Death in a Cold Climate is a celebration and analysis of Scandinavian crime fiction which has become, almost out of the blue, one of the hottest areas of writing today. With forensic dissection and analysis of books, films and TV adaptations Barry Forshaw, the UK's principal expert on crime fiction, looks to explain the appeal. From Sjowall and Wahloo's influential Martin Beck series through Henning Mankell's Wallander to Stieg Larsson's publishing phenomenon The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo this is a must have for any fan of Scandinavian Crime Fiction...

Click here to view 'Where to start  with Scandinavian crime fiction' - an online booklet by Barry Forshaw.

Synopsis

In intelligent but accessible fashion, the book examines the massive commercial appeal of the field along with Nordic cultural differences from Iceland to Denmark. Including unique interview material with writers, publishers and translators, this is the perfect reader's guide to the hottest strand of crime fiction today, examined both as a literary form and as an index to the societies it reflects. Includes Stieg Larsson, Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbo, Hakan Nesser, Karin Fossum, Camilla Lackberg, Liza Marklund, Jussi Adler-Olsen, Arnaldur Indrioason, Roslund & Hellstromand many others.

Reviews

'Extensive, penetrating and intelligently written, Barry Forshaw's book is the most fulfilling work on the strange genre of Nordic Noir I have ever encountered.' - Hakan Nesser, author of The Inspector and Silence

'Death in a Cold Climate is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the fictional underbelly of the Nordic psyche, whose popularity has become the publishing sensation of the century. Perceptive, witty and awesomely well-researched.' - Andrew Taylor, author of The American Boy

'Far more than a checklist, this is the essential guide through the snowdrifts of Nordic Noir.'
Val McDermid, author of The Wire in the Blood

'With customary depth and precision, Forshaw gets under the skin of this celebrated genre, uncovering many of its secrets and riches. Like its subjects, this book is hard to put down, and will undoubtedly be returned to time and again.' - Dr Steven Peacock, University of Hertfordshire

'A fascinating, comprehensive and very enjoyable overview of the publishing phenomenon that is Nordic noir, placing it in a cultural and historical context, with insightful contributions from writers, translators and editors - an essential reading guide for lovers of the crime genre.' - Laura Wilson, crime fiction critic, The Guardian

'The sudden triumphant rise of Nordic mystery stories is a fascinating puzzle of modern literature. With forensic intelligence, captivating characters, riveting clues and sub-plots, Barry Forshaw investigates and satisfyingly explains what happened.' - Mark Lawson

'Not a stone is left unturned in Barry Forshaw's witty, encyclopedic investigation into the fictional crimes that have made Scandinavia the most talked about region in the world of books. Death in a Cold Climate is a unique and admirable personal testament to the writers, translators and publishers who have dedicated themselves to introducing Scandinavian crime fiction, its many languages and cultures, to the English speaking world. If upon turning the last page of Forshaw's book you are not immediately heading for the nearest bookstore to buy up every Scandinavian crime novel on its shelves, you were probably not meant to read this book in the first place.' - Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen, University College London, UK

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About the Author

Barry Forshaw is a writer and journalist specialising in crime fiction and cinema. His books include The Man Who Left Too Soon: The Life and Works of Stieg Larsson (2010), British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia (2008), The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction (2007), Italian Cinema: Arthouse to Exploitation (2006) and the forthcoming British Crime Film (2012), and he has contributed to the Directory of World Cinema. He has also written for a variety of national newspapers as well as for Movie Mail, Waterstone's Books Quarterly and Good Book Guide and is editor of the online Crime Time magazine. He is also a talking head for the ITV Crime Thriller author profiles and BBC TV documentaries, and has been Vice Chair of the Crime Writers' Association.   Author photo © A Karim More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation