35 Comments

Opening with 'In hard times, I turn to crime' really made me laugh. I can't wait to hear what you think when you have finished Morning Star but so far so good I love the sound of it! I had NO idea it was so chunky tho.... loving the Nordic theme of January - very fitting xx

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It’s HUGE but so so worth it. The Nordic theme has been perfect for the mood.

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I just finished The Sinners All Bow by Kate Winkler Dawson—a true crime podcaster looks at a IRL murder trial from the 1830s where a Methodist minister in New England was acquitted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend. (She also posits that this may have inspired Hawthorne to The Scarlet Letter—maybe?) This defense lawyer and history major was fascinated though.

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I love Kate I listened to her podcast with Paul Holes for a bit! Some of their cases were a bit too old for me, but that one sounds very good

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so powerfully relate to "this novel was bad..,,... but maybe i need to read another one, for literary inquiry." this is me seeing another janice hallett book has come out.

after reading several vibey books in a row i decided i was in desperate need of plot and picked up "the god of the woods," but maybe the nordics are calling after that...

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Try the Wallander series by Henning Mankell. Swedish. Truly enjoyable.

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This is great news because I purchased Faceless Killers over the holiday😃

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"In hard times, I turn to crime."

The first line of your novel, I hope???

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I did write a detective fiction story in undergrad... 👻🖤

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Do you remember when we used to engrave our iPods?

I would have totally put that line on. 😂😂😂

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BOY DO I. also a great yearbook quote

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We used to be so chic. 😂

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Just started Piranesi, thanks to your rec! That’s all I’ve got to report ☺️.

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Oooo I hope you like it!

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So far I really do!

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Oh and fangirling hard over season two of Severance, the best show on streaming rn IMO

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Haven’t started season two yet!! One took it out of me but I think I’m ready

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I rewatched season one to get amped up for season two. I think I enjoyed season one more the second time around, actually.

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Yasss big fan of mugs, obviously. Not a crime novel per se (though honestly I don't know - I own it and haven't read it like 50% of the books in my house) but The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen also fits into this Nordic noir-esque mood you've got going on right now. I have read none of these, but as someone who has accidentally stumbled into 'fantasy novellas that somehow involve hauntings in Massachusetts' I am understanding and appreciative of the need for a consistent mood.

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Ok but I love that theme right there what are these titles 😂 sounds like an Ed and Lorraine Warren backstory. And yes have Copenhagen on the Nordic list thanks to reading Will and Testament !

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Like all good things I may or may not have decided to do a post on this but the first two I read were Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker and Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson. Looking forward to sharing my super special Massachusetts haunting expertise 🤣

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"perpetually broken men who somehow make it through brutally cold winters" - raises hand

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You’ve found your next series! 😂

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'Presence' truly blew me away as a film--I agree that it shouldn't have been so strongly marketed as horror, but it was still so chilling, horrific, so so sad. One of the best films I've seen in theaters in many months!! I can't wait to hear more about Morning Star; I've read a couple of the My Struggle books and one from Knausgaard's seasons quartet, and I've recently been inching closer and closer to picking up his fiction....

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Blew me away too!! I tend to get antsy in theaters but that one had my butt glued.

I am a Knausgaard convert. I think you would be too he’s something else

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I love Nordic noir. But truly think Louise Penny is a much better author. And her mysteries leave me cozy rather than cold. But I’m glad for the recs. Thanks

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Very much agreed!! Snowblind was maybe 75% as cozy, hence my recommendation to read only if you’ve run out of Penny 😂

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Crime fiction is my comfort genre so I'm with you, in times of stress or if I just want to return to where I'm most at home I'll pick up a dark mystery/thriller. I love Nordic Noir! Have you read any Lars Kepler? I was a rebel and started with Stalker (book 5) and it was five stars. I then bounced around the series and have enjoyed many, but that's my favorite.

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Lars Kepler is in my Nordic TBR stack! I had The Fire Witness but thought I might want to start at least one series at the start to got The Hypnotist and am very excited to get to it.

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The Hypnotist is the early one I still need to read- I loved The Fire Witness.

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OK, FINE i’ll read nordic crime!! need to get my hands on sins of our fathers. Also if you like detective/crime stuff, you should read Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto— it’s what the first season of true detective was based on! Def some casual misogyny going on there, but if you can get past that (lol) it’s kind of a fun read.

Last but not least, just want to say that i’m not opposed to you doing crime. In fact i’d be happy to provide an alibi. just something to think about!

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You a real one EJ. We ride at dawn

I’ve read a lot of Bukowski I can handle casual misogyny like a pro I’ll check it out!

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When things are hard, I read or watch horror! :)

Sometimes we just need to dive into a good story, in a familiar genre, that keeps us hooked until the end, right?

Also, I need to read Knausgaard and probably will start with The Morning Star! I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on it

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I knew nothing about Nordic Noir before this; sounds intriguing! I'm about to bust out a Stephen King soon to escape the news. I toggle between okay and not okay multiple times a day. I've had a serious talk with myself. I can only check the news once a day, and it may have to be every other day now because I don't know how my brain/body will last if I don't set some rigid boundaries with it. 🫠 I hope you're hanging in there. Falling deeper into my book community here has really helped.

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You had me at "In hard times, I turn to crime" 🤣🤣🤣

I haven't read ANY of the titles in your Nordic Noir & Literature list and now I MUST READ ALL OF THEM! But maybe I'll start with one.

Thank you so much for including my BookStack Starter Pack, and for just being an amazing part of this community.

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