English Translations of Scandinavian/Nordic Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

For the month of January 2026 we have 7 books to choose from at this time. We will add books as they become known to us. Good reading.

1) The School of Night by Karl Ove Knausgård to be published on the 13th of January 2026. Norway. 512 pages.

Karl Ove Knausgaard’s most daring and macabre novel yet, The School of Night is an indelible tale about dark temptations and moral depravity, and what we forget when we bargain with the devil

It’s 1985, and the young and ambitious Kristian Hadeland is moving from Norway to London to study photography. He throws himself headfirst into the bustling art scene and finds himself at a crossroads—ultimately deciding to pay any price for success in his early career, willing to sacrifice everything and to stop at nothing.

Twenty-four years later, Kristian has achieved everything he’s ever desired. Now an art photographer with a major retrospective in New York City, he sees his world around him begin to crumble as his past catches up to him and he faces his evil fate.

In a thrilling twist on Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, and set in the occult universe of The Morning Star, The Wolves of Eternity, and The Third Realm, Knausgaard masterfully spins a dark cautionary tale about the lengths we will go to achieve success—and how far we are willing to fall.

2) The Cabin by Jørn Lier Horst to be published on the 13th of January 2026. Norway. 395 pages.

Politician Bernhard Clausen has been found dead in his cabin on the Norwegian coast.
The police discover a piece of explosive information which could put the whole nation's future at risk. In a frantic search for answers they discover a web of lies which conceal the secrets to a series of cold cases. The police soon realise that to uncover the truth these cases need to be solved. And quickly.
Chief Inspector William Wisting, together with Kripos investigator Adrian Stiller, delve into Clauren's past and soon find that his interests lay less in Norway's political world, and more in its dark, and deadly, criminal underbelly.

3) The Secrets Below by Camilla Sten and Viveca Sten to be published on the 13th of January 2026. Sweden. 331 pages.

On an icy Swedish archipelago, a girl is entangled in a dark mystery that only she holds the key to unraveling, in this fantasy thriller from the wondrous minds of Camilla Sten and Viveca Sten.

What happened out there in the woods?

Twelve-year-old Tuva couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than the Stockholm archipelago and her island home of Harö. Even if she mostly keeps to herself at her small school. Even if she sometimes gets kind of lonely.

But when a classmate goes missing, Tuva finds herself at the center of the mystery, along with Rasmus, the new boy at school. Neither one of them can understand what they saw that day in the woods near the Is something magical at work? Something evil?

And it’s not just their classmate who has gone missing. Other people around the islands have gone missing this fall, disappearing from their boats on the water, never to be heard from again. Can Tuva and Rasmus discover what secrets are lurking below…before it’s too late?

4) The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James to be published on the 15th of January 2026. UK and Norway. 379 pages.

Pack your bags for the adventure of a lifetime…From the #1 bestselling author of The Cruise, embark on an unforgettable journey and sail through Norway’s winter wonderlands to see the spectacular Northern Lights.

________

Will the Arctic wonderland work its magic this winter?

Joy never imagined stepping aboard a cruise ship without her husband, Tom. Now widowed, Joy wonders what her voyage on the Emerald Dream will hold – and as it glides through breathtaking Norwegian fjords, she longs to believe in happiness again. However, she carries a secret that could unravel her fragile hopes if it ever came to light…

Elsewhere on deck, as the sun dips below the horizon and the polar night sets in, Henry, a lifelong bachelor, is living his dream of seeing the Northern Lights. Having long since given up on love, he now dedicates himself to his passion for photography. But when he meets Joy, is it more than the aurora borealis that catches his eye?

As they embark on a snow-dusted adventure which takes them from bustling ports to reindeer-drawn sleigh rides, will Joy and Henry find the courage to embrace love again? Or will hidden truths sink the possibility of a new beginning?

A heartwarming, feel-good voyage of self-discovery, romance and second chances, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Judy Leigh.

5) Butterfly Games by Kelly Scarborough to be published on the 20th of January 2026. Sweden. 352 pages.

For fans of Philippa Gregory and Allison Pataki, a debut biographical historical novel about a young Swedish countess whose youthful love affair with the heir to her country’s throne has profound personal and political repercussions.

In some games, winning means losing everything that matters.

In the opulent world of the Swedish royal court, Jacquette Gyldenstolpe walks a dangerous tightrope between romance and political intrigue. Neglected by her parents and ostracized by the people around her, the young countess falls in love with Prince Oscar, heir to the Swedish throne—but their passionate affair has far-reaching consequences for the new Bernadotte dynasty, which is already challenged by threats from inside Sweden and beyond.

By the time Jacquette learns that the Butterfly Game is not for the faint-hearted, it is too late. For she has a secret—one as precious to her as it is potentially devastating to the crown—and she will stop at nothing to protect it.

Based on a true story and set in stormy early-1800s Europe, Butterfly Games is a sweeping historical tale of forbidden love, fierce duty, and the cost of ambition. From the lavish ballrooms of Stockholm to the elegant manor houses of the Swedish countryside, Jacquette’s story will transport readers to a world where every whisper could lead to triumph or ruin.

6) The Earth Room by Dana Diehl to be published on the 20th of January 2026. Iceland. 144 pages.

The Earth Room transports us from the forests of Appalachia to the Sonoran Desert to the glaciers of Iceland, all while exploring the mysteries of what it means to be alive.

In one story, a woman transforms her boyfriend into a salamander. In another, a group of women are drawn together by a support group for the partners of vampires and werewolves. Inhabiting this haunting and fantastical collection are secret tunnels, magical doorways, modern witches, a mother who gives birth to a ghost, a town full of doubles, a sanctuary for potbelly pigs, and a daughter who never grows up. The Earth Room offers a thrilling, fabulist journey through the natural world, superstition, motherhood, and loss.

7) The Ice Angels by Caroline Mitchell to be published on the 26th of January 2026. Finland. 363 pages.

Ten years ago, in the depths of the Finnish winter, Detective Elea Baker’s daughter was taken—and never found.

Now, in the quiet streets of Lincoln, girls are disappearing again. When one is found on the cathedral steps, clutching a chilling clue linked to the decade-old abduction, there’s only one person who can solve the Elea.

Dragged back into her nightmare, she’s determined to bring her daughter home this time—no matter the cost.

But is she chasing a ghost, or on the verge of uncovering a truth that will shatter everything?

8) Whispers in the Snow: A charming and suspenseful Victorian historical romance mystery by Heidi Eljarbo to be published on there 27th of January 2026. Norway. 125 pages.

Of course, a young woman in Norway during the late nineteenth century can be a successful amateur sleuth, and goodness knows, Cornelia’s days are always more exciting when she can devote her time to resolving a local mystery.

Cornelia Gran is a dedicated daughter, friendly and kind; although, she has an exorbitant amount of curiosity. She devours Arthur Conan Doyle’s magazine articles and tries to follow the fictitious Sherlock Holmes’s investigative examples, but her fascination with solving puzzles always gets her into mischief.

Each morning, Cornelia reads the newspaper, looking for a conundrum to solve. Searching for clues—and then chronicling her discoveries—thrills her. She certainly finds those activities more entertaining than taking her grandmother’s advice and attending one Christmas ball after another in search of a husband.

But chaos and danger turn Cornelia’s quiet days upside down when her attempt to find information about the owner of a nearby abandoned cottage takes her into dangerous territory. As winter winds rattle the windows and swirl snowdrifts against the doors, she faces off with a ghost, gets in trouble with the police, and finds herself staring down danger without thinking of the consequences. In the middle of it all, she meets Simon and is captivated by his charm, good looks, and personality.

Meanwhile, a real killer is after her, and he won’t stop until he gets information she doesn’t have! Christmas, with all its cheery festivities, hygge, and family traditions, has never been more threatened. Cornelia must call on all her investigative skills, not only to stop the ruination of her family’s holiday, but also to make certain Simon and his aunt keep what belongs to them. And maybe, just maybe, the amateur sleuth will discover the meaning of true love.

Set in a fictitious town in Norway in 1891, this cozy historical mystery is perfect for those who enjoy curious and determined women sleuths, clean and wholesome romance, and the discovery of buried secrets in an abandoned house.

9) FROZEN HELL - Missing in Iceland by Álexir Snjórsson to be published on the 21st of January 2026. Iceland. 341 pages.

„I gasped, choked, and desperately fought for air, while with each breath a large piece of life force escaped from me. Its place was taken by cold, icy cold.“

What do you do when your wife vanishes without a trace during a trip to Iceland after an argument with you? When you discover that the police officer who arrested you under false pretenses wants to drug you? Do you seize the opportunity to escape and turn in desperation to your father-in-law in Germany, even though he hates you and the Icelandic police are now charging you with the brutal murder of a local woman? Or will that only plunge you into the worst nightmare of your life…

10) Demon in the Snow: A Nordic Noir Thriller by Avery Night to be published on the 19th of January. Sweden. 292 pages.

Stockholm is gripped by winter—and a string of savage murders.

A passport officer. A janitor. A librarian. A union rep. Each death is brutal, deliberate, and linked to a single name in the press: The Demon in the Snow—a figure in a white coat, seen only in whispers and one grainy image.

Rookie detective Albrecht Nyström and FBI profiler Nora Vance must stop the killer before the next body drops… and the city loses itself to fear..

11) Deadly Fjord by Christophe Villain to be published on the 31st of January 2026. Norway. 283 pages.

Sandrine fulfils a long-cherished wish: a motorbike trip to the fjord country in Norway.
In Grimsvik, a picturesque village at the mouth of a remote fjord, she and Léon have rented a former fisherman's hut to spend a few quiet days. But on their first night, a man drowns in the harbour basin in front of their hut. Sandrine tried to save him, but she discovered the victim too late. What initially looks like an unfortunate accident soon turns out to be a planned murder.
Arne Berg, the only policeman in Grimsvik, and Chief Inspector Hanna Solheim from Bergen take over the investigation.
The suspects – all French nationals with secrets – force Sandrine into an unwanted role as mediator between the Norwegian and French police.