First, they were communists. Like, not the spooky type nutjobs these days use to scare kids but the real deal. They were also very critical of the establishment, especially the police leadership. And some of the coppers, some of them were portrayed as total idiots. This sort of critique towards the Swedish society was a theme that run through the books.
It also means that they feel somehow more real. Police work is not glamorous. It is tedious, takes months with countless interviews and endless amount of walking. And then in the end the case might get solved by pure accident. Or like in one case it could have been solved straight away hadn't it been for two idiot policemen.
First book (Roseanne), IIRC, was closest to a pure detective book and at the same time probably my least favourite. Can't remember much about the second book (The Man Who Went Up in Smoke) but the rest are great. 
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..whether we should be in for Grealish or if DCL is a waster of a sick note or not.
This is the sort of thing that keeps me coming back to this place. Authors noted and i will maybe chance Wahloo... if only for the name.
Thanks for ITK recommendations! Previous Message
Henning Mankell or Camilla Lackgerg for instance might more to some people's taste.
My all-time favourite Scandinavian crime books were written by Sjöwall & Wahlöö.
And a plug for Finnish writers, Satu Rämö and Antti Tuomainen. Both have been translated to English. Rämö actually lives in Iceland and her books are located there. Tuomainen's books might work if you like some dark humour. Previous Message
Second level airport crime.
But maybe it feels exotic in the UK.
I’ll take Jo Nesbø over this any day. Previous Message
But it genuinely is better as Scandi-noir. And the sidekick is even better in the books. Morck is more acerbic and less physical. I loved the books and preferred how the story unfolded in book 1. I highly recommend them. Previous Message
Not normally a binge watcher but got thoroughly swept along by the story and by Matthew Goode as a damaged copper following up a cold case in a pretty bleak version of Scotland.
Stretched credibility a wee bit towards the end and had some overly graphic violence in places but the best thing I've watched in ages.
His Syrian sidekick needs his own show..
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on June 13, 2025, 10:42 am, in reply to "