I’m originally Swedish and although I have been brought up reading literature from all over the world, the dark setting of Scandi Noir has deeply influenced me. It’s the environment, isolated locations, and the way these books delve into the psyche of the characters that grab me. If you’re into dark, twisty books then this list is for you!
Kristin is on the run. From her life. From herself. When two murders take place in Chicago, Kristin quickly finds herself a prime suspect. The problem is she can't be sure of what she did or didn't do.
Did they make me do it?In fear for her life, Kristin flees to Sweden to start her life over. But it's not that easy to escape the past. And whatever she's done, someone is on her tail, wanting her to pay. The question is: could she be a killer and not even remember?
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is a classic Scandi Noir and has played such a huge part in this genre’s development, it had to nab the top spot. From intriguing characters and events to interesting political and social issues, this book manages to combine a missing body, a controversial investigative journalist, and a kick-ass female hacker – how can you go wrong? It’s a must-read and although it can be read as a stand-alone, if you love it, there are two more in the series.
Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder - and that the killer is a member of his own tightly-knit but dysfunctional family.
He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, truculent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet's disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history.
Taking place in northern Sweden, where the cold and snowy environment plays its own part, this story focuses on a cult-like church where the founder has been brutally murdered. A lawyer and friend of the victim’s sister, Rebecka Martinsson, travels up from Stockholm to help solve the case. It’s dark and gritty and suspenseful – it’s also the first of 6 books.
On the floor of a church in northern Sweden, the body of a man lies ritually mutilated and defiled - and in the night sky, the aurora borealis dances as the snow begins to fall.
Rebecka Martinsson is heading home to Kiruna, the small town she'd left in disgrace years before. A Stockholm tax lawyer, Rebecka has a good reason to return: her friend Sanna, whose brother has been horrifically murdered in the church of the cult he helped create. Beautiful and fragile, Sanna needs someone like Rebecka to remove the shadow of guilt that is…
Kallocain is a dystopian Scandi Noir written by feminist writer Karin Boye. Like The Handmaid’s Tale, it shows a state where there are eyes and ears everywhere. However, in this world, a scientist discovers a drug that can force people to tell the truth, which poses many philosophical questions while pitting people in the novel against each other. Kallocain has a suspenseful and intriguing plot where you’re never quite sure how the characters are going to act. A brilliant read!
This classic Swedish novel envisioned a future of drab terror. Seen through the eyes of idealistic scientist Leo Kall, Kallocain's depiction of a totalitarian world state is a montage of what novelist Karin Boye had seen or sensed in 1930s Russia and Germany. Its central idea grew from the rumors of truth drugs that ensured the subservience of every citizen to the state.
This book takes place in Norway and I felt I learnt about a new Scandinavian culture, while being drawn into the complicated world of therapist Sara. Her husband has gone missing and she finds out he never did arrive at that cabin with his friends. Sara is not your typically enigmatic protagonist which makes this book even more intriguing.
From the mind of a psychologist comes a chilling domestic thriller that gets under your skin.
"Creepy, compelling and very well written" Harriet Tyce
At first it's the lie that hurts.
A voicemail from her husband tells Sara he's arrived at the holiday cabin. Then a call from his friend confirms he never did.
She tries to carry on as normal, teasing out her clients' deepest fears, but as the hours stretch out, her own begin to surface. And when the police finally take an interest, they want to know why Sara deleted that voicemail.
Focusing on a deeply disturbed serial killer, this book got under my skin! I felt such a wide range of emotions reading this, from fascination to fear and shock, and couldn’t stop turning the page. Although the central character, detective Joona Linna, features in all the Kepler books, this book can be read as a stand-alone.
#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • This installment in the Killer Instinct Series tells the chilling story of a manipulative serial killer and the two brilliant police agents who must beat him at his own game.
“With its tight, staccato chapters and cast of dangerous wraiths lurking everywhere, The Sandman is a nonstop fright.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times
Late one night, outside Stockholm, Mikael Kohler-Frost is found wandering. Thirteen years earlier, he went missing along with his younger sister. They were long thought to have been victims of Sweden's most notorious serial killer, Jurek Walter, now serving a life sentence…
I have been a writer for more than twenty years and have favored pursuing “truth in fiction” rather than “money in formula.” I also spent over thirty years in the corporate world and was exposed to many situations reminiscent of those described in my fiction and in these recommended books. While I support enterprise, “enlightened capitalism” is preferable to the bare-knuckle type we have today, and which seems to resurface whenever regulation weakens. I also find writing novels closer to my lived experience connects me intimately with readers who are looking for socio-political, realist literature.
Avery Mann, a retired pharmaceuticals executive, is in crisis.
His wife dies of cancer, his son’s marriage is on the rocks, his grandson is having a meltdown, and his good friend is a victim of the robocalls scandal that invades the Canadian federal election. Throw in a reckless fling with a former colleague, a fire that destroys his retirement property, and a rumour emerging that the drug he helped bring to market years ago may have been responsible for the death of his wife, and Avery’s life goes into freefall.
Does an octogenarian beekeeper living on Vancouver Island hold the key to Avery’s recovery, a man holding secrets that put lives in jeopardy? Avery races across the country to find out, with crooked bosses, politicians, and assassins on his tail. Joseph spins a cautionary tale of corporate and political greed that is endemic to our times.
Avery Mann, a retired pharmaceuticals executive, is in crisis. His wife dies of cancer, his son’s marriage is on the rocks, his grandson is having a meltdown, and his good friend is a victim of the robocalls scandal that invades the Canadian federal election.
Throw in a reckless fling with a former colleague, a fire that destroys his retirement property, and a rumour emerging that the drug he helped bring to market years ago may have been responsible for the death of his wife, and Avery’s life goes into freefall.
Does an octogenarian bee keeper living on Vancouver Island hold…
Interested in
romantic love,
criminal investigations,
and
Sweden?
10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them.
Browse their picks for the best books about
romantic love,
criminal investigations,
and
Sweden.
