English Translations of Scandinavian/Nordic Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

I'm reading Seal Woman by Solveig Eggerz who happens to be the narrator for Icelandophiles. It's about a German woman that answers an add in the German newspaper for women to go to Iceland after WWII. I just gotta say that Solveig Eggerz is my kind of woman.

Jussi Adler-Olsen  (Denmark) Disgrace. June 2012..... Unlike Mercy, having trouble getting into it! So far, IMO if you had not read the first it would be even harder to follow...

Unlike Mercy, having trouble getting into it! So far, IMO if you had not read the first it would be even harder to follow..."

I must admit that I felt you had to have read the first book to understand the characters in the second. I also found it harder to "get into".

Loving The Leopard. Took me a while to get into it as I read The Snowman first and then backtracked to the rest of the Harry Hole novels, so I was all a bit out of synch.

The hypnotist by Lars Keplar...a very addicting read. THe first 100 pages or so were amazing, then I was lost for a 100 then next 200 have been amazing again. The 100 pages that lost me were a transition in the plot that I did not understand, but it worked out well.

Also finished snow angels by James Thompson and am waiting for the next 2 in the mail.

What is the order of Lackberg's books? Where does The Stranger come in and where does Gallow Birds fit? Help needed here . And does Gallow Birds have another name?

Bibliography

Published Swedish title English title Translation Notes
2002 Isprinsessan Ice Princess Steven T. Murray (2008)
2004 Predikanten The Preacher Steven T. Murray (2009)
2005 Stenhuggaren The Stonecutter Steven T. Murray (2010)
2006 Olycksfågeln The Gallows Bird a.p.a. The Stranger Steven T. Murray (2011) Paperback version seems to be called The Stranger [1]
2007 Tyskungen The Hidden Child Tiina Nunnally (2011)
2008 Sjöjungfrun The Drowning Tiina Nunnally (2012)
2009 Fyrvaktaren The Lighthouse Guardian
Snöstorm och mandeldoft The Scent of Almonds
Smaker från Fjällbacka Flavours from Fjällbacka
2011 Änglamakerskan The Angel Maker's Wife
Fest, mat och kärlek Feast, Food & Love
2011 Super Charlie Super Charlie
[edit]Television adaptations

Filming of the new TV series Fjällbacka Murders began in August 2011 based on the characters from Läckberg's novels, but the stories will be new, with actors Claudia Galli and Richard Ulfsäter playing Erica and Patrik.[28] 'My books are my children & I want to hand them over to somebody who will look after them,' Camilla is quoted as saying.[29]
Läckberg and her friend and fellow author Denise Rudberg have hosted the literature series Läckberg & Rudberg on SVT.

From Wiki.

The order of the books is:
The Ice Princess
The Preacher
The Stonecutter
The Gallows Bird
The Hidden Child
The Drowning
I've really loved her books. She's floundered a bit on a couple. But I love the characters that drive her novels. Hope that helps.

I am sooo psyched I got an ARC of Jussi Adler-Olsen's new book "The Absent One". So I will be diving into that tonight and tomorrow! It won't be out till August this year. But I get a sneak peek, pretty cool!

Ada-Lee wrote: "I am sooo psyched I got an ARC of Jussi Adler-Olsen's new book "The Absent One". So I will be diving into that tonight and tomorrow! It won't be out till August this year. But I get a sneak peek, p..."

I am reading it and curious to hear what you think of it. I have trouble getting into it and if you had NOT read the first it would be very hard I think. Also read a lot of bad reviews about it mirroring my own trouble with the flow and characters. This again, is a book with two names! Nuts...why they do that I cannot understand. Some American authors do that too. Not often I get a book I just can leave sit......

Jussi Adler-Olsen  (Denmark)
MERCY, same as The Keeper of Lost Causes   Department Q 1
The Absent One", it's on Amazon.". April 2012 also called
Disgrace..   iBook store June 21/12. Department Q2
Redemption.     Spring 2013 Department Q3

Thanks Sharon... I'll keep that in mind. I just read. It always takes me awhile to get into a writers style, so it's always a challenge for me. I kinda'' like that!
I'll keep you posted.
I dislike it when there are 2 titles out there for the same book, as much as I dislike 2 different covers for the same book, I've bought the same book twice, thinking it was a different book. DOH!

Ada-Lee wrote: "Thanks Sharon... I'll keep that in mind. I just read. It always takes me awhile to get into a writers style, so it's always a challenge for me. I kinda'' like that!
I'll keep you posted.
I dislike..."

Have done that a few time back before google and wiki with paperbacks in English, which used to cost a fortune. Very annoying. Had that with Greg Iles books :-( too.
Re book two, if you have not read the first, IMO the department Q people will be very strange. He seems to assume people have and will be able to figure the background out.

That's ok I've jumped into the middle of a series before, it's just like real life isn't it... Everyone expects you to know everything already ; p it just teaches you to be adaptable ( sure! )

Ada-Lee wrote: "That's ok I've jumped into the middle of a series before, it's just like real life isn't it... Everyone expects you to know everything already ; p it just teaches you to be adaptable ( sure! )"

Good for you. Enjoy. I have struggled with it since June 21 download....look fwd to your comments.

Christina wrote: "The order of the books is:
The Ice Princess
The Preacher
The Stonecutter
The Gallows Bird
The Hidden Child
The Drowning
I've really loved her books. She's floundered a bit on a couple. But I love t..."

Thanks for the list. I am looking for The Gallow Birds and have read a couple out of order.

Just finished Alder-Olsen's "The Absent One" it took about 100 or so pages to get back into the rythmn of things, since I've jumped genres so many times lately. But I really did enjoy getting back to this style.
There really is a distinct flow to the Scandinavian crime-thriller, I suppose that's what keeps me coming back.
I did not read the first, in the "Dept. Q" series but now I want to, this really piqued my interest. The dynamic was a little odd at first but, became very humorous as it moved along. I knda liked it, slightly twisted, and funny.
I laughed alot too. Maybe it's just me?

Just finished "Roseanna," by the grandmother and grandfather of modern Scandi crime novels, Sjowall and Wahloo. An unbelievably good book, very taut and impossible to predict. Plus the detective Martin Beck is like Kurt Wallander's long-lost brother. There are nine more in the series; can't wait!

Florence wrote: "Just finished "Roseanna," by the grandmother and grandfather of modern Scandi crime novels, Sjowall and Wahloo. An unbelievably good book, very taut and impossible to predict. Plus the detective Ma..."

Ah the Martin Beck series...have seen quite a few on tv and loved them....did not know about the books as they are quite old. Sounds great. Thanks for reminding me of these....

About this author edit data
Maj Sjöwall is a Swedish author and translator. She is best known for the collaborative work with her partner Per Wahlöö on a series of ten novels about the exploits of Martin Beck, a police detective in Stockholm. In 1971, the fourth of these books, The Laughing Policeman (a translation of Den skrattande polisen, originally published in 1968) won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Novel.They also wrote novels separately.

Sjöwall had a 13 year relationship with Wahlöö which lasted until his death in 1975.

Series:
* Martin Beck

I am reading Hakan Nesser's Mind's Eye - so far enjoying it but still missing Wallander. I have read them all and so far haven't found anyone to replace him.

I've just finished "Don't look back" by Karin Fossum and I must say that I really enjoyed it way more than "Snow Angels" by James Thompson, there just was something in it that didn't catch my attention.

Lori wrote: "I am reading Hakan Nesser's Mind's Eye - so far enjoying it but still missing Wallander. I have read them all and so far haven't found anyone to replace him."

Lori, I have read a few more books by HM and can really recommend as good reads the books below. Enjoyed them very much.
Linda Wallander
Before the Frost 2005

Standalones:
The Return of the Dancing Master 2004  YES
Italian Shoes 2009 YES
The Man from Beijing 2010 YES

Sharon wrote: "Florence wrote: "Just finished "Roseanna," by the grandmother and grandfather of modern Scandi crime novels, Sjowall and Wahloo. An unbelievably good book, very taut and impossible to predict. Plus..."

I'll try to track down the films!

It's hard to believe that two different people worked on these books, alternating chapters; the style is (to me) completely consistent. And the translations I'm reading are excellent; the prose is lean, and the descriptions are crystal-clear. A great pleasure all around!

Florence wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Florence wrote: "Just finished "Roseanna," by the grandmother and grandfather of modern Scandi crime novels, Sjowall and Wahloo. An unbelievably good book, very taut and impossible t..."

I must try them...sound very good. Shame that some times we don't get interested in older books.

Vesna wrote: "I'm in the middle of Jo Nesbo's "The Redbreast" and I'm enjoying it a lot."

I enjoyed the early Harry Hole books the best. Happy reading.

Vesna wrote: "Sharon wrote: I enjoyed the early Harry Hole books the best. Happy reading."

This is actually the only Nesbo's book I could find in our library. I saw that one more was translated, but they don't..."

Oh, lots of Nesbo's books have been translated in English!

The Harry Hole series alone:

The Redbreast (2006)
Nemesis (2008)
The Devil's Star (2005)
The Redeemer (2009)
The Snowman (2010)
The Leopard (2011)
Phantom (2012)

Fizzycola wrote: "Vesna wrote: "Sharon wrote: I enjoyed the early Harry Hole books the best. Happy reading."

This is actually the only Nesbo's book I could find in our library. I saw that one more was translated, ..."

The first tw Harry Hole books are only now finally becoming accessible to those of us that need English.
THE BATMAN.    iBook. July 2012 pre ordered  11/10/12
THE COCKROACHES (still to be trans into English)

Just finishing Jo Nesbo's "Phantom". Love the more complex later novels of his series. Next one of his will be "Head Hunter", but I think I'll take a short hiatus from my hungry reading of Scandinavian crime novels. It's been a year with only a handful of other novels in there.

Currently on Kristina Ohlsson's Unwanted. Enjoying it so far - I'm sure there is much more to come when it comes to the relationship between main detectives.

It is indeed a curious team assembled in Unwanted; and I will be reading any future released translated into English.

i'm on page 110 of The Nightmare by Lars Keplar, which is the sequal to The Hypnotist. The hypnotist was a good read and the story is developed in a very unique way. Gave it 4 stars so I hope that the Nightmare lives up to its prequel

Ancestral wrote: "It is indeed a curious team assembled in Unwanted; and I will be reading any future released translated into English."

Looking fwd to this....on my iBook shelf but just soooo behind.

Reading "Borkmann's Point" by Håkan Nesser. So far so good! Axman gone amok in a small Swedish town. Second of the van Veeteren series, so I'll have to find the first one.

Arjun wrote: "i'm on page 110 of The Nightmare by Lars Keplar, which is the sequal to The Hypnotist. The hypnotist was a good read and the story is developed in a very unique way. Gave it 4 stars so I hope tha..."

Ancestral wrote: "It is indeed a curious team assembled in Unwanted; and I will be reading any future released translated into English."

Is it out in the UK already or is it a US edition?

I'm not sure which book you are referring to Eva, but Unwanted is out in the U.K. as far as I am aware.

Ancestral wrote: "I'm not sure which book you are referring to Eva, but Unwanted is out in the U.K. as far as I am aware."

I downloaded from iTunes store, to iBook 19 July. I am in Holland.

Ancestral wrote: "I'm not sure which book you are referring to Eva, but Unwanted is out in the U.K. as far as I am aware."

Sorry, it was not clear :( I was writing about Lars Kepler's Nightmare.

Hardcover and kindle out on September 13 in the UK. If you search on Amazon UK Eva, you can generally get this info for any title you are wondering about.

Ian wrote: "Hardcover and kindle out on September 13 in the UK. If you search on Amazon UK Eva, you can generally get this info for any title you are wondering about."

Thank you for the info, Ian.

Reading Roseanna - so far much better than a later Beck I read not that long ago, A Man on the Balcony. Weird to think this book was first published 45 y ago, and it's influenced sooooo many Scandinavian crime authors since.

Anna wrote: "Reading Roseanna - so far much better than a later Beck I read not that long ago, A Man on the Balcony. Weird to think this book was first published 45 y ago, and it's influenced sooooo many Scandi..."

I'm slowly working through the whole series. Each one is a little different; it's interesting to compare them! But Roseanna is definitely one of the best.

Has anyone read Leif GW Persson's two books? The first concerns Olof Palme's assassination, the second is based on a 1970s terrorist attack in Stockholm. They are really interesting books, albeit a bit challenging at times. His take on the Palme assassination is really intriguing; he's pretty critical of the Swedish police (and Palme himself, who apparently wasn't very keen on having bodyguards). He also seems to imply in both books that the CIA manipulates Sweden rather freely, without Sweden knowing it. I am not so into political thrillers, but these were fascinating.

Without Sweden knowing it? Palme was saying it, and some think that's why he was murdered. And presidents and prime ministers usually don't have much or any personal security in this part of the world. One former prez lives not far from me. She and another also shop at my favorite used book store.

James wrote: "Without Sweden knowing it? Palme was saying it, and some think that's why he was murdered. And presidents and prime ministers usually don't have much or any personal security in this part of the wo..."

Interesting, both you and Florence have me intrigued, seems I need to read more on Swedish History/Politics. By the way I love your books.

I really enjoyed Leif G W Persson's Between Summer's Longing and Winter's End: The Story of a Crime and wrote a positive review for it. I particularly enjoyed the clever writing style but it may not be to everyone else's taste. I'm hoping to start the second book in the series very soon.

Thanks Lili. Palme was a severe critic of both the U.S. and the USSR. A number of conspiracy theories revolve around his murder. Makes for good reading. I do love a good conspiracy theory.

Thanks for the input from everyone. I don't know much about politics in Scandinavia, and it's interesting to learn more. There's a third book in the series; not sure when it will be translated, but I'm looking forward to it.

Decided to try and read somethhing really off the path and am doing The Shadow of Gotham and really liking it. Takes place in New York in 1905 and was an Edgar Winner.

I've been reading off genre lately but have just picked up Asa Larsson's The Savage Altar (aka Sun Storm). She will be a guest at the Melbourne Writers Festival in a fortnight and will also be presenting this year's Davitt Awards for Australian Sisters in Crime. I've been wanting to read her books for a long time and figured this was the perfect time to get on to that.

Pat wrote: "I've been reading off genre lately but have just picked up Asa Larsson's The Savage Altar (aka Sun Storm). She will be a guest at the Melbourne Writers Festival in a fortnight and will also be pres..."

Look fwd to what you think. I loved them. They follow each other closely and I am keen for more to appear. Understood two being translated. The nature and culture of the area also intrigued.