Nordic Noir November: Spotlight on Swedish Crime Fiction
Happy Sunday, readers, and welcome back to our weekly spotlight on Scandinavian crime fiction! If you’re new to CBTB, every Sunday this November, I’ll be spotlighting crime fiction from a particular Nordic country. Last Sunday, I shared a rundown of my personal favorite Norwegian crime writers, and this week, it’s Sweden’s turn! From iconic bestselling series to under-the-radar books, from serial killer thrillers to psychological thrillers and a whole lot more, there is so much fantastic crime fiction coming out of Sweden. Today I’ll be walking you through a rundown of my personal favorite Swedish crime writers, and giving you tips on where to start with their work. I’ll add the same disclaimer here that I did on last week’s blog post: this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the incredible Swedish crime writers out there (this list could go on and on if I didn’t cut it off somewhere!). Instead, this list is intended to give you a guide to my personal favorite (and most-recommended) Swedish crime writers!
For more Scandinavian crime fiction coverage, check out my website’s dedicated Nordic Noir section, including a list of Nordic Noir By Country and lots more! Without further ado, let’s dive on in to today’s feature on Swedish crime fiction.
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SPOTLIGHT ON SWEDISH CRIME FICTION
My Personal Favorite Swedish Crime Writers
Lars Kepler
Serial Killer Thrillers | Dark & Violent | Page-Turning Pacing
Lars Kepler burst onto the international crime fiction scene with their debut, THE HYPNOTIST—a book that was so buzzed-about that it actually started a manhunt to uncover the identity of this pseudonymous writer. Kepler’s true identity was revealed to be the husband-and-wife duo Alexandra Coehlo Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril, two writers in their own right who joined forces under the Kepler pen-name, and have gone on to write #1 bestselling thrillers published around the world. I first read Kepler’s work when I was still a college student, but I fell in love with their writing more recently, when their book THE SANDMAN was published in hardcover for the first time here in the US. Kepler’s series is set in Stockholm, Sweden, and features a highly intelligent and empathetic detective, Joona Linna, and his colleague in the police force, Saga Bauer. Though Kepler’s books are set in Scandinavia, their style is, in my opinion, more closely related to serial killer thrillers like The Silence of the Lambs and J.D. Barker’s Fourth Monkey series than traditional Nordic Noir. These books are utterly gripping—and utterly chilling—page-turners, featuring quite dark and violent writing and short chapters that will keep you turning pages. While I absolutely love Kepler’s protagonists, I have to admit that my favorite characters in these stories are actually Kepler’s villains. Kepler does a brilliant job bringing readers up close and personal with their stories’ “bad guys,” delving into the psychology and motivations behind their crimes. If dark, creepy serial killer thrillers are your cup of tea, Kepler is a must-read for you.
Where to begin with Kepler’s work:
THE SANDMAN. Kepler’s books are all part of a series, but they are very easy to read as standalone novels. I would highly recommend beginning with Kepler’s book THE SANDMAN. It’s a perfect one to start with when you’re trying to determine whether Kepler’s style is for you!
Camilla Läckberg
Two Series | Character-Driven | Less Violent
When I was in the earliest days of my journey as a Scandinavian crime fiction reader, I picked up one of Camilla Läckberg’s books on a total whim at my local Barnes & Noble. I fell instantly in love with her character-driven, atmospheric mysteries set in a small fishing town in Sweden, and she has remained one of my favorite authors to this day. Camilla Läckbergis the author of two very different crime fiction series: the Fjallbacka series, a gentler example of Nordic Noir set in the small town of Fjallbacka, Sweden; and the Faye books, a razor-sharp psychological thriller duology (though more books about Faye may be coming down the road!) that tells a gripping tale of revenge. For readers who want more traditional Nordic Noir mysteries, the Fjallbacka books will be right up your alley. These mysteries are character-driven and atmospheric, following a writer (Erica) and a police officer (Patrik) whose paths cross in the first series installment when one of Erica’s best friends dies under suspicious circumstances. The Fjallbacka books are a gentler brand of Nordic Noir—they have the genre’s chilling atmosphere and immersive setting, but they don’t display as much violence or gore as do many of their genre peers. For this reason, I frequently recommend the Fjallbacka books for folks who are totally new to Nordic Noir - they’re a great way to ease into the genre! Camilla weaves plenty of interpersonal drama and suspense into these mysteries, and any reader who loves crime books that have a bit of a domestic element to them will love the way she balances investigations with a dive into her characters’ personal lives. For readers who are more interested in psychological thrillers than traditional mysteries, Camilla’s Faye books will be right up your alley. These glitzy, glamorous revenge thrillers are perfect for fans of Big Little Lies—they follow the scorned wife of a billionaire as she sets out to get revenge on her unfaithful husband. The first Faye book, THE GOLDEN CAGE, is currently available in the US, and the second book, SILVER TEARS, is coming in Summer 2021.
Where to begin with Camilla Lackberg’s work:
For fans of mysteries: THE ICE PRINCESS. This is Book 1 in Camilla’s Fjallbacka series, and this series is definitely best read in order. Much of this series involves the personal lives of its characters, and you won’t want to miss the way their stories evolve!
For fans of psychological thrillers: THE GOLDEN CAGE. This is the first psychological thriller about Faye, Camilla’s anti-heroine. It’s juicy, glitzy, and tons of fun!
Erik Axl Sund
Dark & Disturbing | Very Violent | Psychological Complexity
Erik Axl Sund has only published one book in the US, but with that one book, they became one of my forever favorite authors. Erik Axl Sund is the pen-name for a writing duo responsible for writing one of (in my opinion!) the most brilliant, disturbing, and downright exceptional crime novels published in the last decade. This book, THE CROW GIRL, is an outstanding example of Scandinavian crime fiction. This intricate, dark, unflinching crime novel plumbs the depths of corruption and depravity that lurk beneath Stockholm’s idyllic façade. Originally published in Sweden as a trilogy, in the US, THE CROW GIRL was published as one massive tome, divvied up into three “parts” to denote its original three books. This book begins with a shocking discovery: a body is found in a city park, tortured and mutilated in disturbing ways. As the investigating detective delves into the case, she uncovers a web of corruption that extends into the far reaches of government, the police force, and beyond. Our protagonist soon teams up with a therapist for her expertise in psychology, and the pair become embroiled in a case that is far more terrifying than either could have predicted. This book explores every manner of evil you can think of, including abuse of children—it’s a very, very disturbing book, and it’s also one of the most brilliant crime books I’ve ever read. Over the course of this book’s 700+ pages, readers will become deeply invested in the fates of its protagonists, two women who the authors craft with great care and heart. These women go through hell and back, and readers will be pulling for them every dark and twisted step of the way. As you can imagine, with a book of this size, the plot is extremely intricate and complex, but don’t let that put you off—this is one book that actually needs to be as long as it is, and when I turned the final page, I wished this story was even longer.
Where to begin with Erik Axl Sund’s work:
This one is easy—begin with THE CROW GIRL!
Stieg Larsson
Dark & Violent | Action-Packed | Iconic Characters
We can’t talk about Swedish crime fiction without acknowledging the incredible legacy of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. Like so many Americans, I first fell in love with the Nordic Noir genre through Stieg Larsson’s brilliant book THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. It was my love of that book, and the subsequent trilogy installments, that inspired me to research the Nordic Noir genre. While I’ve since discovered books and authors whose work I love even more than this trilogy, I will forever be grateful to these books for introducing me to this genre that has come to mean so much to me. There’s a reason THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was a gateway to the genre for me and so many others: Larsson’s writing is utterly irresistible, his characters leap off the page, and his book’s astute social messages resonate. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, the first installment in Larsson’s trilogy, is also the book that gave the world one of the most iconic crime fiction characters maybe ever: Lisbeth Salander. If you’re not familiar with the character of Lisbeth yet, honestly, read Larsson’s first book just to meet her! (Yes, it’s worth reading the book, and not just watching the movies—though I loved Noomi Rapace’s portrayal of her in the Swedish films!) In THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, journalist Mikael Blomkvist is hired to investigate the disappearance of a young woman with ties to one of Sweden’s wealthiest families decades ago. Lisbeth Salander, a genius hacker, assists Mikael with the investigation. That’s just the tip of the iceberg with this story—Mikael and Lisbeth quickly uncover a web of corruption tying this family to some of the highest echelons of power in Sweden. This book is truly riveting and gripping, and well worth a read if you haven’t read it yet! (The subsequent trilogy installments are also fantastic! Read them in order.)
Where to start with Stieg Larsson’s work:
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. This trilogy is best read in order.
Stina Jackson
Rural Noir | Psychological Suspense | Immersive Atmosphere
Stina Jackson’s debut novel THE SILVER ROAD hasn’t been published in the US yet, but I was lucky enough to receive a copy from her publisher in the UK, and it absolutely blew me away. It might be a little premature to call her one of my favorite Swedish crime writers since I’ve only read one of her books, but… that’s how much I loved it. THE SILVER ROAD is quite a different example of crime fiction from Scandinavia—in fact, I hesitate to even call it “Nordic Noir,” though technically that’s what it is. THE SILVER ROAD feels more aligned with the rural noir tradition; it’s a story set in the remote north of Sweden, a slow-burning, gritty, and atmospheric tale that follows a father determined to track down his missing daughter. This is a story with quiet intensity: where many of the books I’ve mentioned on this list are quite dark and violent, THE SILVER ROAD is a story that is propulsive not because of action scenes or major reveals, but because of a quiet intensity that drives it forward, and the emotional mystery at the book’s core. The plot here is a simple, yet heartbreaking: a man’s daughter went missing three years ago, and ever since, he has spent his days driving up and down the road where she was last seen, hoping for any hint as to her whereabouts. At the same time, a young woman who is the same age as our protagonist’s daughter was when she disappeared has just moved into the town. The fates of these characters will soon collide in tragic and heartbreaking ways. This book is atmospheric, immersive, and slow-burning in the best way. Stina Jackson is an author to watch.
Where to begin with Stina Jackson’s work:
THE SILVER ROAD. It’s not published in the US yet, but you can order the UK edition!
Åsa Larsson
Compelling Protagonist | Page-Turning Crime Novels | Underrated Series
I’ve said it here on my blog before, and I’ll say it again: more people should be reading and talking about Åsa Larsson. Åsa Larsson was one of the first Scandinavian crime writers I ever read back in the day, and though she hasn’t published a new book in a while, her Rebecka Martinsson series still holds a special place in my heart. In the first installment in Larsson’s series, SUN STORM, protagonist Rebecka Martinsson is returning to her small hometown in the north of Sweden. Rebecka is a lawyer in Stockholm, and her history with her hometown is complicated—she wouldn’t be back in town unless she absolutely had to be, but she has good reason to be there now. The brother of her childhood friend has just been found horrifically murdered in the local church, and Rebecka is returning to help support her friend through the investigation process. Rebecka had a complicated history with the victim, too, and she will soon have to confront the darkness in her own past to help solve this present-day crime. Rebecka Martinsson is a sympathetic and engaging protagonist, and I absolutely love the chilling and remote atmosphere of Larsson’s series. These books are accessible, engaging reads, and they tend not to be quite as violent as others on this list (though they’re not totally violence-free), making them a great choice for genre newcomers.
Where to begin with Asa Larsson’s work:
SUN STORM. Read this series in order to see protagonist Rebecka’s development.
And that’s a wrap on this week’s Spotlight on Swedish Crime Fiction! Are you a fan of any of these authors? Are any of them on your TBR list? I’d love to hear from you! And come back next Sunday for our next Nordic Noir spotlight. Happy reading! xx A
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