Skip to Main Content (Press Enter)
We know what book you should read next
  • New Releases
    New Releases
    Learn More >

  • Our Favorite Literary Compliments
    Our Favorite Literary Compliments
    Learn More >

  • 17 Books That Show Kids What It Means to Be Thankful
    17 Books That Show Kids What It Means to Be Thankful
    Learn More >
  • <
    Books>
  • Popular
  • New & Noteworthy
  • Bestsellers
  • Popular Series
  • Must-Read Books of 2022
  • Anticipated Books of 2023
  • Coming Soon
  • Fiction
  • Classics
  • Romance
  • Literary Fiction
  • Mystery & Suspense
  • Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • Spanish Language Fiction
  • Nonfiction
  • Biographies & Memoirs
  • Wellness
  • Cooking
  • History
  • Spanish Language Nonfiction
  • Series
  • Gray Man
  • Dark Star Trilogy
  • Ramses the Damned
  • Outlander
  • Penguin Classics
  • <
    View All>
  • <
    Kids>
  • Popular
  • New & Noteworthy
  • Bestsellers
  • Award Winners
  • The Parenting Book Guide
  • Books to Read Before Bed
  • Books for Middle Graders
  • Trending Series
  • Who Was?
  • Magic Tree House
  • The Last Kids on Earth
  • Mad Libs
  • Planet Omar
  • Beloved Characters
  • The World of Eric Carle
  • Bluey
  • Llama Llama
  • Dr. Seuss
  • Junie B. Jones
  • Peter Rabbit
  • Categories
  • Board Books
  • Picture Books
  • Guided Reading Levels
  • Middle Grade
  • Activity Books
  • <
    View All>
  • <

    Popular

  • Trending
  • Trending This Week
  • Books to Read During Dry January
  • Page-Turning Series To Start Now
  • Books to Cope With Anxiety
  • Short Reads
  • Anti-Racist Resources
  • Expert Picks
  • Editor's Picks: Fiction
  • Editor's Picks: Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • Editor's Picks: Romance
  • Staff Picks: Mystery
  • Features & Interviews
  • Emma Brodie Interview
  • Gabriella Burnham Interview
  • Nicola Yoon Interview
  • Qian Julie Wang Interview
  • Deepak Chopra Essay
  • How Can I Get Published?
  • For Book Clubs
  • Reese's Book Club
  • Oprah’s Book Club
  • Guide: Trust
  • Guide: Book Lovers
  • <
  • <
    Authors & Events>
  • Our Authors
  • Michelle Obama
  • Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Mohsin Hamid
  • Cormac McCarthy
  • Celeste Ng
  • In Their Own Words
  • Qian Julie Wang
  • Patrick Radden Keefe
  • Phoebe Robinson
  • Emma Brodie
  • Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Laura Hankin
  • <
    View All>
  • <
    Recommendations>
  • Book Lists
  • The Best Books to Get Your Finances in Order
  • Must-Read Books by Indigenous Authors
  • 21 Books to Help You Learn Something New
  • Narrative Nonfiction to Rival Thrillers
  • Fiction for Food Lovers
  • Manga and Graphic Novels
  • Articles
  • Between the World and Me Oral History
  • Meet the Bookseller: Yu and Me Books
  • Cook a Soul Food Holiday Meal With Rosie Mayes
  • Ina Garten’s Chicken & Potatoes Recipe
  • Vallery Lomas’ Blueberry Buckle Recipe
  • <
    View All>
  • <
    Audio>
  • Popular
  • New Releases
  • Award Winners
  • Coming Soon
  • Featured
  • Memoirs Read by the Author
  • Our Most Soothing Narrators
  • Press Play for Inspiration
  • Audiobooks You Just Can't Pause
  • Listen With the Whole Family
  • <
    View All>
cart
Penguin Random House

Books

Popular


New & Noteworthy

Bestsellers

Popular Series

Must-Read Books of 2022

Anticipated Books of 2023

Coming Soon

Fiction


Classics

Romance

Literary Fiction

Mystery & Suspense

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Spanish Language Fiction

Nonfiction


Biographies & Memoirs

Wellness

Cooking

History

Spanish Language Nonfiction

View All >

Series


Gray Man

Dark Star Trilogy

Ramses the Damned

Outlander

Penguin Classics

View All >

New Releases
New Releases
Learn More >

Kids

Popular


New & Noteworthy

Bestsellers

Award Winners

The Parenting Book Guide

Books to Read Before Bed

Books for Middle Graders

Trending Series


Who Was?

Magic Tree House

The Last Kids on Earth

Mad Libs

Planet Omar

View All >

Beloved Characters


The World of Eric Carle

Bluey

Llama Llama

Dr. Seuss

Junie B. Jones

Peter Rabbit

Categories


Board Books

Picture Books

Guided Reading Levels

Middle Grade

Activity Books

View All >

17 Books That Show Kids What It Means to Be Thankful
17 Books That Show Kids What It Means to Be Thankful
Learn More >

Popular

Trending


Trending This Week

Books to Read During Dry January

Page-Turning Series To Start Now

Books to Cope With Anxiety

Short Reads

Anti-Racist Resources

Expert Picks


Editor's Picks: Fiction

Editor's Picks: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Editor's Picks: Romance

Staff Picks: Mystery

Features & Interviews


Emma Brodie Interview

Gabriella Burnham Interview

Nicola Yoon Interview

Qian Julie Wang Interview

Deepak Chopra Essay

How Can I Get Published?

For Book Clubs


Reese's Book Club

Oprah’s Book Club

Guide: Trust

Guide: Book Lovers

What Kathryn Monaco Is Loving Right Now
What Kathryn Monaco Is Loving Right Now
Learn More >

Authors & Events

Our Authors


Michelle Obama

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Mohsin Hamid

Cormac McCarthy

Celeste Ng

View All >

In Their Own Words


Qian Julie Wang

Patrick Radden Keefe

Phoebe Robinson

Emma Brodie

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Laura Hankin

Our Favorite Literary Compliments
Our Favorite Literary Compliments
Learn More >
Join Our Authors for Virtual Events
Join Our Authors for Virtual Events
Learn More >

Recommendations

Book Lists


The Best Books to Get Your Finances in Order

Must-Read Books by Indigenous Authors

21 Books to Help You Learn Something New

Narrative Nonfiction to Rival Thrillers

Fiction for Food Lovers

Manga and Graphic Novels

Articles


Between the World and Me Oral History

Meet the Bookseller: Yu and Me Books

Cook a Soul Food Holiday Meal With Rosie Mayes

Ina Garten’s Chicken & Potatoes Recipe

Vallery Lomas’ Blueberry Buckle Recipe

Browse All Our Lists, Essays, and Interviews
Browse All Our Lists, Essays, and Interviews
See What We’re Reading >
Fascinating Biographies and Memoirs About the Royal Family
Fascinating Biographies and Memoirs About the Royal Family
Read More >

Audio

Popular


New Releases

Award Winners

Coming Soon

View All >

Featured


Memoirs Read by the Author

Our Most Soothing Narrators

Press Play for Inspiration

Audiobooks You Just Can't Pause

Listen With the Whole Family

View All >

New Stories to Listen to
New Stories to Listen to
Learn More >
Audiobooks to Listen to While You Cook
Audiobooks to Listen to While You Cook
Learn More >
search
Penguin Random House Penguin Random House
cart
search
Penguin RandomHouse
close search
close search
Penguin Random House
mobile banner image
The ReadDown

Nordic Noir 101: Best Books to Get to Know the Genre

For fans of crime fiction, Nordic noir represents the bleakest of the bleak, often centering on brutal crimes tinged with shocking violence. The tales invariably feature protagonists who, while possessing a generally ferocious sense of justice, are nonetheless tortured, brooding, and generally introspective. The settings, whether city streets or remote villages, are desolate and harsh. Combine these elements with densely plotted mysteries that often feature more than a few shocking turns and a spartan, direct prose style to accentuate the genre’s dark themes and it is not difficult to see why Nordic noir has been so influential and a successful piece of the crime genre.

  1. 1
    The Golden Cage Book Cover Picture
    The Golden Cage Book Cover Picture
    Add The Golden Cage to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Golden Cage

    by Camilla Läckberg

    This electrifying story perfectly showcases how “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” When Jack and Faye met at business school, they both were brimming with potential. But when Jack needed help getting his business off the ground, Faye dropped out of school and stayed at home to take care of their family. When Faye discovers that Jack is having an affair, all bets are off, and she will stop at nothing to exact her revenge.
    The Golden Cage Book Cover Picture
    The Golden Cage Book Cover Picture
    Add The Golden Cage to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $16.95

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  2. 2
    The Witch Hunter Book Cover Picture
    The Witch Hunter Book Cover Picture
    Add The Witch Hunter to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Witch Hunter

    by Max Seeck

    When a bestselling author’s wife is murdered, investigator Jessica Niemi thinks this is just another open-and-shut case. But as the bodies start piling up, she realizes nothing in this case is ordinary and she goes on the hunt to find a group devoted to a sinister form of witchcraft. Will she find this coven of killers before they strike again?
    The Witch Hunter Book Cover Picture
    The Witch Hunter Book Cover Picture
    Add The Witch Hunter to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $17.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  3. 3
    The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye Book Cover Picture
    The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye Book Cover Picture
    Add The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye

    by David Lagercrantz

    In the fifth installment of the Millennium Series, brilliant hacker and troubled outsider Lisbeth Salander is as close as she’s ever been to unraveling the mysteries of her traumatic childhood. In order to finally do so, she turns to Mikael Blomkvist, editor of the investigative magazine Millennium. The duo soon find themselves in the midst of one of the most dangerous predicaments either has ever faced.
    The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye Book Cover Picture
    The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye Book Cover Picture
    Add The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $16.95

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  4. 4
    Smilla's Sense of Snow Book Cover Picture
    Smilla's Sense of Snow Book Cover Picture
    Add Smilla's Sense of Snow to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Smilla’s Sense of Snow

    by Peter Hoeg

    This acclaimed 1992 novel by Peter Hoeg was part of the vanguard of Nordic noir. It centers on Smilla Jaspersen, a scientist specializing in the study of snow, who is drawn into the investigation of the death of her six-year-old neighbor.
    Smilla's Sense of Snow Book Cover Picture
    Smilla's Sense of Snow Book Cover Picture
    Add Smilla's Sense of Snow to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $17.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  5. 5
    The Snowman Book Cover Picture
    The Snowman Book Cover Picture
    Add The Snowman to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Snowman

    by Jo Nesbo

    Jo Nesbo may be the current king of Nordic noir and his tortured investigator Harry Hole is one of the genre’s most intriguing protagonists. Hole is a celebrated, if unorthodox, detective and Norway’s leading investigative expert on serial killers. The very limits of his endurance and sanity are tested when he falls into a deadly game of cat and mouse when a missing woman leads him to a pattern of disturbing murders from the last decade. While The Snowman is the eighth Harry Hole novel, it also works as a standalone read and is arguably the point where Nesbo really hits his stride with Hole’s character.
    The Snowman Book Cover Picture
    The Snowman Book Cover Picture
    Add The Snowman to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $17.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  6. 6
    The Heart Keeper Book Cover Picture
    The Heart Keeper Book Cover Picture
    Add The Heart Keeper to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Heart Keeper

    by Alex Dahl

    Grief turns into a dark obsession in this superbly entertaining and terrifying book. When Alison’s daughter Amalie drowns, everything in her life falls apart. But for Kaia and her mother Iselin, it is the chance at a brand new start when Kaia finally has a match for a heart transplant. Alison knows she should stay away from this family, but in Kaia she sees a chance to recover everything she has lost.
    The Heart Keeper Book Cover Picture
    The Heart Keeper Book Cover Picture
    Add The Heart Keeper to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $16.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  7. 7
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Book Cover Picture
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Book Cover Picture
    Add The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

    by Stieg Larsson

    The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was an instant classic upon publication and stands as one of the finest thrillers in recent memory. Centering on the forty-year-old investigation of a missing person’s case, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a dense and atmospheric read and introduced the world to one of the thriller/crime genre’s most captivating heroines in Lisbeth Salander.
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Book Cover Picture
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Book Cover Picture
    Add The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $18.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  8. 8
    The Sandman Book Cover Picture
    The Sandman Book Cover Picture
    Add The Sandman to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Sandman

    by Lars Kepler

    In the fourth book in the Killer Instinct series, a young man presumed dead thirteen years earlier turns up on the outskirts of town. Detectives Joona Linna and Saga Bauer, convinced there are others in need of rescue, are forced to go head-to-head with the manipulative serial killer Jurek Walter. While Walter plays the sandman, making his victims go to sleep, you’ll be up all night unable to close your eyes until you’ve read every last page.
    The Sandman Book Cover Picture
    The Sandman Book Cover Picture
    Add The Sandman to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $17.95

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  9. 9
    The Crow Girl Book Cover Picture
    The Crow Girl Book Cover Picture
    Add The Crow Girl to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Crow Girl

    by Erik Axl Sund

    This 2016 bestseller focuses on the murder investigation that follows after the body of an abused young boy is discovered in a city park. As Detective Jeanette Kihlberg dives into the case, she is drawn into a deep and complex web of violence and corruption. Originally published as a trilogy in Sweden, The Crow Girl is an intricate and emotionally complex read.
    The Crow Girl Book Cover Picture
    The Crow Girl Book Cover Picture
    Add The Crow Girl to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $20.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  10. 10
    The Ice Beneath Her Book Cover Picture
    The Ice Beneath Her Book Cover Picture
    Add The Ice Beneath Her to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Ice Beneath Her

    by Camilla Grebe

    The Ice Beneath Her is the American debut of acclaimed Swedish author Camilla Grebe. Taking place in Stockholm, the novel follows a group of investigators unraveling the threads of a brutal murder that is eerily similar to an unsolved killing from a decade previous. It is an ingeniously plotted and twisting thriller.
    The Ice Beneath Her Book Cover Picture
    The Ice Beneath Her Book Cover Picture
    Add The Ice Beneath Her to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Hardcover
    $27.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  11. 11
    Faceless Killers Book Cover Picture
    Faceless Killers Book Cover Picture
    Add Faceless Killers to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Faceless Killers

    by Henning Mankell

    This first installment of the Kurt Wallander series sees the gruff and somewhat misanthropic detective investigating the grisly bludgeoning death of an elderly farmer whose wife was also left to die. It is an excellent introduction to one of Nordic noir’s most iconic characters as well as the style of Henning Mankell, an author often thought of as the dean of Nordic noir.
    Faceless Killers Book Cover Picture
    Faceless Killers Book Cover Picture
    Add Faceless Killers to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $16.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  12. 12
    I'm Traveling Alone Book Cover Picture
    I'm Traveling Alone Book Cover Picture
    Add I'm Traveling Alone to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    I’m Traveling Alone

    by Samuel Bjork

    This American debut for Norwegian author Samuel Bjork is a chilling thriller centering on the hunt for a vengeful killer targeting children in disturbing fashion. The novel follows Investigators Holger Munch and Mia Kruger – a brilliant and haunted detective with her own unnerving past – as they delve into a case with increasingly personal implications.
    I'm Traveling Alone Book Cover Picture
    I'm Traveling Alone Book Cover Picture
    Add I'm Traveling Alone to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $17.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  13. 13
    The Keeper of Lost Causes Book Cover Picture
    The Keeper of Lost Causes Book Cover Picture
    Add The Keeper of Lost Causes to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Keeper of Lost Causes

    by Jussi Adler-Olsen

    With The Keeper of Lost Causes, bestselling author Jussi Adler-Olsen introduces Carl Morck, one of Denmark’s best homicide detectives. Morck is in charge of a growing pile of cold cases, left to him following a career blunder. Though expectations are low for new developments, Morck is drawn into one particular case centering on a missing politician presumed dead but who may be, for the moment at least, anything but.
    The Keeper of Lost Causes Book Cover Picture
    The Keeper of Lost Causes Book Cover Picture
    Add The Keeper of Lost Causes to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $18.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  14. 14
    Roseanna Book Cover Picture
    Roseanna Book Cover Picture
    Add Roseanna to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Roseanna

    by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo

    This one is a true classic that heralded the Nordic noir genre. Originally published in 1965, Roseanna is the first of the Martin Beck Police Mysteries and inspired an entire generation of writers. It follows beleaguered detective Martin Beck as he investigates the mysterious death of a young woman who appears to have been strangled and tossed overboard during a cruise. In a lot of ways, it laid the template for what has come to be known as Nordic noir.
    Roseanna Book Cover Picture
    Roseanna Book Cover Picture
    Add Roseanna to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $17.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  15. 15
    The Thirst Book Cover Picture
    The Thirst Book Cover Picture
    Add The Thirst to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Thirst

    by Jo Nesbo

    Still haunted by his last case, Harry Hole has no intention of returning to the force. That is until he learns about a serial killer who has been finding his victims through Tinder. Small details that have gone past the attention of the investigators keep nagging at Harry until he realizes he has to jump back in to catch the devious killer, and face his own demons.
    The Thirst Book Cover Picture
    The Thirst Book Cover Picture
    Add The Thirst to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $17.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy
  • Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Pin it
  • Share on Tumblr
  • SMS
  • Email
More to Explore
Back to Top
We know what book you should read next
  • Connect
  • Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from Penguin Random House

  • global.penguinrandomhouse.com
  • © 2023 Penguin Random House
  • Quick Links
  • Partnerships
  • Media Queries
  • Influencers
  • Company Reads
  • PenguinRandomHouse.biz
  • Email Preferences
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • CA Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Info
  • Affiliate Program Disclosure
  • Fraud Alert
  • Help
  • Publishing Process
  • FAQ
  • Shopping & Shipping FAQ
  • For Educators
  • Subrights
  • Permissions
  • About Us
  • Our Story
  • Our People
  • Our Contributors
  • Locations
  • Management
  • Social Impact
  • Careers
  • Imprints

Visit other sites in the Penguin Random House Network

Raise kids who love to read

Brightly

Raise kids who love to read
Today's Top Books

Today's Top Books

Want to know what people are actually reading right now?
An online magazine for today’s home cook

TASTE

An online magazine for today’s home cook

Stay in Touch

Please enter a valid email address
We are experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again later.

By clicking Sign Up, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy. You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime.

×

Become a Member

Start earning points for buying books! Just for joining you’ll get personalized recommendations on your dashboard daily and features only for members.

Find Out More Join Now Sign In
Hi,
Member Since

Account Overview Rewards Recommendations Orders Account Details Email Preferences Bookshelf

Point Status
This is where you’ll see your current point status and your earned rewards. To redeem, copy and paste the code during the checkout process.See Account Overview

until your next FREE book!
0 120
You currently do not have any rewards.

Success!

Your account has been created. Upload book purchases, access your personalized book recommendations, and more from here.