Best of
Nordic-Noir

2016

The Man Who Died


Antti Tuomainen - 2016
    At just 37 years of age, he is shocked when his doctor tells him that he’s dying. What is more, the cause is discovered to be prolonged exposure to toxins; in other words, someone has slowly but surely been poisoning him.Determined to find out who wants him dead, Jaakko embarks on a suspenseful rollercoaster journey full of unusual characters, bizarre situations and unexpected twists. With a nod to Fargo and the best elements of the Scandinavian noir tradition, The Man Who Died is a page-turning thriller brimming with the blackest comedy surrounding life and death, and love and betrayal, marking a stunning new departure for the King of Helsinki Noir. '‘Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I enjoyed every single sentence’ Thomas Enger ‘An original and darkly funny thriller with a Coen Brothersesque feel & tremendous style’ Eva Dolan ‘Comparisons have been made with Carl Hiassen and the Coen Brothers, but Tuomainen is his own man; liberally salted with macabre, improbable incidents of violence, The Man Who Died is deftly plotted, poignant and perceptive in its wry reflections on mortality and very funny’ Irish Times ‘Tuomainen’s dark story manages to be as delicious as it is Toxic’ Sunday Express ‘Told in a darkly funny, deadpan style … The result is a rollercoaster read’ Guardian

The Blood Strand


Chris Ould - 2016
    But he is drawn back when his estranged father is found unconscious with a shotgun by his side and someone else’s blood at the scene. Then a man’s body is washed up on an isolated beach. Is Reyna’s father responsible?Looking for answers, Reyna falls in with local detective Hjalti Hentze. But as the stakes get higher and Reyna learns more about his family and the truth behind his mother’s flight from the Faroes, he must decide whether to stay, or to forsake the strange, windswept islands for good.

Fade to Dead (DI Jessica Wideacre #1)


Tara Moore - 2016
    He's snatching young women off the street to 'act' in his movies. He's got a type: barely legal, blonde and beautiful. Newly promoted DI Jessica Wideacre is tasked with heading up the investigation. But with few clues to go on and a rising body count, Jessica begins to fear she isn't up to the job. Her boss is breathing down her neck. Her marriage is in jeopardy and the pressure is driving her to drink. Meanwhile, The Director has another victim in his sights. He's rolled out the red carpet, he s got a killer script, and now he's got his star. It's a dream role...but who will die to get it?

The Polar Bear Killing


Michael Ridpath - 2016
    Was Halldór a hero for killing the bear, or should the animal have been protected? Animal rights activists in the area see the constable as a villain, and when days later the dead body of Halldór is discovered at a remote beauty spot, the activists are immediately under suspicion. As Sergeant Magnus Ragnarsson and his colleague Detective Vigdís Audardótti begin to investigate the policeman's murder, they soon discover that things are not as clear-cut as might first appear. By degrees, Magnus and Vigdís are drawn into this small and complex community - one riven with rivalries and grudges - in search of a deadly killer...