Books: Nordic Noir

When we think of those peaceful, progressive, permissive and prosperous Scandinavian and Nordic countries, it's unlikely that our thoughts turn to dark secrets, witchcraft and murder. "Crimes are relatively few and far between," writes Icelandic author Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, and "the few crimes committed are excruciatingly boring." Yet there is a crime wave -- of a literary nature -- that has placed a growing number of Danes, Swedes, Norwegians and Icelanders on international best-seller lists. Here are a few notable additions to Nordic noir.

LAST RITUALS BY YRSA SIGURÐARDÓTTIR (WILLIAM MORROW, 314 PAGES, $23.95).

Sigurðardóttir's first mystery was a runaway bestseller in Iceland and has been sold in 30 countries. The novel begins when a German student, Harald Guntlieb, is found murdered and mutilated at the University of Reykjavik. The police arrest a drug dealer, but Harald's wealthy parents aren't convinced that the right man is behind bars. They hire Reykjavik attorney Thóra Guðmundsdóttir to assist their droll German investigator, Matthew Reich, in finding their son's real killer. Thóra and Matthew's search reveals a runic tale of obsession, familial hatred and witchcraft laid against Iceland's dark medieval past. Despite all these creepy elements, Sigurðardottir, the author of several children's books, keeps the tone light with a supple prose style and sneaky wit that leaves breathing room for Thóra's travails as a single mom as well as the growing attraction between her and Matthew. Thóra is sharp, likable and wholesome -- a pleasant companion in this lively, cleverly plotted page-turner.

THE QUIET GIRL

by Peter Hoeg (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 416 pages, $26).

It's doubtful that even Hoeg's most devoted readers would call his novels "page-turners." Strange, fantastical, dream-like? Most assuredly. Spiritual, learned, philosophical? Without a doubt. Engaging, entertaining, emotionally resonant? It depends. Hoeg's novels demand a lot from the reader -- patience, stamina and concentration. He out-Hoegs himself in this latest novel, set in the near future when a series of earthquakes and floods have left Copenhagen partially submerged. Also under water are the finances of world-famous circus clown Kaspar Krone, who owes millions in back taxes and faces extradition. Blessed and cursed with phenomenal hearing (he experiences people primarily as musical keys), Krone is given a way out when a religious order offers to settle his legal difficulties in exchange for his help in safeguarding a group of remarkable children who have gifts very similar to his own. What follows is a bizarre quest that moves confusedly between present and past, reality and illusion. Mysterious characters materialize and disappear. The reader is constantly trying to orient himself in a labyrinth of confusing details and withheld information, but to what end? Hoeg is clearly a bright guy and a bold stylist and was able to reach a large public with "Smilla's Sense of Snow." This book is most likely to appeal to his die-hard fans.

VOICES

by Arnaldur Indriðason (St. Martin's, 313 pages, $23.95).

Arnaldur Indriðason,the award-winning Icelandic author of the Inspector Erlendur mysteries ("Silence of the Grave,"Jar City"), expertly plies the more familiar waters of the classic mystery. In "Voices," character and plot converge to tell a haunting story of lost childhoods and squandered happiness. It's Christmas season in Reykjavik when the doorman and Santa Claus at a posh hotel is found stabbed to death in his basement room. Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson and his team interview the hotel's staff and guests, but it's only when they discover the victim's former life as a child singing prodigy that the investigation turns a corner. Sveinsson is a sad, damaged man who has forgotten how to want anything for himself -- he declines all Christmas invitations and checks into the hotel during the investigation because he doesn't want to go home. But the issues of the case lead him to reflect on his own childhood, his relationship with his unhappy daughter, and the surprising possibility of romance after years of loneliness. Indriðason is a wise, compassionate writer, and this is his wisest, most compassionate book.

Marx Swanholm is a freelance writer and retired senior exhibit curator at the Minnesota Historical Society.