10 books like The Darkest Room

By Johan Theorin,

Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like The Darkest Room. Shepherd is a community of 8,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Let the Right One in

By John Ajvide Lindqvist, Ebba Segerberg (translator),

Book cover of Let the Right One in

Leopoldo Gout Author Of Piñata

From the list on reminding us that the past never dies.

Who am I?

I’m an author, visual artist, and film producer. I’m originally from Mexico but studied fine art in London at Central St Martins School of art with a scholarship. I’ve had a wild career of writing, packaging, developing, and publishing books for more than a decade. You can see some of my visual art in galleries, museums, and my Instagram @leopoldoleopoldo or in my most recent illustrated novel Monarca. My forthcoming novel, Piñata, is a supernatural possession story driven by the real horrors of colonialism in my native Mexico. I wrote it as an outlet for a simultaneous love and rage at the world, history, my country, and current events.

Leopoldo's book list on reminding us that the past never dies

Discover why each book is one of Leopoldo's favorite books.

Why did Leopoldo love this book?

This is a book that to me was a Rocketship!

It covers so many themes I love and redefined a Vampire tale… It danced around gender, social horror, and coming of age; but something I find very intriguing about this book’s world is its past, or lack thereof.

The town it takes place in is described as missing a past early on, which made such a stark impact on me considering it is a book that deconstructs such a historied character: the vampire.

The vampire is taken into such new contexts, not a suave, rich, handsome aristocratic type, but a young kid living on the outskirts of modern society. It takes an old convention used to talk about the problems of its day into a modern setting, literally mutilating Eli to discuss contemporary societal horror. 

It was intimate and glorious, making you feel the hunger and literally growing incredible empathy…

Let the Right One in

By John Ajvide Lindqvist, Ebba Segerberg (translator),

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Let the Right One in as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

John Ajvide Lindqvist’s international bestseller Let the Right One In is “a brilliant take on the vampire myth, and a roaring good story” (New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong), the basis for the multi-film festival award-winning Swedish film, the U.S. adaptation Let Me In directed by Matt Reeves (The Batman), and the Showtime TV series.

It is autumn 1981 when inconceivable horror comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenager is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at…


The Lost Village

By Camilla Sten, Alexandra Fleming (translator),

Book cover of The Lost Village

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir Author Of I Remember You: A Ghost Story

From the list on Nordic horror guaranteed to get rid of “hygge”.

Who am I?

I am an Icelandic writer, best known for crime fiction although I have also written horror and children’s books. From a young age I have been a fan of creepiness and horror. My threshold for the macabre is thus high, maybe best witnessed by me noting that my first crime series featuring lawyer Thora was a cosy crime series, only to be reminded that in the first installment the eyes of a dead body were removed with a teaspoon, in the second a child was killed and the third featured decapitation. Whenever I need a reprise from writing crime I revert to horror, the best received of these being I Remember You

Yrsa's book list on Nordic horror guaranteed to get rid of “hygge”

Discover why each book is one of Yrsa's favorite books.

Why did Yrsa love this book?

Anyone obsessing over the disappearance of the Roanoke settlers will enjoy this book. As will those that have never heard of the incident or couldn’t care less. It actually has nothing to do with Roanoke but at its core is the same type of mystery, the disappearance of the inhabitants of a whole town in the past. The pacing of the book is great and the creepiness is all-encompassing while you alternate between two timelines, accompanying a documentary crew in the present trying to make heads of what happened and the past events leading up to the mystery. To be corny, it is unputdownable.       

The Lost Village

By Camilla Sten, Alexandra Fleming (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Lost Village as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed "The Lost Village," since she was a little girl. Her grandmother's entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the dead woman and abandoned baby have plagued her. She's gathered a small crew of filmmaking friends to spend a few days in the quiet village and make a film about what really happened.

There will be no turning back for them.

Not long after they've set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People…


The Girl Who Died

By Ragnar Jonasson,

Book cover of The Girl Who Died: A Thriller

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir Author Of I Remember You: A Ghost Story

From the list on Nordic horror guaranteed to get rid of “hygge”.

Who am I?

I am an Icelandic writer, best known for crime fiction although I have also written horror and children’s books. From a young age I have been a fan of creepiness and horror. My threshold for the macabre is thus high, maybe best witnessed by me noting that my first crime series featuring lawyer Thora was a cosy crime series, only to be reminded that in the first installment the eyes of a dead body were removed with a teaspoon, in the second a child was killed and the third featured decapitation. Whenever I need a reprise from writing crime I revert to horror, the best received of these being I Remember You

Yrsa's book list on Nordic horror guaranteed to get rid of “hygge”

Discover why each book is one of Yrsa's favorite books.

Why did Yrsa love this book?

If small-town creepy mystery is your thing, then the setting of this book´s setting is the mother of all such premises. The book takes place in a small, remote fishing village with only a handful of inhabitants. None of which are exactly warm or welcoming to newcomers. We witness odd goings-on through the eyes of a young teacher, hired to teach the two children residing in the minuscule community. To add to the claustrophobic atmosphere of the situation, the attic room the protagonist is provided is haunted by the ghost of a young girl. This book is atmospheric and best enjoyed in a solitary environment, read by candlelight. Highly recommended for those in need of a creepy, ghostly fix.    

The Girl Who Died

By Ragnar Jonasson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Girl Who Died as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE NAIL-BITING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

'Is this the best crime writer in the world today?' The Times

'A world-class crime writer . . . One of the most astonishing plots of modern crime fiction' Sunday Times

'It is nothing less than a landmark in modern crime fiction' The Times
________

'TEACHER WANTED AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD . . .'

After the loss of her father, Una sees a chance to escape Reykjavik to tutor two girls in the tiny village of Skalar - population just ten - on Iceland's storm-battered north coast.…


I Am Behind You

By John Ajvide Lindqvist,

Book cover of I Am Behind You

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir Author Of I Remember You: A Ghost Story

From the list on Nordic horror guaranteed to get rid of “hygge”.

Who am I?

I am an Icelandic writer, best known for crime fiction although I have also written horror and children’s books. From a young age I have been a fan of creepiness and horror. My threshold for the macabre is thus high, maybe best witnessed by me noting that my first crime series featuring lawyer Thora was a cosy crime series, only to be reminded that in the first installment the eyes of a dead body were removed with a teaspoon, in the second a child was killed and the third featured decapitation. Whenever I need a reprise from writing crime I revert to horror, the best received of these being I Remember You

Yrsa's book list on Nordic horror guaranteed to get rid of “hygge”

Discover why each book is one of Yrsa's favorite books.

Why did Yrsa love this book?

It is only fair that John Ajvide Lindqvist gets two mentions out of my five. He is the Nordic author most committed to the genre and damn good at it to boot. As a result, there was a lot to choose from and yet I decided on the title that is possibly the least likely to hold mass appeal, despite a premise that might seem most horror reader’s cup of tea. Ten people in campervans, plus a dog and a cat, wake up to find the world as they knew it has disappeared. What happens next is presented from a multiple POW and is disturbing, harrowing, gory, and creepy. The part that is not for everyone is that the story is hard to wrap your head around. But for those horror aficionados that do not need a perfect explanation at the end are in for a hell of a ride…

I Am Behind You

By John Ajvide Lindqvist,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Am Behind You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A supernatural superthriller from the author of Let the Right One In

Molly wakes her mother to go to the toilet. The campsite is strangely blank. The toilet block has gone. Everything else has gone too. This is a place with no sun. No god.

Just four families remain. Each has done something to bring them here - each denies they deserve it. Until they see what's coming over the horizon, moving irrevocably towards them. Their worst mistake. Their darkest fear.

And for just one of them, their homecoming.

This gripping conceptual horror takes you deep into one of the…


The Danish Way of Parenting

By Jessica Joelle Alexander, Iben Dissing Sandahl,

Book cover of The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know about Raising Confident, Capable Kids

Linda Åkeson McGurk Author Of There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge)

From the list on parenting secrets from other cultures.

Who am I?

I’m a Swedish American journalist, blogger, and author whose writings about Scandinavian parenting culture have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and online publications across the world, including Time.com, Parents.com, and Green Child Magazine. I’m particularly interested in the role of nature in childhood and believe the best memories are created outside, while jumping in puddles, digging in dirt, catching bugs and climbing trees. In 2013, I started the blog Rain or Shine Mamma to inspire other parents and caregivers to get outside with their children every day, regardless of the weather. I’m currently working on my second book, about the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv, which will be published by Tarcher Perigee in 2022.

Linda's book list on parenting secrets from other cultures

Discover why each book is one of Linda's favorite books.

Why did Linda love this book?

Danish parenting advice is the best thing to come out of Denmark since hygge and in this book, authors Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Sandahl explain why. Stressing emotional health, free play, and – of course – hygge, The Danish Way of Parenting makes a strong case for a more empathetic way of raising children than the old school authoritarian style and gives parents practical tools to avoid yelling and spanking. A modern parenting classic with a decidedly Scandinavian flavor.

The Danish Way of Parenting

By Jessica Joelle Alexander, Iben Dissing Sandahl,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Danish Way of Parenting as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A shining alternative to high-stress modern parenting, and families from New Delhi to New York will shout with joy' Heather Shumaker, author of It's OK Not to Share and It's OK to Go Up the Slide

DISCOVER THE PARENTING SECRETS OF THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

What makes Denmark the happiest country in the world -- and how do Danish parents raise happy, confident, successful kids, year after year? This upbeat and practical guide reveals the six essential principles that have been working for parents in Denmark for decades:

- Play: essential for development and well-being
- Authenticity: fosters…


Book cover of Cultural Semantics and Social Cognition: A Case Study on the Danish Universe of Meaning

Anna Wierzbicka Author Of What Christians Believe: The Story of God and People in Minimal English

From the list on meaning and language and why it matters.

Who am I?

I am professor of linguistics (Emerita) at the Australian National University. I was born in Poland, but having married an Australian I have now lived for 50 years in Australia. In 2007, my daughter Mary Besemeres and I published Translating Lives: Living with Two Languages and Cultures, based on our own experience. I have three big ideas which have shaped my life’s work, and which are all related to my experience and to my thinking about that experience. As a Christian (a Catholic) I believe in the unity of the “human race”, and I am very happy to see that our discovery of “Basic Human” underlying all languages vindicates this unity.

Anna's book list on meaning and language and why it matters

Discover why each book is one of Anna's favorite books.

Why did Anna love this book?

This book is about “The Danish universe of meaning,” or, the view of the world as it is has been captured by Danish words and meanings. The work includes deep semantic analysis of cultural constructs such as hygge, roughly, ‘pleasant togetherness’ and tryghed, roughly, ‘sense of security, peace of mind,’ as well as cognitive verbs, emotion adjectives, personhood constructs, and rhetorical keywords. But Levisen’s aim is not only to study Danish—at heart, the book is about cultural semantics at large. The aim is to use Danish as a case study and to provide a new model for comparative research into the diversity and unity of meaning in European languages. To my mind, this book wonderfully succeeds in achieving this aim.

Cultural Semantics and Social Cognition

By Carsten Levisen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cultural Semantics and Social Cognition as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Presenting original, detailed studies of keywords of Danish, this book breaks new ground for the study of language and cultural values. Based on evidence from the semantic categories of everyday language, such as the Danish concept of hygge (roughly meaning, 'pleasant togetherness'), the book provides an integrative socio-cognitive framework for studying and understanding language-particular universes. It is argued that the worlds we live in are not linguistically and conceptually neutral, but rather that speakers who live by Danish concepts are likely to pay attention to their world in ways suggested by central Danish keywords and lexical grids. By means of…


The Savage Altar

By Asa Larsson, Marlaine Delargy (translator),

Book cover of The Savage Altar

Jessica Jarlvi Author Of What Did I Do?

From the list on dark Scandi Noir.

Who am I?

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! 

Jessica's book list on dark Scandi Noir

Discover why each book is one of Jessica's favorite books.

Why did Jessica love this book?

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. 

The Savage Altar

By Asa Larsson, Marlaine Delargy (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Savage Altar as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Innocence will be sacrificed...

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…


The Bomber

By Liza Marklund,

Book cover of The Bomber

Brenda Chapman Author Of Blind Date: A Hunter and Tate Mystery

From the list on crime fiction with intriguing lead characters.

Who am I?

I’ve been addicted to reading mysteries and crime fiction since I was a kid, and I naturally fell into writing in these genres—I’m currently in the midst of penning my fourth series! There’s nothing better than discovering a new, well-written series and following along with interesting, complicated main characters over several books. These favourite recommendations of mine will take you to Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, and my very own Canada without ever having to leave home. Hopefully, you’ll discover some new authors, and their main characters will bring you as much enjoyment as they’ve given me. 

Brenda's book list on crime fiction with intriguing lead characters

Discover why each book is one of Brenda's favorite books.

Why did Brenda love this book?

Annika Bengtzon is another strong woman reporter working in a man’s world. She’s married to a man very involved in his own career. They have two children and Annika struggles to balance chasing after a story with looking after the kids and keeping house. Most women can relate to her very real pressures and will empathize with all that she goes through on the home front. I liked her tenacity and intelligence and almost reckless pursuit of a killer. Marklund is Swedish and I enjoy learning more about the country—another cold, northern setting. Her character develops over the series with gritty crimes at the centre of the stories.

The Bomber

By Liza Marklund,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Bomber as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Seven days. Three killings. And one woman who knows too much...

Crime reporter Annika Bengtzon is woken by a phonecall in the early hours of a wintry December morning. An explosion has ripped apart the Olympic Stadium. And a victim has been blown to pieces.

As Annika delves into the details of the bombing and the background of the victim, there is a second explosion. These chilling crimes could be her biggest news story yet. When her police source reveals they are hot on the heels of the bomber, Annika is guaranteed an exclusive with her name on it.

But…


The Wolf and the Watchman

By Niklas Natt Och Dag,

Book cover of The Wolf and the Watchman

Karen Engelmann Author Of The Stockholm Octavo

From the list on to unlock treasures of Sweden’s Gustavian Age.

Who am I?

Stockholm was the first city that I traveled to outside of the U.S. Landing there at Midsommar and visiting the Old Town made an indelible impression. I lived and worked in Sweden for almost 10 years, and had little time for history then, but later found Stockholm in the Gustavian age irresistible as the basis for my first novel. It was a period of cultural flowering, of occult fascinations, social change, and great drama. Readers tend to look further south, in France and Great Britain, for their historical fiction, histories, and biographies, but there are great stories further north as well. 

Karen's book list on to unlock treasures of Sweden’s Gustavian Age

Discover why each book is one of Karen's favorite books.

Why did Karen love this book?

There are so few novels in English that explore Gustavian Stockholm, and this is a thrilling page-turner set in 1793 that explores the dark side of the capital city one year after the assassination of King Gustav III. Mikel Cardell, a watchman with a brutal past in the army, and Cecil Winge, an investigator who is hovering near death himself, team up to find the perpetrator of a heinous murder. Author Niklas Natt och Dag (translates to Night and Day — an old aristocratic name) has written a story steeped in graphic, gory period detail and authentic atmosphere.  

The Wolf and the Watchman

By Niklas Natt Och Dag,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Wolf and the Watchman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A remarkable debut novel' Sunday Times

'The best historical thriller I've read in twenty years' A.J. Finn

'A thrilling, unnerving, clever and beautiful story. Reading it is like giving a little gift to oneself' Fredrik Backman

The year is 1793, Stockholm. King Gustav of Sweden has been assassinated, years of foreign wars have emptied the treasuries, and the realm is governed by a self-interested elite, leaving its citizens to suffer. On the streets, malcontent and paranoia abound.

A body is found in the city's swamp by a watchman, Mickel Cardell, and the case is handed over to investigator Cecil Winge,…


The Sandman

By Lars Kepler, Neil Smith (translator),

Book cover of The Sandman

Jessica Jarlvi Author Of What Did I Do?

From the list on dark Scandi Noir.

Who am I?

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! 

Jessica's book list on dark Scandi Noir

Discover why each book is one of Jessica's favorite books.

Why did Jessica love this book?

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. 

The Sandman

By Lars Kepler, Neil Smith (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Sandman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#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…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Sweden, Scandinavia, and criminal investigations?

8,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about Sweden, Scandinavia, and criminal investigations.

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