & THE CORPSE FLOWER by Anne Mette Hancock
Mini reviews of two new Nordic thrillers I recently read and loved: THE ICE COVEN by Max Seeck and THE CORPSE FLOWER by Anne Mette Hancock! These dark, chilling tales both put their own unique spin on the Nordic crime novel, and both deliver thrilling stories perfect for your fall to-read list.
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5 Nordic Thrillers to Read This Halloween
It’s the best time of year: spooky season!! The stretch of the year from Halloween through Christmas is always my favorite, and, coincidentally, I also think it’s the perfect time of year to dig into a great Scandinavian crime novel. While we may gravitate towards the chilling, snowy atmosphere of Scandinavian crime fiction during the winter months, the genre also has a lot to offer when it comes to sinister, supernatural-ish books that make for great Halloween reading! In today’s blog post, I wanted to combine two of my favorite things—Nordic Noir and Halloween—into one reading list perfect for spooky season. All the books featured in today’s blog post have an element of supernatural-ish chills to them, whether hints of ghosts and hauntings or elements of the occult and more. If you’re a fan of dark, brooding, slow-burning crime fiction and are looking for a book that ups the chill factor for your Halloween reading list, these books will be right up your alley. Read on for my picks for Nordic thrillers perfect for your spooky season to-read pile!
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