January MysteryCAT: Nordic Mysteries

In my neck of the woods, this is the coldest month. What better time to read a book set in the Nordic Countries: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark - but in the spirit of things, I would include mysteries set in any other place within the Northern Arctic Circle (Siberia, Alaska, Yukon, Greenland...).

A good place to look for Northern Mysteries is the Glass Key Award for Nordic Crime Fiction. The award, named after the novel The Glass Key by American crime writer Dashiell Hammett, is a real glass key given every year by the members of the Crime Writers of Scandinavia (Skandinaviska Kriminalsällskapet) to a crime novel written by a Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian or Swedish author. Each country's members put forth a candidate novel, making up the shortlist. But not all these books have been translated into English.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_Key_award
https://www.librarything.com/bookaward/Glass%20Key%20Award
https://www.librarything.com/bookaward/Glass+Key+Award+Nominee

Another award that will yield books sure to be translated you might try the Petrona Award:
http://www.petronaaward.co.uk/

Other recommendations can be found here:
https://crimefictionlover.com/2016/12/top-10-nordic-noir-novels-of-2016/
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2013/01/14/scandinavian-crime-fiction

Or you can browse a much larger selection of books in the tagmash Scandinavia & Crime:
https://www.librarything.com/tag/Scandinavia,+crime

And here are some recommendations:



And some that wait on my shelves:

Planning on The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen

>4 majkia: I've only read the first on this series, but I enjoyed the characters. I have the second on my shelf, waiting...

I think I'm going to plan on reading Wolf Winter--it's the only one in my TBR that fits the theme, and since one of my goals is reading more from my TBR anyway, it seems like it's meant to be that that one finally gets read!

I am planning on reading Nemesis by Jo Nesbo and Silence by Jan Kostin Wager

I'll be reading Outrage by Arnaldur Indriaason.

I'll probably be reading Jo Nesbo's The Redbreast.

>5 sushicat: I've read the first also and loved it. Also loved the TV series. I frankly hadn't even thought of that series as Nordic. Hmmm.

I've got several in my TBR pile, but I'll probably wait until January to decide what I want to read for the challenge. It may also be affected by what is available at the time through the library.

I have Keeper of Lost Causes on my shelves. I've had it on my shelves 5 years, so perhaps January's the time!

I plan to read He Who Fears the Wolf by Karin Fossum.

>8 LittleTaiko: I'll be reading an Indridason too, at some point in 2018. I'm up to Oblivion.

****

I'd heartily recommend Yrsa Sigurdardottir for anyone looking to try a new-to-them Icelandic mystery series! I started with the third one, Ashes to Dust. All of them are great.

>7 DeltaQueen50: - I'm planning on reading Nemesis too and I also might read The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen which I took as a BB from you and so would also fit in the Random Cat.

I'm planning to start with The Ice Child by Camilla Läckberg, but I've got several more that could fit this category, including The Mine by Antti Tuomainen and A Cold Day for Murder by Dana Stabenow.

The Woman in Cabin 10 / Ruth Ware

Might be what I go for.

This is an embarrassment of riches. I have a few series that I can continue with (Harry Hole, Martin Beck, Jussi Adler-Olsen, Erlendur) as well as a few new series to start (Detective Inspector Huss, Inspector Anders Knutas, etc..) and several stand-alone novels. How did I reach this state of affairs? Should I dedicate January solely to Nordic mysteries?

I'm a bit stuck for this CAT, actually, as I don't naturally gravitate toward the darker end of the mystery genre. I'd welcome recommendations for a Nordic mystery that isn't relentlessly depressing! (Not to generalize unfairly, but that's my impression of most Scandinavian crime novels. I'd be happy to be proved wrong!)

>19 christina_reads: You might enjoy Camilla Läckberg's books. Her series, which begins with The Ice Princess, is less dark than the other Nordic mystery series I've read and there are some elements of cozy mysteries in there too. There are lots of side stories about the main characters' friends, family and colleagues.

>19 christina_reads: I have the same problem. A while back someone (Mamie, maybe?) suggested Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson as a more mellow Nordic read.

ETA: Definitely Crazymamie!

The Jussi Adler-Olsen series, Depatment Q, has a lot of humor in it. The folks in Department Q are not, precisely what you'd expect.

>20 mathgirl40: >21 Dejah_Thoris: >22 majkia: Thanks for the recommendations! I'll look into those series. I know I've seen good reviews of them around LT!

I'm in! I've had He Who Kills the Dragon, the first of the Backstrom series on my shelf just waiting for some cold weather.

>20 mathgirl40:, >21 Dejah_Thoris: Yep. Here's my review of Snowblind from when I read it earlier this year - there are no spoilers, so you can read it without worrying that you'll spoil the plot:

This was reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery if, say, the sleuth was very wet behind the ears. Meet Ari Thór Arason, who is in his early twenties and finishing up at the police academy in Reykjavik, Iceland. He is offered a job in the northern town of Siglufjördour, which he accepts, not understanding just how isolated the small town is, especially in the winter when avalanches make leaving the town an impossibility. Ari Thór's new boss tells him that its a quiet town, that nothing much ever happens there. *cue the dead bodies*

I liked that Ari Thór was an outsider because the reader gets to discover the town with him and because he doesn't make assumptions about people, not having grown up there. However, the seasoned mystery reader in me was slightly frustrated at how slowly he picked up on certain clues and his inability to gain the upper hand with suspects - his questioning technique needs a lot of work. "No, not like that, and please stop and think before you go jumping in again," I yelled at him, but to no avail. Hercule Poirot knew the importance of waiting for the right moment, of studying every truth from multiple angles before acting. Still, Ari Thór has his good points - he is not stupid, just young, and because he is unseasoned he also does not have to carry the baggage that the usual police detective does - the addictions, the poor life choices, the broken marriages.

This book has been billed as a sort of Scandinavian noir type of mystery, but I don't think so - it doesn't have the violence and darkness needed for the typical Scandicrime novel. Instead it is a gentler, kinder type of noir - you get the dark isolated setting and the suspense, but with a locked room mystery feel. The fact that the town is cut off by an avalanche makes the whole town the locked room, which was brilliant. After finishing the book, I learned that the author had translated many Agatha Christie books into Icelandic before writing his own mystery - not surprising, as he has captured the feel of her books perfectly here. The reader has all the clues before them until the very end when suddenly the last few pieces falling into place for the detective are withheld. Then the big reveal, but it doesn't go the way that Agatha would have played it because Ari Thór is no Hercule Poirot. But he could be. Some day. The potential is there, so I will be following along with the next books in this series to see if he can pull it off.

>19 christina_reads: I totally agree with the recommendations for Snowblind, and Mamie's review is spot on.

>21 Dejah_Thoris: & >25 Crazymamie: & >26 rabbitprincess: Yikes! A bullet already and it's not even 2018 yet! No chance of dodging one that comes from three directions!

I'll decide in January what I'll read for this. I have several options on my shelves and even more on the wishlist. Tough choice!

I have The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjöwall on the shelf, which is the next in the series for me, so that will be my choice for January.

>19 christina_reads: This is another author you might enjoy as her books were written before the current appeal for dark Scandi crime!

>27 VivienneR: I got caught in the crossfire on that one as well!

LOL. Just happened to see someone say Snowblind was their worst read of the year on another thread! Just goes to show we all have our tastes and we never know where a book will fall!

I have been wanting to read all of the Martin Beck series for some time, so will probably read Roseanna by Maj Sjowell but won’t start it until January.

I'll be reading Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo for this challenge

>33 luvamystery65: Oh, I liked that one, Ro!

>34 Crazymamie: it was a BB from you Mamie!

He Who Fears the Wolf is one of my favourite books.

As I think I have read just about every mystery set in Iceland (at least those that have been translated into English) I am either going to have The Quarry by Johan Theorin, or The Killing Bay by Chris Ould which is the second book in a series set on the Faroes Islands.

>35 luvamystery65: Ha!

>25 Crazymamie: Ooh, your review has definitely made me more interested in Snowblind! >32 benitastrnad: The Martin Beck series is another option because I have read and liked a couple of the books...

I love that if I pick one of these recs, the book will count for both this CAT and the RandomCAT (book bullet)!

>38 christina_reads: And the Bingo square for "Book that fits two CATs." Trifecta!

Thinking about Norwegian by Night. Won't get to it before January, though and who knows what I'll want to read then!

>39 casvelyn: - I hadn't even thought about that block. I'll be filling it too.

>40 beebeereads: I hadn’t thought of that one. It’s waiting on the shelf.

Just a note that in the U.S., at least in my copy, the Hoag title is Smila's Sense of Snow. Terrific book.

I figured the MysteryCat would be ideal for reading books off my own shelves but I looked and there were no Nordic mysteries there. So, to be ahead of the game, I checked for a Jo Nesbo mystery at the library. The only one that I found was The Devil's Star, a later one in the Harry Hole series. (No I haven't read any of the previous Harry Hole books.) Mamie also got me with her review of Snow Blind a while back. A few days ago my hold on that book came up. So now I am reading two books that fit the category. I am reading them now because there are other library patrons waiting, I can feel them nudging me on even though I keep insisting that the books aren't due back until January.

I might read The Marco Effect by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Otherwise it will be The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg!

I'm going to scare myself and read The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. Maybe.

Based on advice (and BBs), I'll give both Snowblind and The Keeper of Lost Causes a try, although I'll say again, ScandiCrime has never been my thing!

The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg is on my wish list and available immediately for download at my library so I'll go with that one.

I love Scandi crime especially Icelandic. However I would be hard press to find an Icelandic crime novel that I have not read.

I have just started The Quarry by Johan Theorin. It is set on the Swedish Island of Oland. I thought I ought to get to an early start. I will probably finish it on New Years Day.

>47 Dejah_Thoris: If you want a Scandinavian mystery book that isn't 'noir', you might check out the Martin Beck series by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. I started with the 4th one (The Laughing Policeman) and think that is one of the best of the series - it didn't matter that I hadn't read the first three.

>50 leslie.98: That one is on my wish list, and it was also available at my library, but I opted for the "darker" book.

I'm up to The Redbreast in the Harry Hole series and so far none of them have had the main action taking place in Scandinavia! It won the the Glass Key prize so it'll work for this category, but I'm starting to wonder if he'll ever actually solve a crime in Norway. :)

>52 madhatter22: He will! :)

>52 madhatter22: That's where I am in the series and what I will be reading too. I picked up the first one because I was wanting something set in Norway and then it ends up being in Australia. I'm ready to get to Norway already!

>50 leslie.98: Thanks for the suggestion! I'm one of those people who has to read a series in order, so I've requested Roseanna from my library.

I read The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz. I thought it lacked much of the edge and violence of Larsson's books which was a real shame.

Happy New Year to you all. Have a healthy 2018, and lots of good books!

I'd love to join in, and have several mysteries set in the USSR (20th century). Since Siberia is approved, would the USSR be okay?

IF so, I'm going to read the next Rostnikov mystery (Stuart Kaminsky) on my TBR pile: The Dog Who Bit a Policeman.

>56 mamzel: I wasn't crazy about it, either. I believe I decided to stop reading the series after that one.

>56 mamzel: and >59 LibraryCin: The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye was even more toned down than Spider's Web. It also had less Lisbeth and Mikael, at least it seemed to me. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn't on the same level as the first 3.

I've pulled The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen off my shelves and am looking forward to it. It deserves its time in the sun after 5 years on my shelves.

>52 madhatter22: I was only able to find one Harry Hole novel in the library when I went. It was The Devil's Star and the action took place in Oslo. It is the fifth book in the series. I read it already because it is due back in the library January 2nd and someone put a hold on it.

It was really action packed, about a serial killer. I thought that the crime had been solved but the book was only half way done. Turns out the serial killings were only a part of the plot, there was a whole other twist to the story. Now I know why these books are popular.

>60 virginiahomeschooler: Thanks for that info! I think it cements my decision to not continue.

>58 fuzzi: Have at it. These sound like they fit right in.

I've finished Backstrom: He Who Kills The Dragon and gave it three stars. He's a very unlikable main character, and he's meant to be, so I could go along with that if he had something interesting about him. So I guess that series isn't the best for me, but I have other Nordic mysteries waiting on the shelf.

I read Endstation für neun, and I find that the Martin Beck mysteries hold up very well. Such a large amount of teamwork and legwork is needed to solve the case, and the different policemen are all individual characters, not just ciphers. Quite unlike the cozy I read recently. This is much more like real police work.

I'm glad that the Martin Beck stories hold up fairly well as I've been thinking I might read one or two of the ones on my shelves.

>66 MissWatson: That's my planned read for this category too. I like the Martin Beck stories and they are less gory than most Nordic mysteries.

Begining The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen, who generally adds a few laughs to noir.

I read Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson. It was very good and I already put a hold on the next book in the series which hasn't yet arrived at my library. I didn't put together the fact that, when you are close to the Arctic Circle, in the winter you would all the time be in the dark when it was snowing. It makes you wonder why people live in places like Siglufjordur, Iceland. The town is as much a character as the hero, the wet-behind-the-ears cop, Ari Thor.

I have finished The Ice Princess, a Swedish mystery by Camilla Lackberg. I liked enough that I would try the next book in the series but I didn't like it as much as I did the Martin Beck series.

#70
I never thought much about the difference between the hours of the day and the long long nights the closer to he Arctic circle, until I read that they were still fighting at the Battle of Waterloo at 10:00 p.m. on June 15 and 16, 1815. At that date in history nobody fought at night. After investigation on my part I learned that they would have, indeed, been fighting that late at night, because it was still light at that time. Distance from the Poles does make a difference.

I have also finished Eine undankbare Frau, a Konrad Sejer mystery by Karin Fossum. A very disturbing book, because it shows drastically how small things can effect huge changes in your life, and all for no apparent reason. The investigation also sort of peters out, which I found scaringly believable. Things are not neatly resolved in real life.

I finished He Who Fears the Wolf by Karin Fossum. It was excellent. Much better than the previous one which I found to be pretty meh.

>70 Familyhistorian: I already have Snowblind in my sights. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Sounds like he captured the sense of place.

I've also decided to read Snowblind this month, and I'm enjoying it so far. Thanks to >21 Dejah_Thoris:, >25 Crazymamie:, and >26 rabbitprincess: for the recommendation!

I must admit, I've not read as many mysteries lately as I've used to. Here's for getting back in it in 2018!

I'm going to start with Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell, the first of the Wallander Series.

>75 VivienneR: I spent enough time in cold snowy places to know that it wasn't somewhere that I would want to be. Good story, though.

Just finished The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjöwall (Sweden)

The combination of hardboiled style and unflattering portrayal of Swedish police is hilarious. I am sure Sjöwall did not intend it to be funny, but the fifty years that have elapsed since it was publshed have given it a different tenor. Despite all the sexism, politically incorrectness, and overabundance of sex-obsessed women, it was mildly entertaining if only because of the unintentional comedy.

This is only the fourth in the series, but I think I'm done with Sjöwall.

Well, I finished Wolf Winter, but I have to say that this one was more atmosphere and historical fiction than mystery. I'm sure it's a great fit for some readers, and it's beautifully written, but it wasn't at all my cup of tea.

Nevertheless, full review written if you're interested...

I read The Keeper of Lost Causes and liked it well enough to keep an eye out for the second in the series.

The Woman in Cabin 10 / Ruth Ware
4.5 stars

Lo is a travel writer with an opportunity to sail on a small new luxury cruise ship. On her first night on the ship, she is awoken to a scream next door and she’s certain someone has been thrown overboard! But, no one believes her. The room next door is empty and always was. There is no evidence anywhere to indicate that what Lo recounts might have actually happened.

I didn’t describe the first chapter in my summary, but as a single woman living alone, reading in bed just before turning the light off, that was creepy! I love cruises, so I loved the setting right off! This one pulled me in right away and I wanted to just keep reading. In fact, except for starting the book so late the first night, the next day, once I sat down to read, I just kept going until I finished! Twists and turns galore, and though maybe not necessarily realistic, it kept me on the edge of my seat!

Finished my first book by Arne Dahl: Sieben minus eins (Watching You), the first in a new series. Quite a fast paced tale with many twists and turns. Though the case is closed, there’s a loose end. I will have to pick up the next one.

February thread is up:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/283605#

I finished two more in the Erelendur series by Arnaldur Indriaason: Outrage and Black Skies. Really liked how these two followed so closely to the previous book and focused on two different members of the team.

I finished The Marco Effect by Jussi Adler-Olsen. For some reason, this 4th book in the Dept. Q series didn't appeal to me, even though I really liked the first 3.

I started Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo today.

I finished the eighth book in the Martin Beck books, The Locked Room. Turned out to be my least favourite of the series so far.

I finished Nemesis by Jo Nesbo today. I really like this series of which I read The Redbreast first then went back to the first two in the series. It was nice to finally read on from the events in The Redbreast.

Finished Einsam und kalt ist der Tod (no English translation available) by Lars Pettersson. The first in a series that brings Anna Magnusson back to Lapland to help sort out a charge against her Sami cousin. I loved the descriptions of the land in winter and the insights into Sami culture.

>89 DeltaQueen50: - I’m hoping to finish it today.

This is why I love challenges. I would never have picked up Norwegian by Night and I would have been the worse for that! I loved this book for so many reasons. It is a great combination of literary fiction and crime thriller. I went into the book thinking it was a mystery and it was, but the mystery part of this story is merely a vehicle to look back on the life of the main character. The delightful surprise was the quality of the writing. I am amazed at the skill Miller brings to telling the story intertwined with the suspense he created for the crime plot line. So well done...I will pick up his other books also as time permits and I hope I will enjoy them as much as this one.

>92 beebeereads: I just finished Norwegian by Night too today and thought it was wonderful. I have already found his next books The Girl in Green (2017) and American by Day (2018) and plan to read them very soon. Also did a bit of research about Miller and that proved interesting as well.

I finished The Redbreast today. It was ok but I had some problems with it. Mainly that one person was acting completely out of character and those actions had dire consequences. It's still bugging me thinking about it now. Also, I think Harry made a huge leap to solve the case - I'm still not sure how he came to the conclusion he came to. But! Nesbo left one thread from the story hanging, so I'll definitely read the next one. :)

>94 madhatter22: I'm reading that now, and I'm struggling with shifting timelines every few pages.

>92 beebeereads: - I'll have to take a book bullet for that one. Sounds like something I would enjoy.

>96 LittleTaiko: I'm a walking megaphone for it! Hope you enjoy.

I finished Die Giftköchin by Arto Paasilinna, where an old lady in Finland is harassed by her petty criminal nephew and his mates, so much that she cooks up poison to kill herself. Things take quite a different turn...
This is not exactly a mystery in the sense of a crime happening and someone working out who did it. But there is quite a lot of criminal activity from the hooligans, accidental killings, and people trying not to get involved in an investigation or with the police, so things turn out well for the old lady. It also has some very black humour and there were incidents that had me laughing outright. Be warned, though: there's cruelty to animals.

Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason filled Bingo square "fits at least 2 KITs/CATs". This Icelandic mystery fits nordic MysteryCAT.

I just finished The Shadow District, by Arnaldur Indridason (translated by Victoria Cribb). It's not my "official" selection for this challenge, but I mention it here in case anyone's interested. It's the first in a new series set (at least partly) in Reykjavík during the Second World War.

I finished The Ice Child by Camilla Läckberg for the challenge. It was another good installment in the Erica Falck & Patrik Hedström, though not among the best ones.