Nordic Noir discussion

So what are you guys currently reading - NN or not?

I just picked up a really interesting book from the library tonight called "There Are Things I Want You to Know" about Stieg Larsson and Me by Eva Gabrielsson

I am about half way through The Return by Hakan Nesser. I am reading it as an ebook from the county library.

Naomi wrote: "I just picked up a really interesting book from the library tonight called "There Are Things I Want You to Know" about Stieg Larsson and Me by Eva Gabrielsson [boo..."

I have that book on my TBR list Naomi. Someone who knows I like Larsson gave it to me a couple weeks ago. Let me know what you think.

Christine wrote: "I am about half way through The Return by Hakan Nesser. I am reading it as an ebook from the county library."

What are you thinking??

@ Nidia..sure will..I have a ton of books I have to get through before that so I should be able to let you know in about 2 weeks.

Well I finished "The girl who played with fired" by Stieg Larsson the other day. A friend is sending me "The Girl who kicked the hornet's nest" in Spanish. I will start "Snow Angels" by James Thompson in English though. Just waiting for the books to arrive.

I'm more than half through "The Troubled Man" by Mankell and half way "Miss Timmins' School for Girls" by Nayana Currymbhoy.

I just finished Nesser's Borkmann's Point, and I don't think Van Veeteren from the gibberishtown made it towards the top of my favorite investigators. He somehow managed to combine all the annoyances of Sjöwall&Wahlöö and Van De Wetering classics, plus Indridason (detective has an annoying kid, plus is not too exciting) plus Leon (Van Veeteren seems often more interested in the food of the gibberishtown than his work, more so than Brunetti). But since I've got The Return somewhere, I'll have to give that a try too. Eventually.

I've been on a little break from Nordic and am reading some classic Noir and the moment.
I'm on my second Ross Macdonald book from the Lew Archer series at the moment.The Way Some People Die

Currently reading Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo.

Reading Sophie Hannah's The Cradle in the Grave. Dark and psychological.

Just finished Mankell's The Troubled Man which I loved as much as some of his other novels but was also very sad to say goodbye to Wallander... :'(

I'm now reading James Thompson's Snow Angels I've read 9 chapters so far and I'm finding it hard to put down!

Nidia wrote: "Just finished Mankell's The Troubled Man which I loved as much as some of his other novels but was also very sad to say goodbye to Wallander... :'(

I'm now reading James Thompson's ..."

The Troubled Man is the only one I haven't read yet. I keep putting it off because I don't want to say goodbye either.

I know perfectly well what you mean Dave.... Such a fabulous series... Sad to see it end!
Let us know what you think when you read it though.

Anna wrote: "I just finished Nesser's Borkmann's Point, and I don't think Van Veeteren from the gibberishtown made it towards the top of my favorite investigators. He somehow managed to combine all the annoyanc..."

I recently reviewed Nesser's new one, THE INSPECTOR AND SILENCE, for the New York Journal of Books. He remains overly concerned with describing meals. The pace is slow. I like your line about combining annoyances. It was a humdrum read.

See..that is partially what I love about his work. I love that detail that he puts into his descriptions.

I finished Snow Angels and loved it! Ready to start Lucifer's Tears

Nidia wrote: "I finished Snow Angels and loved it! Ready to start Lucifer's Tears"

I loved them both, but think I'd rate Lucifer's Tears even a step higher than Snow Angels!

when I read Snow Angels - I devoured it in a night...I had a night shift at work, so mucho quiet...yeah, it was done before the end of it

Reading The Ballad of Tom Dooley: A Novel and The Night Circus.

Nidia wrote: "I know perfectly well what you mean Dave.... Such a fabulous series... Sad to see it end!
Let us know what you think when you read it though."

Dave and Nidia, it was so sad to see the character finish after so many years shared through the books and fabulous series of approx 26 long stories as well.... I really found it a difficult read and look forward to your comments. Having spent the last fifteen years of my mother's life dealing with her dementia, it really struck me on many levels plus having just had to retire due to the UN's rather ancient rule that you have to retire ...stop work at age 62, it also pressed a few buttons there.

I just raced through The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest over the last week or so. I really enjoyed the series overall - much more so than the first book on its own. I almost want to go straight back and reread the first one, because I had a bit of a gap between them (but my reading-and-writing list is so long that I don't have time right now!)

Now I'm reading Omicron which is rather less Nordic! I think it's going to be a political thriller; I'm enjoying it so far.

When first drafted by my agent, industry legend Nat Sobel, one of the first things he told me was "Jim, every book you write has to be better than the last one." No pressure there! But in my mind at least, LUCIFER'S is better than SNOW, and upcoming HELSINKI WHITE is better than LUCIFER'S. A lot of it has to do with writing full-time and practicing non-stop. I think it's the same with a writer and musician in that way. Time spent honing skills. Thanks to Nat selling the series to publishers in ten countries, I have the time to do that practicing.

There's also the phenomenon called the sophmore jinx. Writer's practice for years without being read, then write a book and suddenly, tens of thousands of people read the author's work. The knowledge that those same tens of thousands are going to read the 2nd book rattles the author's nerves so badly that he/she starts to shake every time they touch the keyboard. I had already published some books in Finland before SNOW and had time to get over that before I broke internationally. I've been lucky indeed.

Naomi wrote: "I just picked up a really interesting book from the library tonight called "There Are Things I Want You to Know" about Stieg Larsson and Me by Eva Gabrielsson [boo..."

There has been a lot of media hype about her book Naomi...keen to hear your opinion. Amazing to live with someone thirty odd years and be cut out of everything when they die suddenly...common law rights are very limited in Sweden it seems and he neglected to organize his admin to the extent of wills or wishes, so father and brother took over. However, as much as I feel for her, having worked in matrimonial law long enough to think she should have had the sense to stand up and make sure things were organized in their relationship too.... Their lives have taken on a story of it's own in the media apart from the three books...

Just finished Firewall after having read The Devil's Star.

Sharon wrote: "Naomi wrote: "I just picked up a really interesting book from the library tonight called "There Are Things I Want You to Know" about Stieg Larsson and Me by [author:Eva Gabrielsson|..."

Wow..Sharon you nailed it..My review is up. I did mark it for spoilers. I gave the book one star. I probably wouldn't have finished it, but it was only 200 pages and I can read that amount in less than 2 hours...I just wanted it off my pile, which seems to be multiplying like rabbits right now!

Excellent review ...no, have not read it myself but many months of endless press coverage of every bit of the squabbles left me very happy I had read the three books and even happily seen the much awarded YellowBird production prior to the most 'bitchy' bits and pieces. Sad. But then I have never understood women that do not accept relationship on the same context as any other contract and protect themselves accordingly. All the best and I so admire your ability to read so much. I am frustrated that time never seems on my side. :-)

Awww, thanks..You know I sat there and was thinking the whole time I was reading it that I really felt bad for Stieg Larsson that 32 years with her left it with how could she get the $$'s that they obviously poorly planned for. The really skanky thing though was that she wasn't even shy about it. I kept thinking how shallow...Instead of "My God..I just lost my life partner..it was all "how do I get my hands on his bucks?" She was just one of those really ugly, ugly people that you hope and pray that you don't run into...let alone marry! Probably the reason why he never married her..maybe it wasn't sloppiness..maybe he deep down knew... (sorry that was cold, but I had to add it!)

Wow, I definitely don't want to read that after reading your review, Naomi. Although I am intrigued by the premise (which someone else mentioned in another review) that there's a fourth novel out there... maybe one day they'll stop fighting long enough to get it edited/published.

Yeah, I think she mentioned it in the book too. It sounds like his family owns it though and she is fighting it. That is at least the feeling I got.

That was what came through in all the articles. There was apparently a plan in SL's mind to write five, if memory serves me, which he referred to as his pension. EG refers to notes for more and ideas and that the father and brother of SL have them and are putting together more books. Well call me bitchy but really TALK ABOUT CASHING IN!!! The other gossip, and suppose that is what one would have to call all these articles and speculations, was that SL and his family had barely any contact last very long while. What is real? True? Who knows but it all leaves me not liking much about any of them and really grateful that we got the books back in July 2009. Would have influenced me, I fear.

You have to wonder what would happen with books 4/5 though. You have someone else putting them together and editing them..would they have the same quality? I had the chance to read a book that Charlotte Bronte started before she died and someone else bought it and finished it. The publisher stated the second author wrote it in the style of CB...not even close! So would the same thing happen with SL's books? Probably, IMO. I couldn't believe some of the other reviewers on that book..really crucifying the B/F..finally one was so vicious that I commented..how do you know..because the author says they are?? She has a motive for putting that out there.

Yeah... I'm always dubious when someone writes a book from someone else's notes. On the other hand I'd be more than happy to read a posthumous first draft from a writer whose work I loved - I don't mind reading unpolished work (well, I do enough beta reading, so I guess that's obvious!)

No, neither do I, Rachel...

Finished The Night Circus which was truly magical. I gave it 5 stars. Now reading The Return of Captain John Emmett and Jane and the Canterbury Tale: Being A Jane Austen Mystery.

Wonder too as apparently SL wrote Liesbth with very specific intentions so how can anyone else truly be right, have the right mind track to keep true to the created characters? I do not like it for any writer....once gone unless there was work finished but not edited or fine tuned, I think it should be left alone.
Who knows who is right in all this and we are all speculating from interviews, articles and gossip.
Sad really...for SL!
Interesting re C Bronte. Very....

Diane wrote: "Finished The Night Circus which was truly magical. I gave it 5 stars. Now reading The Return of Captain John Emmett and [book:Jane and the Canterbury Tale: Being A Jan..."

I just finished The Night Circus too and agree it is a wonderful book.

Just read Dark Matter a ghost story that takes place in the Arctic region.

Mary wrote: "Diane wrote: "Finished The Night Circus which was truly magical. I gave it 5 stars. Now reading The Return of Captain John Emmett and [book:Jane and the Canterbury Tal..."

Is Dark Matter by Peter Straub?

Sharon wrote: "Wonder too as apparently SL wrote Liesbth with very specific intentions so how can anyone else truly be right, have the right mind track to keep true to the created characters? I do not like it fo..."

I am trying to find that CB Book for you...

Mary wrote: "Diane wrote: "Finished The Night Circus which was truly magical. I gave it 5 stars. Now reading The Return of Captain John Emmett and [book:Jane and the Canterbury Tal..."

Did you like Dark Matter, Mary??

Naomi wrote: "Mary wrote: "Diane wrote: "Finished The Night Circus which was truly magical. I gave it 5 stars. Now reading The Return of Captain John Emmett and [book:Jane and the C..."

I did like Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. It was a psychological thriller/ ghost story about a man's ability to survive such an extreme environment with a haunting ghostlike visitor too. It was a quick read at 243 pages. It was not your run of the mill ghost story and a couple of the supporting characters helped to make for a page turning read.

Now reading The Troubled Man

Mary wrote: "Naomi wrote: "Mary wrote: "Diane wrote: "Finished The Night Circus which was truly magical. I gave it 5 stars. Now reading The Return of Captain John Emmett and [book:..."

Sounds good..I'll need to throw that on my TBR list. thx

Jus finished Lucifer's Tears which I loved! And now reading Misterioso.

I realize that does sound awful, and maybe it is, but it's also very Nordic to never say anything boo hoo hoo. There are Finnish people who have been married fifty years and never told any another they love each other. Never told their kids they love them. Never vocalize sorrow or joy. It might be that she just has that Nordic self-comtainment in emotional matters.

James wrote: "I realize that does sound awful, and maybe it is, but it's also very Nordic to never say anything boo hoo hoo. There are Finnish people who have been married fifty years and never told any another ..."

No, Jim..it was beyond that..she had no problems trashing his family. She really portrayed herself as a huge victim of this book. I know matter of fact writing (actually by some authors I prefer it!)..this wasn't it!

Yeah, your right, sounds like she's just being a ----insert your own pejorative here.

Yeah, Jim..if the book would have been written in a fashion where she was matter of fact about the events, I would say that what you had said about could be a point, but she twisted the events strictly for the purpose of citing why she should have inherited all of SL's estate. At every turn, she was bashing SL's father/brother and stating that she was his only heir...she can say it all she wants, but as Sharon said, Swedish law doesn't support it...bottom line. If they had chosen not to get married, whatever, that is THEIR prerogative, but when you know that law doesn't support common law marriages, then you go out of your way to ensure your estate planning is in place. So, IMO, either SL was a really creative, but financially sloppy guy (which I have a hard time believing...in all of this, he has never struck me as a stupid man) or he didn't want her to have it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stieg_La...
by no means perfect but this refers to some of the many and various conflicts that have been so numerous in the press the last couple of years.