Who's the best living Nordic crime writer?

[Doitsu]

Like many Stieg Larsson fans, I'm still looking for the "next Stieg Larson". So far I like Jussi Adler-Olsen and Jo Nesbø best. (I read some Henning Mankell books, liked them but not enough to read the whole series.)
Also while I'm at it, who's the best translator for Nordic languages? IIRC, the English translator of the Stieg Larsson novels got some flak, because he occasionally left out whole paragraphs.

[Asawi]

I like A Norwegian lady named Unni Lindell a lot. I don't know if her books are available in English though.
Many like Camilla Läckberg a lot (I know at least Ice Princess is available in English). I like her enough to have read the whole series so far, but I'm not a huge fan.
Someone to look out for ig his books are/will be translated is Stefan Tegenfalk. He has written a trilogy not unlike the Millenium series, and espcially the first book in that trilogy is great (I thought the first book of the millenium trilogy was better than the rest as well, so they are even alike that way...)

What I read of the English translation of Stieg Larson was pretty awful, in my opinion. It made me wonder how it could have made it so big in USA.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Asawi

What I read of the English translation of Stieg Larson was pretty awful, in my opinion. It made me wonder how it could have made it so big in USA.

I believe they had a different British translator to the American one. I thought the British translations were very good.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I believe they had a different British translator to the American one. I thought the British translations were very good.

Both were done by Steven T. Murray, but the UK version was apparently heavily edited:

“We’re lucky if we’re invisible,” said Steven T. Murray, who translated all three Swedish-language novels in Larsson’s trilogy, in an interview from his home in New Mexico. Murray was so bothered by a British publisher’s decision to rewrite much of his work that when the books started appearing in English in 2008 he replaced his credit with a pseudonym (Reg Keeland).

For more information, see Kevin Canflield's article "How do you say “balls of gold” in French?"

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

Both were done by Steven T. Murray, but the UK version was apparently heavily edited:

Thanks - that's interesting. I really enjoyed them, all the same .

[Billi]

I personally like Arnaldur Indriðason very much but I don't know if he's any better or worse than the other writers on your list.

And a little bit off-topic: not living (at least Per Wahlöö) and not the "next Stieg Larsson" but surely a good read are the books by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö featuring Martin Beck.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

Like many Stieg Larsson fans, I'm still looking for the "next Stieg Larson". So far I like Jussi Adler-Olsen and Jo Nesbø best. (I read some Henning Mankell books, liked them but not enough to read the whole series.)
Also while I'm at it, who's the best translator for Nordic languages? IIRC, the English translator of the Stieg Larsson novels got some flak, because he occasionally left out whole paragraphs.

I'm not familiar with most of the authors on your list, so I didn't vote, but having read Stieg Larsson's trilogy, I wonder why you would want to find another author like him. I would think you would want to find a significantly better author. I admit I am judging him by the English translations of his books and he might be much better in the originals, but in the English translations I do not think his writing is even as good as much of the original pulp fiction writing.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Billi

. . . but surely a good read are the books by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö featuring Martin Beck.

I second that suggestion.

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by Billi

And a little bit off-topic: not living (at least Per Wahlöö) and not the "next Stieg Larsson" but surely a good read are the books by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö featuring Martin Beck.

Agree!!!

[Doitsu]

@Asawi: Thanks for your recommendations for Unni Lindell and Stefan Tegenfalk.
At least one of Unni Lindell's books has been translated into German, but Stefan Tegenfalk doesn't seem to have been discovered by publishers outside of Scandinavia. I guess it's time to finally learn a Scandinavian language if only for the bragging rights. :-)

Originally Posted by Billi

And a little bit off-topic: not living (at least Per Wahlöö) and not the "next Stieg Larsson" but surely a good read are the books by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö featuring Martin Beck.

I read the whole series and liked most of them.

Originally Posted by rhadin

I'm not familiar with most of the authors on your list, so I didn't vote, but having read Stieg Larsson's trilogy, I wonder why you would want to find another author like him. I would think you would want to find a significantly better author.

Larsson's books are definitely not perfect. Many plot developments were rather predictable and his style was certainly not that innovative. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading the books for their sheer escapism value.

[HarryT]

I haven't read any of his books, but there was a recent BBC Radio adaptation of Hakan Nesser's book "Woman with Birthmark" which I very much enjoyed. Mr Nesser is Swedish, I believe.

[poohbear_nc]

I've just discovered - and am enjoying very much the Inspector Vaara series by James Thompson - set in Helsinki & surrounding Finnish areas. Thompson was born in the USA but lives in Finland. I am intrigued by a protagonist with migraine headaches (which I share) and an honest appraisal of the effect of the Arctic night on human actions. His novels are well plotted, and the characters developed and intriguing. These are dark novels (as are all Nordic mysteries?) - with brutal crimes, alcoholism, drug use, etc.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I've just discovered - and am enjoying very much the Inspector Vaara series by James Thompson - set in Helsinki & surrounding Finnish areas. Thompson was born in the USA but lives in Finland. I am intrigued by a protagonist with migraine headaches (which I share) and an honest appraisal of the effect of the Arctic night on human actions. His novels are well plotted, and the characters developed and intriguing. These are dark novels (as are all Nordic mysteries?) - with brutal crimes, alcoholism, drug use, etc.

I recently discovered them too and I second the recommendation.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I haven't read any of his books, but there was a recent BBC Radio adaptation of Hakan Nesser's book "Woman with Birthmark" which I very much enjoyed. Mr Nesser is Swedish, I believe.

There was a Nesser book as the Amazon UK Daily Deal just a few days ago. I grabbed it, but haven't had chance to look at it yet.

[carpetmojo]

I've tried a few on the list, but found Mankell by far the most readable - I think a lot depends on a good translator.
Or a bi-lingual writer, of course !