English Translations of Scandinavian/Nordic Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

For April 2015, we will read the following books: Borderline by Liza Marklund published date of April 14, 2015 and Reykjavik Nights: An Inspector Erlendur Novel by Arnaldur Indriðason Publication date April 21, 2015. Good reading, as always more to follow.

Excellent, love Indridason' novels and have read Reykjavik Nights just a couple of weeks ago. Fresh enough for discussions. Will be interesting to see what others think. Loved it.

We have another book out by an Icelandic author Ragnar Jónasson and translated by Quentin Bates called Snowblind. Also we have Snowblind by Edward Weinman, also an Icelandic author published in December 2014.

I'll join in with Reykjavik Nights...I like this series a lot and have read all prior books. Perfect choice.

I have read and enjoyed Reykjavik nights. I like this series and am waiting for the next book...Oblivion.
So I think I will try Borderline by Liza Marklund...a new author for me.

So I think I will try Borderline by Liza Marklund...a new author for me."

I like her books but I strongly recommend you read them in chronological order. She wrote The Bomber first and then went back and wrote three books covering an earlier period. Here is my list:

Studio Sex/Studio 69/Exposed (1999)
Vanished/Paradise (2000/2004)
Prime Time (2002)
The Bomber (1998)
The Red Wolf/ en röda vargen (2003)
Nobel’s testament/Last Will (2006)
Livstid/Lifetime (2007)
En plats i solen/A Place in the Sun/The Long Shadow (2008/2014)
Du gamla, du fria/Borderline (2011/2015) 3 years after Livstid
Ajojahti ?/Happy Nation (2013?) Not translated yet

Gary wrote: "So I think I will try Borderline by Liza Marklund...a new author for me."

I like her books but I strongly recommend you read them in chronological order. She wrote The Bomber first and then went b..."

That's very useful. Thank you Garry.

Another issue is the differences between the Swedish TV show and the books. Books 1-8 have been made into TV shows. Annika Bengtzon has been played by two different actresses Helena Bergström (I have never seen her shows) made two, Paradise and The Bomber in 2001/2003 while Malin Crépin made the other six in 2012. I recall Annika being described as short in the books. Helena Bergström is probably on the shorter side while at 5'6" Malin Crépin is probably about average for a Swedish woman but looks taller on screen.

Another issue is her husband. I think the books are inconsistent in describing him. He seems a bit of a nerd at first and then doesn't seem that logical a character as the series progresses. In the TV shows I have seen he is played by a handsome guy. I think there may be have been some issues in how their relationship played out in the Malin Crépin series since they didn't remake the two books that were filmed earlier.

Thank you Gary. I always read series in the correct order....so I will follow your suggestion.

Gary. Very interested in your last post re Liza Marklund. Currently reading her Last Will (out of order of course!!) have read most of the others and would love to source the TV series. Are they named as per the books? Assume are a swedish production and would love to find. I'm in Sweden in June so may find there as I haven't seen on TV in Australia.

Angela wrote: "Gary. Very interested in your last post re Liza Marklund. Currently reading her Last Will (out of order of course!!) have read most of the others and would love to source the TV series. Are they na..."

Depends on your Netflix or stations but they are listed under the name of the main character....and IMO very good. Good luck.

They were on the fairly obscure MHz network that is shown here (Las Vegas, NV) on one of the extra PBS channels. Here is a page from IMDB that shows the various TV programs and their titles:
http://www.imdb.com/character/ch00268...

We have another book for April which is a novel and not a crime book from Per Petterson called I Refuse: A Novel should be published an April 7, 2015.

We have the new book from Jo Nesbø called Blood on Snow I hope everyone has it on their Kindle or e-book.

Kenneth wrote: "We have the new book from Jo Nesbø called Blood on Snow I hope everyone has it on their Kindle or e-book."

Teaser....
http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/06/...

Kenneth wrote: "For April 2015, we will read the following books: Borderline by Liza Marklund published date of April 14, 2015 and [book:Reykjavik Nights: An Inspector Erlendur Nove..."

If only it was available down under. Cant find it anywhere..

Happens to me to here in Europe. Seldom available same time and vice versa.

I read Jo's new book in one sitting. It was a truely noir book. I'd cry if I was emotional.

Kenneth wrote: "I read Jo's new book in one sitting. It was a truely noir book. I'd cry if I was emotional."

Downloaded for me just now from pre order. Looking forward to it. Read an article where the reviewer totally missed The Son but referred to Nesbo having one other stand alone Headhunters. Goodness, wish these journalists !?!...would at the very least Google writers first!

I just got Jo Nesbo's book on my Kindle and it's up next...still waiting for the new Erlunder book on the 21st, so lots of time to read other things until then.

Waiting for Borderline by Liza Marklund at my library because it is a British book. Wish they would get together with their books and we wouldn't have to wait.

Kenneth wrote: "Waiting for Borderline by Liza Marklund at my library because it is a British book. Wish they would get together with their books and we wouldn't have to wait."
Kenneth - same here. No sign of it in Australia yet. Painfull.

I have read them all ( I think ) and loved them all. Prefer to have read them in chronological order though. Looking forward to her next one!

Liza Marklund confuses me! Every search I do I find different information. Especially that on GRs!!
I really enjoy the series, it is very well filmed and acted. I have some info re the book sequence, whether helpful, cannot say....but I also question why a book written in 2011 takes till 2015 for a translation in this electronic age!!!!! Then distribution being so spotty!!

The Annika Bengtzon series has not been written in the order in which the events in the novels take place. The chronological order is as follows:
Studio 69 (1999) – takes place eight years before the action of The Bomber
Paradise (2000) – a direct continuation of Studio 69
Prime time (2002) – the action occurs between Paradise and The Bomber
The Bomber (1998)
Den röda vargen (2003) the Red Wolf – an independent story which picks up from the end of The Bomber
Nobels testamente (2006) – takes place some months after The Red Wolf.
Livstid (2007) – a direct sequel to "Nobels testamente"
En plats i solen (2008) - a direct sequel to Livstid
Du gamla, du fria (2011) - takes place three years after Livstid BORDERLINE
The three novels Nobels testamente, Livstid and En plats i solen can be considered as a trilogy within the series.

Sharon wrote: "Liza Marklund confuses me! Every search I do I find different information. Especially that on GRs!!
I really enjoy the series, it is very well filmed and acted. I have some info re the book seq..."

Hi Sharon - great work on your part - but can you tell me the English name for the 2nd & 3rd books in that trilogy please? have read Nobels Testament so would love to get the next two. I've read all the others ( Except Borderline of course) Thx Angela

Angela wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Liza Marklund confuses me! Every search I do I find different information. Especially that on GRs!!
I really enjoy the series, it is very well filmed and acted. I have some info ..."
Sorry......
Livstid (2007) – a direct sequel to "Nobels testamente" Lifetime.
En plats i solen (2008) - a direct sequel to Livstid ...A Place in the Sun.
Du gamla, du fria (2011) - takes place three years after Livstid BORDERLINE

Sharon wrote: "Angela wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Liza Marklund confuses me! Every search I do I find different information. Especially that on GRs!!
I really enjoy the series, it is very well filmed and acted. I ..."

Thanks Sharon

Started Borderline last night. Looking forward to joining in on group discussions.

Finished it today. An interesting read, first Liza Marklund I've read. Brutal at times!

Sharon wrote: "Liza Marklund confuses me! Every search I do I find different information. Especially that on GRs!!
I really enjoy the series, it is very well filmed and acted. I have some info re the book seq..."

Sharon, wondered if you thought books were translated electronically? A real person must write the entire book again. It's certainly an art because sometimes there isn't a word in English for one used in another language, just for starters. Then the vocabulary used in English must convey the same nuance the original author intends.

Sometimes the publisher prefers the third book over the first two (for instance) and then when the author becomes a smash hit, those first two are translated. I've seen that time and time again.

There is a fabulous website everyone may use to find every mystery writer's body of work, date translated (or not translated) and even find authors by occupation or setting: stopyourekillingme.com

Harriet wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Liza Marklund confuses me! Every search I do I find different information. Especially that on GRs!!
I really enjoy the series, it is very well filmed and acted. I have some info ..."

Yes, been using that site for years and it is excellent.
I suspect you are right and in the current/recent wave of fame for Scandi writers, I suspect also that a lot of writers we would never have heard of before are now getting their chance to shine.
I have good respect for how difficult translation is as I worked with a good number of translators and situations over the years, but in this electronic age, I think it should be more efficient and don't appreciate various issues and publishers being used as it has cost me money over the years. Hence my need to list EVERYTHING! Reading only English as I do. The huge difference between translations, I cannot really gauge as I don't read an original then a translation. I even prefer to read or view but usually not both, with a few exceptions.
Liza Maryland I view as I really love the series.

There are many examples of authors whose have books which have not been translated. Kjell Eriksson (Swedish, Ann Lindell series) has at least 5. K.O. Dahl (Norwegian) has several. Helene Tursten (Sweden) 3 that I know of. Hardly any of the Jan Arnald/Arne Dahl books have been translated.

Especially egregious is the series by Leena Lehtolainen (Finland) which started in 1998 and has 12 books in all of which only 4 have been translated. There are more examples I haven't mentioned.

Unfortunately, it's a business in which the bean counters make a lot of the decisions. If a book doesn't sell well enough, especially one that incurs the additional cost of translation, then a publisher is unlikely to be inclined to take a chance on more by the same author.
I met the agent of a well-known and moderately successful Nordic author (no names...) a couple of days ago, and she told me that she simply cannot place this author's work anywhere. It's very sad, as this author has a respectable following and people want to see his books in translation – but apparently not enough people have bought his previous books.

Thanks for the heads up on Stopyouarekillingme.com. Didn't know about it.

I would urge anyone who has a problem with the GR listings to become a GR librarian and fix them yourself.

Please note: the mystery web site is NOT stop you are killing me. It is: stop you're killing me
www.stopyourekillingme.com.

Finished Borderline and enjoyed it. Nice fast paced thriller. A bit on the gruesome side about the torture. This was the first I've read by this author. liked Annika.

Paula wrote: "Finished Borderline and enjoyed it. Nice fast paced thriller. A bit on the gruesome side about the torture. This was the first I've read by this author. liked Annika."

Also can recommend the films....IMO very well done. There were six films probably more now with Annika Bentzon played by Swedish actor Malin Crépin.

Thanks, Sharon. I certainly will look for the films.

It's May but I just got Borderline by Liza Marklund from the library.

Have just finished Asa Larsson's The Black Path Loved her descriptions of the landscape e.g. snow ice wind and her characterisations all except for the ending. It was similiar to a "Rambo" movie with everyone getting shot at in the dark on a compound. A real good guys/bad guys confusion. Naturally the two good guys win getting away shaken but without a scratch even though they had taken on about ten armed security guards. Of course I am getting old but I find these conclusions very predictable

Thank you, Helen, for your comments on The Black Path (Asa Larsson). I, too, was concerned I am getting old and have read it all and find everything predictable. Then I pick up a book I read five or six years ago and loved, and there it is: a terrific read, well written, good plotting, no obvious cliches, and the ability to take something ordinary and make it extraordinarily interesting. So I tell myself it isn't me; it's that too many mediocre (read "Rambo-like") books are being published. Thank goodness for the wonderful ones that bear repeated enjoyable re-readings.

Gretel wrote: "Thank you, Helen, for your comments on The Black Path (Asa Larsson). I, too, was concerned I am getting old and have read it all and find everything predictable. Then I pick up a book I read five..."
Thank you Gretel. There are some books I can read over again. The endings are often "bittersweet" for want of a better word. Neither bad or good guys. Neither ideal or horrendous outcomes. Life! Indridision, Theorin and Persson are able to achieve this. I am sure there are others but they spring to mind. Recently I picked up an old copy of Donna Tartt The Secret History. Read it years ago and will read it again.