Nordic Nightmares: The Best of Nordic Horror

by Margrét Helgadóttir (Editor), Marko Hautala, Johanna Sinisalo

Twenty nightmarish horror tales featuring folkloric beasts, apocalyptic disasters, and psychological terrors are brought together in a collection sure to keep readers up at night, from the very best voices in contemporary Nordic fiction.

Nightmarish tales of mystery and horror, from the best voices in contemporary Nordic fiction.

You know them from the stories whispered around the campfire. Sometimes, they’re dark creatures from tall forests or murky bogs, luring their victims to their death, or the apocalyptic roar of a volcanic eruption. Other times, they’re closer to home: an unsettling new neighbour, or the overly friendly people you meet on the train, or the bureaucrat who thinks he's saving the world.

Nordic Nightmares opens a window into the horror landscape of the Nordic countries, from Finland, Denmark, Greenland, The Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The anthology is expertly curated to showcase the work of twenty modern masters of horror – the majority appearing in English for the first time – to keep you company during long, cold nights.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Short Story Collection

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2026

About the author

Margrét Helgadóttir is a Norwegian author & anthology editor based in Norway. Her native language is Norwegian, but on her spare time she writes fiction and edits fiction anthologies in English.

Reviews

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many ways to be afraid and Nordic horror has a voice all its own. My thanks to Solaris for the arc.

Edited by Margrét Helgadóttir, Nordic Nightmares is a fantastic curation of dark and creeping tales that explore the breadth of horror across the Nordic countries. From the eerie and unsettling to folkloric creature features and psychological horror, there's a wealth of styles, tones and terrors to discover. The atmosphere is wonderfully varied yet there's a distinctive sensibility running through the collection that sets it apart from the more familiar traditions of British and American horror.

As with any anthology some stories hit harder than others but the variety of lengths, styles and subject matter keeps the collection fresh and engaging throughout. The translations are also generally excellent, allowing these stories to find new audiences without losing their distinctive voices.

Some of the standouts include:
The Joys of the Table by Johanna Sinisalo
Angela's Artworks by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen
A Pretty Parcel for a Pretty Price by AR Frederiksen
The Shape of Stones by Hildur Knútsdóttir
You See Me, Don't You? by Nanna Árnadóttir
My Christmas Holiday by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Perhaps the most exciting aspect is the opportunity to discover so many Nordic writers, some appearing in English for the first time. It's a showcase of just how much talent and variety exists within Nordic horror and I've come away with a whole new list of authors I'd love to read more from.

Not every story delivers a full blown fright, with some leaning more towards dark fantasy than horror, and a couple feel more like tantalising glimpses of an idea than complete stories. But there's still something to appreciate in their atmosphere and imagination, and these occasional misses don't diminish the strength of the collection as a whole.

For anyone looking to venture beyond familiar horror traditions, Nordic Nightmares is an invitation into darker woods, stranger folklore and unfamiliar terrors - and to leave with a reading list full of new voices to follow.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! "Nordic Nightmares: The Best of Nordic Horror" is an overwhelmingly good anthology of horror, among the best I've read this year! The editor, Margrét Helgadóttir, deserves high praise for her great sense of what makes a horror story work: the 20 stories within (of which 13 are translated for the first time in English, so kudos to the translators as well) have been selected with a keen eye for impact and originality; they're not only widely different from each other, they're also genuinely well-written, emotionally disturbing, and sooo dark - exactly what I expect to find in a good horror anthology!

The fact that the authors come from across the Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, and The Faroe Islands), and so are almost all unknown to me, was just a bonus! I love discovering new authors and new approaches to my favorite genre (horror, duh), and the book offers several exciting moments of creativity and novelty in abundance. In fact, exactly this aspect is so strong, that it may alienate readers who might expect more familiar and less subtle modes of horror storytelling (encouraged, perhaps, by the tales' setting, which is not always Nordic, but often British and American). The writing is far more moody and decriptive than in American stories, for example, and the endings abrupt and occasionally inexplicably brutal.

I conclude the review with my favorite stories: of course, Marko Hautala's "The Silence of the Host" and John Ajvide Lindqvist's "My Christmas Holiday", but also Pivinnguaq March's "The Tupilak", the stunning "The Shape of Stones" by Hildur Knutsdottir, Aleksander Brun's "Wrecked", the horrific and rage-filled "When the Angels Came" by Rakel Helmsdal, and "Angela's Artworks" by Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen.

Highly recommend!

[Juli Stadler · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Nordic Nightmares: The Best of Nordic Horror" is an outstanding horror anthology. I read a lot of horror anthologies. This is the eleventh one I've read this year, and it is by far the best. Most anthologies are hit and miss. Some stories are good; some are not. This is the first anthology I've read in which every story was good.

This anthology consists of 20 stories from Finland, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, The Faroe Islands, Norway, and Sweden. Nineteen of the authors were new to me, as was the editor. Thirteen of the stories were translated to English.

While I enjoyed all of the stories, I found eleven of the twenty to be exceptional. My favorite stories were:
"The Silence of the Host" by Marko Hautala
"Angela's Artworks" by Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen
"A Pretty Parcel for a Pretty Price" by AR Frederiksen
"The Qivittoq" by Gertrud-Marie Kreutzmann
"The Tupilak" by Pivinnguaq March
"The Shape of Stones" by Hildur Knutsdottir
"You See Me, Don't You?" by Nanna Arnadottir
"When the Angels Came" by Rakel Helmsdal
"Wrecked" by Aleksander Brun
"The Storm" by Boel Bermann
"My Christmas Holiday" by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Of the 93 books I've read so far in 2026, "Nordic Nightmares: The Best of Nordic Horror" is one of my favorites.

Highly Recommended!!!

Thanks to Solaris Books and NetGalley for the complimentary DRC. All opinions are my own.

[Renato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Massive thanks to NetGalley and Solaris Books for an advanced copy of this title.

I read a lot of horror anthologies - and I do my best to make sure they are from different parts of the world.

Over the past 20 years, we all have come to familarity with the idea of Scandanavian Noir, as it has exploded out of Europe into North American hearts and movie screens.

But Scandanavian Horror is lesser known, so I appreciate the ability to dive into a curated collection of Northern European Horror. It is weird and odd (and I would say that some entries are not truly horror, ,but I enjoyed the collection nevertheless

I would also want to say BRAVO to the translators here for these entries.

Note: I just noticed there is a SCI-FI version by the same editor: so I know what I am going to read next!
Nordic Visions: The Best of Nordic Speculative Fiction

Below are the stories, organized by country.

FINLAND

1.Marko Hautala: The Silence of the Host
Child loves listening to a paranormal late night call show while is parents are gone...until he hears his parents calling in...about the 'thing' they left at home.

2.Johanna Sinisalo: The Joys of the Table
Changes in a household from the perspective of a mischievous table.

3.Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen: Angela’s Artworks
A painter who hates children is commissioned to create 7 paintings in 7 days (and to include children as the subjects). The same boy keeps on popping up over the weeks work of paintings.


DENMARK

4. Martin Schjönning: Neither Heaven nor Hell
This was an odd one that was needlessly icky (in that the ick had nothing to do with the story plot).

5. AR Frederiksen: A Pretty Parcel for a Pretty Price
Alternative dystopia with forced clone-i-cide of doppelgangers. Kooky story.

6. Mikkel Harris Carlsen: Mr Schaday
Woman who has a mail boarder roommate, that she never meets...and is told that she could never meet else the world will end.

GREENLAND

7.Gertrud-Marie Kreutzmann: The Qivittoq
Two men on a fishing trip observe the appearance of a shame hermit.

8.Pivinnguaq Mørch: The Tupilak
This one was SO good. There is a double-take and a twist here where someone thinks that one horrible thing is pursuing him, only to discover soon that it is much worse.


ICELAND

9.Hildur Knútsdóttir: The Shape of Stones
Excavator/researcher find a sacrificial stone that gets bigger deeper and more detailed as they dig deeper. It is as if kiss of the sun is awakening a very old thing.

10.Nanna Árnadóttir: You See Me, Don’t You?
A story of hell, remoteness, and reliving the same moment over and over (while the rest of the world moves on). Interestingly digs into the fact that Iceland is a place of earthquakes and volcanoes (so it makes sense that there should be cultural-specific fears based on these local installations)

FAROE ISLANDS

11.Steinar Bragi: Little Boy
Not really sure about this one - a man with amnesia wanders around and seduces (and gets seduced by) a number of paramours.

12.Sólrún Michelsen: The Rat
Super creepy. A man’s heart has been damaged so badly that he cannot bear to keep it in the house. So every winter he buries it in the ground, and surfaces it each spring.

NORWAY

13.Rakel Helmsdal: When the Angels Came
More of a Orwellian sci-fi dystopia involving a plague, "angels", tattoos, and drugs to numb the paranoia and resistance.

14.Tor Åge Bringsværd: All the Friendly People
Courtesy leads to menace on a train ride full of helpful people.

15.Aleksander Brun: Wrecked
Twilight paranoia and hallucinations grips a father awaiting the return home of his wife, with his toddler also sharing the desired return of Ma-Ma.

16.Jon Ewo: Smoke and Shadows
A Friday-the-13th story where the evil essence of a convicted and executed murderer slowly resubstantiates its way up the food chain.

SWEDEN

17. Boel Bermann: The Storm
Disaster preparedness government official's worries impact his home life and role as a husband and father.

18.Madeleine Bäck: Echo
This one has a very Blair Witch feel. A group of young people climb the mountain to seek out The Whispering Stone, in hopes to ask it about the fate of their disappeared friend Tove.

19.Markus Sköld: Hit and Run
The immediate consequences of a hit and run. The reader is kept in lockstep panic with the main character

20.John Ajvide Lindqvist: My Christmas Holiday
Cute little story of something stuck up in the chimney around the Holiday Season

[Marla Moreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Anthologies are always difficult to rate, this one doubly so because we not only get a variety of authors, but a variety of translators as well. I was expecting, and received, a mixed experience with individual stories rated from 1 all the way to 5. But overall, the collection did what it was aiming to do: give English language readers a good introduction to Nordic horror fiction. I was so grateful to be able to experience these voices, even if I did not enjoy every offering, and I want to see more anthologies like this being made in the future.

If I calculate the actual average, my final rating should round to 3.75/5 - but I'm going to omit the single 1-star story because it felt like such an outlier. So my final rating is 3.91 rounded to 4/5.

Focusing on the positive, I absolutely adored: #6 'Mr. Schaday' by Mikkel Harris Carlsen from Denmark (translated by Olivia Lasky), #10 'You See Me, Don't You?' by Nanna Árnadóttir from Iceland, #14 'All the Friendly People' by Tor Åge Bringsværd from Norway (translated by Olivia Lasky), #17 'The Storm' by Boel Bermann from Sweden (translated by Heather Jonasson), and #20 'My Christmas Holiday' by John Ajvide Lindqvist from Sweden (translated by Marlaine Delargy).

I don't see translators mentioned often in reviews, so shout out to all 8 translators who worked on this anthology. Special props to Olivia Lasky, who did a superb job with the 5 stories she translated - her translations were notably seamless; Heather Jonasson for her translation of 'The Storm'; and Marlaine Delargy for her translation of 'My Christmas Holiday'.

The following are ratings for, and brief notes on, every story:

Finland -

1. The Silence of the Host - 3/5 - A boy, home alone at night, listens to a live call-in show. This one was a little creepy, but pretty predictable; it reads more Middle Grade than adult and the translation is a touch awkward.

2. The Joys of the Table - 4.25/5 - From the perspective of a table. This one was FANTASTIC except for the ending, which felt rushed and a little generic. I wish it had been more fleshed out, I loved the concept.

3. Angela's Artworks - 4/5 - An artist gets an interesting commission during lockdown. I loved how appropriately insufferable Angela's artist friends were in this one LOL, and I enjoyed the premise and the focus on color. I could see the paintings in my mind. The ending was a little bit weak, the plot a little bit predictable, but I liked this one.

Denmark -

4. Neither Heaven Nor Hell - 4/5 - A man and his lover move into his deceased father's home in the woods. This one was written and translated beautifully. The descriptions of nature were marvelous and lush. Some of the scenes were too explicit for my taste (not letting this affect my rating, just personal preference), and the central "why" of the story was murky/motivations didn't quite add up, but still a very good entry.

5. A Pretty Parcel for a Pretty Price - 3.25/5 - A woman receives a parcel she was not expecting. Geeze... major points for creativity. The prose, however, is stilted and choppy. GREAT idea (really), but mediocre execution.

6. Mr. Schaday - 5/5 - A lodger is disturbed when a new tenant moves into the room next to his. Great! Atmospheric, Poe-like, reads like a classic slow-burn horror tale. The story was mysterious and suspenseful; the tension just kept amplifying - I wanted to know what on earth was going on through the entire read. I would love for this to be extended into a novella simply because I didn't want to stop reading it, but the ending is pretty perfect as is. (Mikkel Harris Carlsen, I'm going to follow you on Goodreads and cross my fingers more of your work is translated into English [by Olivia Lasky, of course].)

Greenland -

7. The Qivittoq - 2.5/5 - A woman recounts a day when her and her now-husband had a strange encounter in the wilderness. This one was just sort of a nothingburger. An uneventful story that felt like it might have been leading up to more, but the more never happened. This is unfortunate, as I looked up Qivittoq and a much more interesting story could have easily been based on this folklore.

8. The Tupilak - 2.5/5 - A person encounters a terrible creature in their home. This one had the same issue as the above as far as the story being less interesting than the mythology it is based on. Most of the story is just descriptions of the creature - what it looks like and what it's doing. There was no suspense or reason to care about the person.

Iceland -

9. The Shape of Stones - 4/5 - A woman keeps a journal documenting her search for stones where sacrifices took place in ancient times. I enjoyed learning a bit about Icelandic history from this story, liked the epistolary format, and I was just starting to get intrigued when the story ended. This one was written by Hildur Knútsdóttir, the first author I recognized in this anthology (from having read "The Night Guest" a while back). This was a good entry, but I wish it had kept going.

10. You See Me, Don't You? - 5/5 - A woman tries to figure out where she is, what's going on, and why. That's all I can give you - the less you know going in the better. Holy wow, this was fantastic and so disturbing, all without using any conventional horror tropes. Very unique premise. Besides this story, Nanna Árnadóttir has published one young adult horror book - I will keep an eye on her profile in case she ever decides to write a horror novel or put together a story collection for adults. Very well done.

11. Little Boy - 3.5/5 - A man without memories is taken back home. This one was a head scratcher. I was following it for a long while, and was paying rapt attention. The author did a great job making the reader feel as lost as the main character, which I was liking. The issue is that the narrative took some really weird turns and there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for them. There were some (what I assume are) hints in the story - I think? But if that's what they were, I did not understand how they fit; the story seems to invite you to solve something without giving you enough to solve it. I'm not certain what to rate this one. I enjoyed the journey but was quite confused, so I'll default to 3.5/5 - my "neutral".

The Faroe Islands -

12. The Rat - 3.25/5 - A lonely man tries to heal his heart. This one did have a twist I didn't see coming, but I think I didn't see it coming more because it was abrupt rather than clever. An okay story, no strong feelings either way.

13. When the Angels Came - 1/5 - In dated entries, a woman ponders about what the world has become. This is a dystopian story that reads like annoying rage bait mixed with political rants, and seems to cover every variation of "things that might push people's buttons". There is no natural escalation, just increasingly wild statements intended to force a response of outrage. And the story kept going on, and on, and on, and on... while I kept wishing it would be done so I could move on. Least favorite entry so far - sensationalist drek. This is the only story I would recommend skipping.

Norway -

14. All the Friendly People - 5/5 - A man is taking a train ride; he's tired. This one was 3 pages long and delightfully weird. Loved it. By Tor Åge Bringsværd, translated by Olivia Lasky. Unfortunately, Tor Åge Bringsværd passed away in 2025. He cowrote the first book to be labeled science fiction by a Norwegian author and leaves behind a rich literary history. None of his major adult fiction novels have been translated into English - which I hope is remedied sooner rather than later.

15. Wrecked - 3.25/5 - A father is grieving his recently deceased wife. The story was okay, but it's been done a thousand times before. I feel like the ending was the worst offender as far as seeing it coming. Written fairly well, but not very memorable.

16. Smoke and Shadows - 3.5/5 - A murderer is executed, but evil takes on a life of its own. An interesting idea as far as being somewhat original with technicalities, but a predictable progression.

Sweden -

17. The Storm - 5/5 - A man avoiding grief prepares for a storm. A tense exploration of grief, and wow, this one did NOT go where I expected it to go at all. Great! This story is by Boel Bermann (translated by Heather Jonasson) - she writes horror, dystopian fiction, and science fiction. Some of her work appears in other English language anthologies, but none of her novels have been translated into English yet - another one to watch!

18. Echo - 3.5/5 - A group of female friends take a hike to a special rock. This one reminded me of a cheesy horror movie. It was a fun set up, lots of recollection of past drama, some stereotypical young adult horror tropes. The ending was underwhelming and there were a few minor plot holes, but mostly fun.

19. Hit and Run - 4.25/5 - A woman going through a divorce tries to deal with a hit and run. This one was a little expected, but still filled with tension. It's written in a way where it's hard to tell whether the main character is an unreliable narrator or not, which makes everything more interesting. I felt like the ending was a little unresolved, but after thinking about it, where it leaves off is actually a decent place to leave it. A good entry.

20. My Christmas Holiday - 5/5 - An eight-year-old girl recalls her Christmas Eve. This one is another that is only 3 pages, and it majorly delivers. Yes, a bit predictable, but the point of view elevates it and makes it more impactful. A great ending to the anthology from the author of 'Let the Right One In'.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Solaris Books for this free advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

#NordicNightmares #NetGalley

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Nightmarish tales of mystery and horror, from the best voices in contemporary Nordic fiction. (from publisher)

Nordic Psycho Horror Nightmares is my new favorite genre. This is such a fun and disturbing collection of tales and short stories. The cover drew me in, but the content surprised me as I was expecting more folklore. It is delightfully so much more. These little stories are quite clever, and several just keep playing in my head.

Yes, there is a bit of gore. The collection ends with “My Christmas Holiday” by John Ajvide Lindqvist, told from the POV of an eight-year-old, Alice. It brought to mind the song “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” with a lot of blood.

Nordic Nightmares, you know you want to experience this treasure trove of twenty entries. Margrét Helgadóttir (and team) were diligent in finding the best writers and their works for this project. This book definitely needs to be on my bookshelf at home. Christmas is coming (hint…hint).


Thank you so very much to Solaris Books and #NetGalley for sharing an ARC of #NordicNightmaresTheBestofNordicHorror.

[Chloe Hasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect horror collection.
There, I said it.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This welcome horror anthology, edited by Margret Helgadottir, collects together a number of stories from across the Nordic region, including titles from areas not especially known for their literary output, including Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The stories all feel modern, generally riffing on established supernatural themes from the genre or weird tales that feel well established in their country's culture, often referencing local folklore. For some of the stories I enjoyed the least, I did wonder, as ever, whether something got lost in translation along the way.

THE SILENCE OF THE HOST, which opens the collection, is a good example of the subtle approach that many stories take, with a home alone adolescent disturbed by a sinister radio phone-in. It's decent enough, but its successor THE JOYS OF THE TABLE is even better, a wonderfully imaginative slice of weirdness about a sentient table's relationship with its owners. It reminded me of a modern-day Guy de Maupassant in content, and is a joy to read. Of the following stories, ANGELA'S ARTWORKS felt too insubstantial for me to enjoy, while NEITHER HEAVEN NOR HELL has a workable premise but is a little too offputting in terms of its content. A PRETTY PARCEL FOR A PRETTY PRICE is much better, a riff on INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS which makes its offbeat premise truly chilling.

The next three stories are middle of the road. MR SCHADAY is about a ghostly tenant that at least has a great climax, while THE QIVITTOQ is a good example of fiction inspired by folklore, although I found THE TUPILAK too abstract to work. THE SHAPE OF STONES, which involves a student investigating some bloodthirsty history for a research project, is very good indeed and one of the best here, although YOU SEE ME, DON'T YOU? has an arresting premise but lacklustre execution.

LITTLE BOY is a solid exploration of what living in limbo must feel like, while THE RAT is a short psychological one with shades of Poe. WHEN THE ANGELS COME paints a bleak picture of life in an authoritarian regime, but I didn't “get” ALL THE FRIENDLY PEOPLE at all, and I found WRECKED completely predictable. SMOKE AND SHADOWS has basic storytelling but an efficiently gruesome premise, while THE STORM is interesting for its protagonist's unusal powers. ECHO is a mystery with an effective supernatural climax, and HIT AND RUN has something of IT FOLLOWS about it. Finally, Lindqvist's MY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY is a skilfully macabre story of supernatural revenge, and entirely satisfying with it.

(Advance review copy supplied by Netgalley)

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting collection of stories from Nordic authors. This collection has horror stories from various sub genres as well, such as science fiction horror, gothic horror, etc. Most of the works, if not all, were translated to English. Some of the stories are extensions from the author’s previous works.

I enjoyed most of the stories. Some of them just confused me and I couldn’t see the “horror” aspect of it. Others gave me goosebumps.

I think the problem I had with the stories was that I didn’t know if the horror element in the stories were from Nordic myths/culture. I was quite confused with some of them. However, as I neared the end of the collection and started on the Biographies chapter, some of my questions were finally answered. In the author’s biography, they mention the inspiration behind the stories which helped me a lot in understanding the underlying theme. One of the authors also made a note of the creature they wrote which was based on a myth from their country. I liked learning more about that.

Anyway, this book is more of a collection of strange and uncanny tales written by Nordic authors. They aren’t all scary but they explore different themes and human emotions.

My particular favourites were:
1. Wrecked by Aleksander Brun
2. My Christmas Holiday by John Ajvide Lindqvist
3. A Pretty Parcel for A Pretty Price by AR Frederiksen
4. Angela’s Artwork by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen
5. The Shape of Stones by Hildur Knútsdóttir

I will probably add on to this review later under a spoiler tag regarding my feelings or thoughts for each short story.

-

Thank you to the publishers for sending me this eARC via Netgalley for an honest review.

[Faye Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nordic Nightmares is an anthology of Nordic folk horror short stories, with between 2 and 4 stories for each of the following locations: Finland, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway and Sweden. I love folk horror, and particularly love reading folk horror from different countries because I think it keeps it from getting stale and predictable. This anthology of horror short stories is definitely not predictable. One of them is from the perspective of a TABLE, which sounds odd, but it just works! It's a really varied collection, and while some short stories won't work for every reader, some will. There were some that I just didn't understand, and some that really got my heart beating fast!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Gregor Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stories split by Nordic nation, including Finland, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, The Faroe Islands, Norway, and Sweden.

This is a wonderful and unique opportunity to enjoy works from wonderful authors with stories covering everything from depressing dystopia and grief, to folk horror, monsters, and more.

Of the limited Nordic/Scandinavian books I’ve read, I have always adored their darkness, and this collection didn’t disappoint.

Some really good and creepy stories are included in this book and I look forward to reading more from the authors involved.

Massive thanks to NetGalley and Solaris Books for the early access 🖤

[Runalong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic range of stories that give us an insight into what scares people where the nights get even longer at this time of the year - strongly recommended

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Rugz · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 ⭐️

Firstly a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a collection of 19 horror stories from Nordic countries translated into English with vastly ranging topics and lengths. So this was a really interesting collection and I individually rated each short story and then averaged it out for the collection overall which I think probably helped some and hindered others. I would say I think some things may have been lost in translation with some of the stories. Unfortunately some stories were great but there was no payoff in the end and some I would genuinely debate are horror stories. However that being said, I’m so glad I read this and there are authors I would definitely check out again. The book is broken into sections denoted by the authors country which gave good context, if you like Taaqtumi you’d definitely like this especially the Greenland section. My favourites were probably When the Angels came, which I gave 4.25 which was unfortunately, all too realistic and horrifying and Echo, which I also gave 4.25 to which was centred around supernatural horror in the woods. There was such a wide variety of topics though in this from cosmic horror to dystopian horror to eco horror to more traditional supernatural horror and so many more. I would say the last half of the collection was a lot stronger, in my opinion, than the first half and Norway and Sweden collections were particularly good. I would recommend especially as a good way to sample new authors. Below is the individual rating for each story;
FINLAND
The Silence of the Host 3⭐️
The Joys of the Table 3.75 ⭐️
Angela’s Artworks 3.5⭐️
DENMARK
Neither Heaven nor Hell 3.5⭐️
A Pretty Parcel for a Pretty Price 3.5⭐️
Mr Schaday 4 ⭐️
GREENLAND
The Qivittoq 3.5⭐️
The Tupilak 3⭐️
ICELAND
The Shape of Stones 4⭐️
You See Me, Don’t You? 3.75 ⭐️
Little Boy 3⭐️
THE FAROE ISLANDS
The Rat 3.25⭐️
When the Angels came 4.25⭐️
NORWAY
All the Friendly People 3⭐️
Wrecked 4⭐️
Smoke and Shadows 4⭐️
SWEDEN
The Storm 3.75 ⭐️
Echo 4.25 ⭐️
Hit and Run 3.5 ⭐️
My Christmas Holiday 4⭐️

[Michaela Sjödin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An anthology filled with Nordic nightmares took over my life this weekend. An incredibly atmospheric collection of stories. I started reading it one night when I couldn't sleep, thinking, "I'll just read ONE short story," but then one led to another, and another, and another... And then, unfortunately, it ended!

I intended to highlight a few stories that left a particularly strong impression, but when it came to the Swedish ones, I honestly couldn't choose. Sweden is the most established Nordic country in the horror genre, and that really shines through in this anthology. A very strong lineup!

That said, I did have a clear favorite from each major Nordic country, so here they are:

🇫🇮 The Joys of the Table by Johanna Sinisalo – A short story told from the perspective of a table. Need I say more? So creative, and a story that is both lovely and unsettling.

🇩🇰 A Pretty Parcel for a Pretty Price by AR Frederiksen – A story with a strong sci-fi feel, centering on a mysterious package. Suspenseful right up to the very end!

🇮🇸 You See Me, Don’t You? by Nanna Árnadóttir – A claustrophobic story revolving around a volcanic eruption, while also incorporating a touch of social commentary. Brilliant!

🇳🇴 Smoke and Shadows by Jon Ewo – A truly evil (and dead) man seeps into a basement. What a story, I get shivers just thinking about it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for letting me read this outstanding anthology! It’s being released just in time for spooky season on October 22nd. 🎃

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a HUGE fan of anthologies and short stories. There are books which drone on for hundreds of pages that don't achieve the magic, the horror or the reflection that short stories can achieve. Now, not all short stories are of the same calibre. It is inevitable but if you're lucky, you'll find that story that sticks with you for a long time.

This anthology is a true gem because there are many stories that are like this. My particular favourites are immediately one after the other in the anthology and I think they honestly show the true diversity of Nordic horror. The Silence of the Host (Marko Hautala) and The Joys of the Table (Johanna Sinisalo) showcase Margrét Helgadóttir's genius as an editor. To put these two stories at the beginning, it really shows you that this may be like nothing you've experienced before. It also reminds you that you will see the true breadth of horror: the horror of the everyday to the horror of the unknown. I also enjoyed how this anthology was categorised into the different regions of the Nordic areas.

A must-read for every self-proclaimed fan of horror!

[Sarah Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of folklore and I was extremely excited to read this anthology. I enjoyed most of the stories but feel like they weren’t as nightmarish as the introduction leads the reader to believe. A few of the stories were scary but others not so much. It felt flat.

I realize that some of my dispassion for some of the stories is likely related to the language translation or culture. I’d say it’s an interesting read if you like folklore but If not, and you are looking for a horrible fright, this may not be for you.

This book is divided into stories from different countries - Finland, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Norway and Sweden. It was a book I kept reading because of my own insatiable curiosity. However, put it down several times as I became a little bored. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a good book, it is. It’s just not what I would call nightmarish with an adrenaline push for you to read to the very end in one sitting. I did love the introduction, it is one of the best I’ve read in an anthology.

That said, I will be buying it to go with the Norse collection of anthologies I have, mostly related to Christmas & Winter.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for the advanced copy of this book for a honest and thorough review.

[WaVe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read and got me curious about Norse authors.

As with every anthology I read so far, the stories were hit or miss.

What I liked:

✔ Original ideas. Each story brought something different, some of them were original.

✔ Discovering new authors. I found new authors for myself that I loved and want to read more by them if anything translated is available.
(My personal favorites: Marko Hautala, Boel Bermann, John Ajvide Lindqvist)

What I didn't like:

✘ Research. If there's a scientific claim - it should be linked to a proper PubMed research, not a BBC article (talking about the prologue).

✘ False advertisment. I was promised Norse themed horror stories, but for the most part got regular stories written by Nordic authors. Some of the settings aren't even in Europe but in USA, which was very disappointing. Also, no nightmares. Most of the stories aren't horror stories, and the word NIGHTMARE in the title is very misleading.

In conclusion:
The stories themselves were fun, but not quite what I was promised.

Recommended for:
Readers who enjoy their short stories on the darker side.

Vibe check:
✱ Forest
✱ Winter
✱ Eerie

Thank you to Solaris Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Krystelle (based on the novel by Stephen King) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

It’s hard to find anthology books that are so solid that nearly everything in them stands up reasonably well, but ‘Nordic Nightmares’ is one of those rare successes. It felt so incredibly well curated that there was just a lot of oomph in the passion of the authors and the editor.

I think that there’s a lot to be said for the creepiness of the Nordic countries, especially in respect of mythology, and this collection really emphasised that. There are a lot of creatures that are connected deeply to the myths of the land, and it’s pretty fantastic to read all about them here.

There were, as there always are, a couple of weaker stories, and I do wish that some of them went on for longer, but it’s hard to criticise a collection of this scope, range, and general impressive description. Keen to hunt down the speculative fiction one too!

[Gariele Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of horror stories from authors across Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and the wider Nordic region felt beautifully written and surprisingly literary—much more so than many other horror anthologies I’ve read.

The translations were particularly wonderful. There’s something fascinating about reading beautifully crafted English that originated in another language; it made me appreciate the English language itself in a completely different way. Some of the prose felt almost more beautiful for having taken the long way around to get to me.

The stories vary in style and darkness, but together they create this wonderfully eerie, distinctly Nordic atmosphere. A great collection if you like your horror with a little more literary substance.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Donna Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!

In this collection of short stories by a variety of Nordic authors, we delve into horror stories. All these stories are translated from their original language, which provides a nice refresh for others. The editor who composed this anthology went to great lengths to provide a space for horror stories, since most authors from Nordic countries don't get the chance to flourish in horror writing, as it's not a popular genre among the people. I really enjoyed the differences and variety from the number of countries provided. Some stories really captured my attention, while I struggled to get through others, but a couple of stories from each Nordic country helped. Overall, this was a nice anthology of stories from multiple Nordic authors that provided terror and insights into these countries.

[Courtney | the backcountry_booky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

What a fantastic collection of Nordic horror stories! There was a little bit of everything included and I loved that! While some were true creature horror, other focused on a psychological horror or a body horror. Short stories like this are always a great way to either dip your toes into the genre or just have a quick read between books! I big shout out to the wonderful translators who worked to make these stories accessible in other languages. I will say some stories didn’t hit the same with the translations as it was probably best told in its original language. That said it was still very enjoyable! The cover artwork was also done so amazingly well. It was originally what drew me to the book in the first place!

A big thankyou yo NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy of Nordic Nightmares early.

[Robin · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGallegy and to the publishers for the ARC.

For me, anthologies can be a little tricky. I like the appeal of a collection of stories, but find that more often I only really enjoy a few of them. This was, unfortunately, one of those cases. I’ve always been interested in folklore and Norse culture and mythology, so this collection definitely interested me. It wasn't what I was expecting though.

While some were really entertaining — The Tupilak by Pivinnguaq Mørch was one of my favorites, but I love a little creature feature — most weren’t exceptionally frightening, and some felt flat. I recognize that part of it could be the translations and way it was written/translated. I think if you’re looking for straight horror, this might not be the collection for you. But if you’re into eerie folklore, you would enjoy this a lot. I would honestly give this a 3.5/5.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nordic Nightmares: The Best of Nordic Horror edited by Margrét Helgadóttir is a strong horror anthology and excellent introduction to a number of authors who have never had their works translated before.

Each Nordic nation is represented in this collection and while there was a dark thread running throughout, as one would expect for a horror anthology, there was a delightful variety of style and theme showcased.

My personal highlights were:

Angela's Artworks by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen
You See Me, Don't You? by Nanna Árnadóttir
Wrecked by Aleksander Brun
When the Angels Came by Rakel Helmsdal
My Christmas Holiday by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Echo by Madeleine Bäck

Had a great time here. Recommended.

With thanks to Solaris Books for the ARC.

[Catherine]

This anthology is a smorgasbord of spookiness - I saved it to review near Halloween, but it would make an excellent Jólabókaflóðið gift too if you follow the tradition of ghost stories at Christmas.
With anthologies, there are often a few misses, but that’s not the case here: each story gets into your subconscious and stays there - or they did for me! - and the editor has done an excellent job of curating the best from Finland, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroes, Norway and Sweden. The two Greenlandic stories and Madeleine Bäck’s Echo - complete with Easter eggs if you’ve read Bäck before! - stood out as stellar contributions, but all were unfailingly chilling.
Well done to the translators too!

[Emma's Rambles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been trying to get into the horror genre and I would happily live in Scandinavia, which it why I wanted to read this book. 

I enjoyed the short story format - each story was vastly different from the others SBC were varying lengths which kept it fresh. 

Maybe it's just that I'm not into horror but most of the stories felt like they were ending as a cop out. The thing that made some of the stories 'horror' was that they ended on a cliffhanger so your imagination filled in the gaps. Maybe I'm being overly critical but to me that just feels like the writer didn't know how to tie everything up at the end so they just... didn't. 

I also wasn't scared at any point. Isn't that the point of horror?

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook, I'm happy to share my honest review

[The Remedy Shelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept is stronger than the execution.
This collection is beautifully curated and showcases a strong range of culturally rich short fiction. While the folkloric elements come through clearly, making it easy to become immersed in Nordic landscapes, traditions, and mythology, many of the individual stories fail to leave a lasting impression.
The standout exception is Nanna Árnadóttir's You See Me, Don't You?, which is the collection's strongest piece and a compelling example of what the short story form can achieve at its best.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

[Ninia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not generally a big horror reader, but I'm getting increasingly obsessed with all things Nordic.
And so that's how I ended up with this book.
Now, horror is as diverse as there are people with fears and this anthology touhes on a lot of different facets of fear.
It's cool to see that different (Nordic) countries have different styles of storytelling and I think I can safely say that there is something here for every horror or thriller enthousiast. From stories that instantly gave me an eerie feeling, to stories that slowly build up to it.
From regular daily occurencec with a twist to local cryptids coming out to play, this book is a great addition for everyone who loves the genre.

[Karina Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nordic Nightmares is a perfect sampler of horror from this region of the world. I loved how the short stories were grouped by country.

The stories themselves were a mix of hits and misses for me, which I think is expected in a short story collection from multiple authors. I enjoyed the forward; it added a sort of framework for how the reader can interpret the stories. At the back of the book, there are author bios and some information on what inspired their story.

Also, a shout out for the cover artwork. I absolutely love it! A great book if you are trying to read more from around the world or are curious about Nordic horror.

Thanks you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Jazz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for the Arc!

The stories in this book did, in fact, unsettle and give me chills. I don't always enjoy anthologies, but none of the stories in this collection were a miss. I liked how they were separated by region (Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Faroe Islands, etc). This was a great opportunity for me to read something different. I learned a lot about Nordic culture and mythology/folk tales through the collection of stories. I discovered indigenous creatures I would never have heard of before. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I highly recommend.

[Ronnica Fatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the opportunity to getting introduced to new writers, in this case Nordic horror writers. These stories run the gambit, but all offer value.
My favorite was “When the Angels Came” by Rakel Helmsd which was a dystopian story set in the all-too-familiar near future. Unfortunately, none of Rakel’s novels have been translated into English so I’m glad I got a glimpse into a writer I hope I’ll get to read more from one day.