I've just read this article on the Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg. It is sure to be the next big Scandinavian fiction hit. The other Being Larsson's series. However, Lackberg's series is longer & sounds more captivating. Has any read the first book "the Ice Princess?"

I've put a link to the NY Times article below

nytimes.com/2010/06/16/books/16noir.htm ... nted=print

I've not heard of this author, but I guess that makes sense if she's not yet available in North America. I read the first book by Stieg Larsson and I don't know that I understand exactly what all the fuss is about. However, I'm not a huge fan of a lot of popular writers so maybe it's just me. I've also read Henning Mankell, "the other popular Swedish writer" and I found similarities in style in their books. But they both have this quietness to the background of the stories. Maybe this similarity I am seeing is partially because both were primarily set in remote Swedish locations. (The book I've read by Mankell is "Faceless Killers").

I'll definitely keep an eye out for "The Ice Princess", though I always have to wait forever because I prefer to read soft covers. Thanks for pointing it out!

I agree Theomanic, I can't really get into most of the popular books/authors. I was curious as how the Ice Princess compares to Larsson's Millenium Trilogy

I recently (last year) picked up a random Ken Follett book ("Whiteout"?) and I was appalled. Maybe it was my mood, I don't know. I've read some of his books before and I liked them, notably "The Modigiliani Scandal" and "The Eye of the Needle". I put "Whiteout" down after about 40 pages and ended up returning it, which I've never done with a book before. NEVER.

Let it not be said I am claiming some literary high horse! I read a LOT of "bad" books - I have an especial weakness for teen urban fantasy. So I'm not some snobbish critic! But I guess what I like and what is popular are not so similar.

Have you read any of the other Swedish mystery writers, BWS?

honestly, the closest thing to reading Swedish literature I have come is an Ikea catalog.