If there’s one request I’ve been getting most frequently on Crime by the Book lately, it’s for Nordic Noir books for newcomers to the genre - and you can imagine how happy that makes me! Nordic Noir (aka Scandinavian crime fiction) is my all-time favorite crime fiction subgenre, and it’s a subgenre overflowing with talented writers for you to discover. But, like with anything, figuring out where to start can be tricky. To help solve that dilemma, I’ve put together a blog post designed to be your launching point into the world of Nordic Noir. Here you’ll find recommendations suitable for readers who are totally new to the Scandinavian crime fiction subgenre: this list includes books by many of the biggest names in Scandinavian crime writing, books that will give you the perfect introduction to the genre and its most prominent characteristics. If you’ve been hoping to dig into Scandinavian crime fiction but weren’t quite sure where to start, let this list be your guide!
Read MoreCrime Books to Get You Hooked on Nordic Noir
Best Scandinavian Crime Novels of 2018
Dark atmospheres, richly developed characters, vivid sense of place, complex plots—these are just a few of the qualities that the Scandinavian crime fiction genre boasts, and they are all qualities that shine in the books I’ve selected for my Best Scandinavian Crime Novels of 2018. As CBTB readers well know, there’s nothing I love more than a really great Nordic crime read, and the Scandinavian books I read in 2018 absolutely blew me away. From new series launches to the return of old favorite characters and everything in between, I loved every moment spent in these books’ pages - and I’m so excited to share them with you today, too! Read on for my favorite Scandinavian crime fiction releases of the year—and make sure you’re all caught up on the best Nordic Noir of 2018 before 2019 arrives!
Read MoreNordic Noir Series Recommendation: The Fjällbacka Series by Camilla Läckberg
One of the trickiest things about blogging for me personally is finding time to highlight books that I loved before starting Crime by the Book. Recently, though, I’ve been feeling particularly inspired to put together a post on one of the very first Scandinavian crime series I fell in love with—so that’s exactly what I’m doing today! After reading (and loving) Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy many years ago, I found myself on a personal quest to learn as much as I could about the Nordic Noir genre. It was during this time period that I discovered Jo Nesbø, Sara Blaedel, and today’s featured author: Camilla Läckberg. In the years since, my love of Camilla Läckberg’s endearing, engrossing Fjällbacka Series has only grown. If you’re a reader who prefers mysteries that focus less on violence and more on character development, these books will be right up your alley; they are undeniably lighter novels than many of their Nordic peers, but that’s not at all a negative. Instead, think of these books as the kind of “comfort read” that you’ll want to come back to over and over, thanks to their rich atmosphere, endearing characters, and chilling (but not terrifying) mysteries. I couldn’t be more excited to finally be taking the time to share exactly why I love this series - and why I think you’ll love it, too.
Read MoreAuthor Interview: Lars Kepler, THE SANDMAN
I’m absolutely thrilled to share today’s interview with CBTB readers! Lars Kepler is the author behind the internationally-bestselling Joona Linna series - and this week, their brilliant thriller THE SANDMAN releases in the US. From the moment I first started reading THE SANDMAN by Lars Kepler (Knopf; 3/6/18) in the fall of 2017, I knew it would be a strong contender for my favorite read of 2018… and I stand by that first impression! Today's interview discusses everything from the book's vivid characters to the research that went into writing this dark thriller - and a whole lot more.
Read MoreCBTB's Essential Nordic Noir
Today’s blog post details my picks for essential Nordic Noir reads — aka the authors whose works you should check out to see if this crime fiction sub-genre is for you. This is by no means an exhaustive list - there are tons of fantastic crime writers hailing from Scandinavia - but it’s a great place to start if you’ve never tried Scandinavian crime fiction before, or if you’re trying to expand your Nordic Noir collection!
Read More