English Translations of Scandinavian/Nordic Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Helsinki White by James Thompson is our second read for the Month of March book is due out on the 15th.

Can't wait! I just finished Snow Angels and will try and read Lucifer's Tears before this is released on the 15th...

Perfect time of the year to read the series I think. Definitely read in order if you can find th three books. Can't wait to get started with that one...

It's due out on the 15th but they say I should receive it by the 20th. I got a hard copy. May bug Jim for one of his autographs! Take that you e-readers.

Kenneth wrote: "It's due out on the 15th but they say I should receive it by the 20th. I got a hard copy. May bug Jim for one of his autographs! Take that you e-readers."

Heh. I have heard of readers actually asking authors to autograph their e-readers.

Ha! Got my copy on the 19th. Well nobody bug me for a day while I read.

Kenneth wrote: "Ha! Got my copy on the 19th. Well nobody bug me for a day while I read."

I got mine last Friday. Haven't had time to start it yet.

I finished it. Was it good, Jim Thompson it is going to be hard to follow. What's the name of your next book? It's whats happening now in Norway, and Sweden, and all the other countries. It's too bad that it's happening but why can't people live lives together. People only see the evil right now.

Thank you Kenneth. I haven't named the next book, will probably break down and make a decision about it in the next few days. I wish I could answer that question, or that someone could. I just look at it as I didn't make this world, I just write about it. I see good in the small things of life. Good moments. Good meals. Good people. It's the larger picture of what's happening in the world that is so disheartening to me. I suspect the world has always been so. At times, much much worse.

Just started the book today; looks great so far!

I am the Demon Dog of Nordic crime fiction, and if you never read another book, your last should be Helsinki White. It will shock you and spellbind you. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry.

Just kidding. I hope you enjoy the book.
Best, Jim

James wrote: "I am the Demon Dog of Nordic crime fiction, and if you never read another book, your last should be Helsinki White. It will shock you and spellbind you. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry..."

Every genre needs a Demon Dog. Halfway through the book and loving it, and am very appreciative of the jazz references!

Just finished this book and posted my review on the book's page. Highly recommended, and I'm definitely getting the first and second installments!

Florence wrote: "Just finished this book and posted my review on the book's page. Highly recommended, and I'm definitely getting the first and second installments!"

Thank you Florence. I hope you enjoy the other books as much. And Sketches of Spain is one of my all-time favorite recordings.

I'm about half-way through and enjoying it as much as either of the first 2. I'll have to say that there was quite a bit of back-story before anything really started happening, but it's definitely in high gear by the half-way point!
I'm feeling a bit like I was mid-way through The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, though. Not quite ready to finish the final book in a series that I'm really enjoying...
More discussion when I finish, probably in just a couple more days.

Don't worry, Helsinki White isn't the final book of the series! As far as I know, a fourth book is coming, but first next spring.

I just finished last night. Holy crap; that's some dark and twisted shit! (view spoiler)[I was starting to wonder about how far Kari was going to go into his low-life; maybe as far as pimping out his wife to get the killer. Some of the descriptions of dark violence were enough to give me reeeealy bad dreams last night; shooting a pregnant girl through the belly? Who thinks of that stuff? (hide spoiler)] I still gave it 4 stars (which works out to be roughly 1 star for each hundred times the "N" word gets used), and will be patiently waiting for the next in the series.

Unforunately Tom, my internal world if full of this dark and twisted shit. I'll say this about HW. It will be a while before I write another book that takes racism head on. Psychologically, it was hard to live in such an ugly fictional world for long enough to write the book. But I felt it needed to be done.

James wrote: "Unforunately Tom, my internal world if full of this dark and twisted shit. I'll say this about HW. It will be a while before I write another book that takes racism head on. Psychologically, it was ..."

Such a good point we readers seldom appreciate, thanks for you honesty and integrity.

Folks have wondered how, or if it was even possible, to follow up Helsinki White. I sent the next novel, THE SLEEP OF THE DEAD, to the director of the films. He's the 1st reader and this is the 1st feedback.

Hey Jim,

Just finished the book. I started reading it around nine last night and went straight through on one sitting (AUTHOR'S NOTE: not easy, it's a pretty long book).

I'll sleep first before getting back with my thoughts, but wanted to drop a quick email that I really liked it and thought it to be a great conclusion to the trilogy of events that Lucifer's Tears set in motion. I'm not one for hyperbole in general, but it is the strongest of the three Helsinki set books in my opinion.

Excellent work, as always.

James wrote: "Folks have wondered how, or if it was even possible, to follow up Helsinki White. I sent the next novel, THE SLEEP OF THE DEAD, to the director of the films. He's the 1st reader and this is the 1st..."

Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing the next installment . . .

Thanks Florence! Now I'm laying awake at night planning the next one. It's coming along. Plus I'm managing editor of HELSINKI NOIR, part of the 'Noir' series by Akashic. It's good stuff. Dennis LeHane, for instance, edited BOSTON NOIR.A collection of short stories by Finnish authors, and I contribute one myself. So I'm dreaming up the short story as well. And today, working on the SNOW ANGELS film script.

James wrote: "Folks have wondered how, or if it was even possible, to follow up Helsinki White. I sent the next novel, THE SLEEP OF THE DEAD, to the director of the films. He's the 1st reader and this is the 1st..."

Happy for you Jim. First I knew that the Helsinki books are a trilogy!

Finished Helsinki White this week and am without words. Good read. BUT

Totally agree the huge trouble and discussion regarding racism everywhere currently evident in our individual daily news, needs to be tackled and it is NOT easy to do so. Some others are also addressing these issues well.

But the swearing, excessive violence and use of sex, the total excess of alcohol on and on! IMO the loss of self was accounted for in terms of KV but what happened to Kate! A discussion on Kate could be lenghty....what happened to her! AL just tossed out shame, as he had nice and flawed points not simply just flawed...a bit of balance.

Bent cop is one thing ...flawed but driven to prove the case and get to the truth another. Putting yourself out there to get to the truth...okay. The toys for boys! Excessive weapons and that degree of corruption throughpout the legal and political systems, concerns me. Believability! Is there a discussion here ?

The writing is excellent and the twists and swirls of themes and story really nicely done and also each thread well tied up. Very good.

Look forward to the next but must say I liked KV and Kate in Snow Angels. Hate what has become of them in the big city!

Sharon wrote: "James wrote: "Folks have wondered how, or if it was even possible, to follow up Helsinki White. I sent the next novel, THE SLEEP OF THE DEAD, to the director of the films. He's the 1st reader and t..."

They're only three books out of a continuing series, but I set up the story arc of three consecutive books as a trilogy--two leave issues unresolved and balance is restored in the third, now titled Helsinki Blood and to be released next year. Afterward,in Book 5, the series continues in a new fictional present and life situation for the characters begins on a fresh note.