Nordic Noir discussion

I was wondering if James Thompson is worth a try, and if so, which book should I start with.
Thanks for your input on this.

Start with snow Angels because it is the first in the series and not only yes but hell yes!!

I agree with Dee. I loved Snow Angels.

Oh, Good Lord, YES! One of my top 5 contemporary authors!

I agree with Dee and Naomi, Snow Angels, then Lucifer's Tears and then Helsinki White.

Oh definitely worth a try! I lived as a kid in Finland and I'd have to list him as my #1 favorite Finnish crime writer. Read the Vaara series on order = Snow Angels, then Lucifer's Tears, then Helsinki White. Especially in the later books there are a lot of political voices too - making James not just a brilliant detective genre writer but also someone who can mirror the political scenes in Finand too. (plus unlike most Swedish or Nowregian detective stories, the Finnish ones always have a lot of odd cultural things that can't really e translated... That added with a bunch of detectives mediocrily translated makes him so much easier to enjoy - no need for a 5 year intensive course of everything Finnish by a. 5 year residency in Finland - just get a book of his (not in Finnish) and enjoy).

Yes, absolutely! I love the Vaara series. As people have written, start with Snow Angels & enjoy!

Another... hell, yes!!

Well it seems a resounding hell yes, I will start Snow Angels and get back to you! Thanks all!!!

Anything to promote this excellent author gets my vote; always interesting to see others views on novels you enjoy. Hey may even make Jim write and publish books 5, 6, 7 and 8

Mark wrote: "Well it seems a resounding hell yes, I will start Snow Angels and get back to you! Thanks all!!!"

If it helps you, my husband who loves dark and twisted novels even had "wow" moments with SA! Plus...with HW..he took over my kindle the day it was downloaded to it, so I had to wait to read it.

Oh the battle that surely occurred with Naomi not having her kindle

I made sure that everybody in the house has a Kindle to keep that from happening!

Mark wrote: "I made sure that everybody in the house has a Kindle to keep that from happening!"

He doesn't read like I do, but trust me, I kicked it around!

Yeah, Dee..I am sure you remember that. He basically kissed me hello when he came home from work and asked me if the book came...then I lost my kindle!

And another... Hell, yeah!

I have to agree with everyone. I'll be reading LT soon, but loved SA. You can't go wrong if you love gritty novels with a twist(s).

Thanks everybody. Comments like these keep my nose to the keyboard.

James wrote: "Thanks everybody. Comments like these keep my nose to the keyboard."

Good! That's what we like to hear! ;-P

Jim could even be the example for why this group exists...

If I hadn't picked up snow angels at the library and loved it, I wouldn't have been stalking reviews for LT's
If I hadn't been stalking reviews I never would have met Naomi over another review that was spoiler ish
If i'd never met naomi my love of NN might have floundered and this group never would have started...

So it's all because of Jim...

Dee, what a sweet thing for you to say!

XXOO - Jim

Dee wrote: "Jim could even be the example for why this group exists...

If I hadn't picked up snow angels at the library and loved it, I wouldn't have been stalking reviews for LT's
If I hadn't been stalking r..."

Wow, Dee...ain't that the truth! Ditto, here! I would never have started a NN group on my own, and would have just kept reading them. Plus, I have found a wonderful friend through it all.

I can also thank Jim for allowing me to guest post on his blog, which was the birth of my own blog and has opened a large number of opportunities for me.

I thin SA might have been one of the first books I reviewed on my blog as well

Naomi wrote: "Dee wrote: "Jim could even be the example for why this group exists...

If I hadn't picked up snow angels at the library and loved it, I wouldn't have been stalking reviews for LT's
If I hadn't bee..."

Naomi and Dee, could you post here or message me the URLs of your blogs. Let's see if we can get you a wee bit of promotion for them. I prefer if you email me: jamesthompsonauthor@gmail.com Communications are a little more secure.

Dee wrote: "Jim could even be the example for why this group exists...

If I hadn't picked up snow angels at the library and loved it, I wouldn't have been stalking reviews for LT's
If I hadn't been stalking r..."

I would second that notion, because of Dee and Naomi (who pointed me to Available Dark to start with} I would have moved on to other areas of fiction. Also, Jim, I have started Snow Angels and it is just what the doctor ordered. I will have plenty to read for the forseable future, and they will all have your name on the cover. Thanks Nordic Noir

Any way we can help...That is Dee and I...here to serve! ;)

I think we all concur that we love Jim's books, but do also read his courageous and outspoken blogs.

http://www.jamesthompsonauthor.com/bl...

Thank you, Lili. I'm well known in my personal life for speaking my mind. Sometimes, my wife gets angry about it because of my delivery style. I wait until the end of convoluted diatribes by uninformed people and then blow it all apart with a sarcastic sentence. I'm a bit odd. I walk funny from wrecked joints, and I'm a man of few words, believing that if I have something worth relating I should write it, not say it, speak slowly and take long gaps at times, which if people don't know me makes them think I'm a bit dim, but I just like to consider my words. That one sentence usually causes red faces and stuttering. Hence said wife's consternation, for making people uncomfortable.

I'd like to think my novels, although not for all, are worth a pounce.

Mark wrote: "Dee wrote: "Jim could even be the example for why this group exists...

If I hadn't picked up snow angels at the library and loved it, I wouldn't have been stalking reviews for LT's
If I hadn't bee..."

Thanks Mark, nice to hear. There's some good stuff that comes out of this far end / top of the world.

Dee wrote: "I thin SA might have been one of the first books I reviewed on my blog as well"

Really? I didn't know that. I thought of it the other way, that I've learned a lot from you and Naomi (and Sharon).

aside from Steig Larsson, your books were the first in the genre that I ever really read

ETA - yep, here it is - http://deesbookblog.com/2010/11/14/re...

James wrote: "Thank you, Lili. I'm well known in my personal life for speaking my mind. Sometimes, my wife gets angry about it because of my delivery style. I wait until the end of convoluted diatribes by uninfo..."


As I've said before you have opened my eyes and I thank you for it. Thanks also for being so open and communicative it is a nice touch by a busy author.

Lili wrote: "I think we all concur that we love Jim's books, but do also read his courageous and outspoken blogs.

http://www.jamesthompsonauthor.com/bl..."

Thanks for sending me the link, Lili..I hadn't seen it yet, but that is classic Jim and one of the reasons he is one of my favorite authors!

Dee wrote: "aside from Steig Larsson, your books were the first in the genre that I ever really read

ETA - yep, here it is - http://deesbookblog.com/2010/11/14/re..."

I didn't know that. Made me feel nice. And i hadn't seen your blog before. Just added it to 'Favorites.'

Mark wrote: "I was wondering if James Thompson is worth a try, and if so, which book should I start with.
Thanks for your input on this."

I came across James Thompson thanks to this group and immediately borrowed two of his books from the library. I was hooked. Thanks for recommending him.

Happy Days

After reading these fantastic reviews...I can't wait to start Snow Angels! Bought all three books!

Hi Bobbi, given that you've picked up all three, I REALLY hope that you like them. Best, Jim