Dive into the literary world of the Norse with our list of the best Scandinavian authors of all time.
Let’s uncover the best Scandinavian authors and the work that made them loved, even outside of their own countries. There are many accomplished writers from Scandinavia, including Nobel-winning authors like Halldór Laxness and Karen Blixen. Their work is often influenced by their rich folklore. As Bo Brennan said, “It’s not just dark in Scandinavia.”
From mystery novels to poems, there’s something for everyone, regardless of your favorite genre. There’s so much for you to discover, so let’s dive right in.
While you’re here, check out our article on the best Norwegian authors.
Contents
- Best Scandinavian Authors Ranked
- 1. Henning Mankell, 1948 – 2015
- 2. Jo Nesbø, 1960 –
- 3. Peter Høeg, 1957 –
- 4. Stieg Larsson, 1954 – 2004
- 5. David Lagercrantz, 1962 –
- 6. Camilla Lackberg, 1974 –
- 7. Arnaldur Indriðason, 1961 –
- 8. Fredrik Backman, 1981 –
- 9. Jussi Adler-Olsen, 1950 –
- 10. Maj Sjöwall, 1935 – 2020
- 11. Per Petterson, 1952 –
- 12. Jan Arnald/Arne Dahl, 1963 –
- 13. Naja Marie Aidt, 1963 –
- 14. Karen Blixen, 1885 – 1962
- 15. Halldór Laxness, 1902 – 1998
- Author
1. Henning Mankell, 1948 – 2015
Henning Mankell, a Swedish novelist, playwright, and publisher, is best known for mystery novels starring a police inspector named Kurt Wallander. The Wallander series includes 13 books, most of them translated into English. Not only that but the story was also made into films and TV series, first in Sweden and later worldwide, most notably by BBC and Netflix.
While the Wallander series is Mankell’s most popular and widely recognized work, the author also delved into other genres throughout his career. He published eight children’s books and over 40 theatre plays.
He spent a good portion of his life in Mozambique, where he started a theatre. One of his novels, Chronicler of the Winds, represents his break from mystery writing with this fable of the African continent.
“People always leave traces. No person is without a shadow.”
Henning Mankell, The Troubled Man
2. Jo Nesbø, 1960 –
Formerly a football player and reporter, the Norwegian author definitely made a wise decision in switching to a writing career.
Jo Nesbø is mainly known for crime novels featuring an inspector named Harry Hole, which have sold twenty-three million copies and been translated into forty languages. The brilliant but highly problematic character has become one of the biggest anti-heroes of modern mystery fiction.
Nesbø’s work is characterized by intricate plots, macabre elements, vivid characterizations, and a keen understanding of human psychology.
As he explains, “One of the lessons I learned at a young age was that you have to see things from different sides.” This has served as a basis for all of his work.
His fourth Harry Cole novel, Nemesis, is a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and has sold over 9 million copies worldwide. In this story, Harry Cole himself is the suspect, and a rather inconvenient bout of memory loss makes clearing his name a significant challenge.
Aside from being a renowned contemporary crime writer, the author is also the main vocalist and songwriter for the Norwegian rock band Di Derre, founded in 1992.
“Everything you do leaves traces, doesn’t it. The life you’ve lived is written all over you, for those who can read.”
Jo Nesbø, The Bat
3. Peter Høeg, 1957 –
Before he became a writer, Peter Høeg worked as an actor, ballet dancer, sailor, fencer, and even mountaineer. Of course, all this experience wasn’t for nothing – it helped him shape the characters in his novels.
The Danish author started writing in 1988, and he made his international breakthrough in 1992 with the bestseller Smilla’s Sense of Snow. This novel is a blend of thriller and philosophy, combining themes of mystery with identity and cultural clash.
While this brilliant book has brought him immediate international fame, it has set a standard for all his future novels. Unfortunately, none of his later work managed to live up to the expectations of the public, who often saw it as “too postmodern and complex.”
After a mild reception to The Woman and the Ape, Høeg virtually disappeared for ten years. His latest book, The Susan Effect, finally managed to satisfy fans, who called it a spiritual sequel to Smilla’s Sense of Snow.
“To want to understand is an attempt to recapture something we have lost.”
Peter Høeg, Smilla’s Sense of Snow
4. Stieg Larsson, 1954 – 2004
Stieg Larsson is the Swedish author of the crime novel trilogy Millennium, which was published posthumously. The series consists of the books The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, all written in just two years.
Originally, Larsson intended to write ten installments of the series, but he died of a sudden heart attack in 2004.
Unfortunately, the author didn’t live to see the popularity of his work. The three books have been translated into over 50 languages and sold over 80 million copies. They have also been adapted into movies, first by the Swedish film production company Yellow Bird and later by Columbia Pictures.
In 2011, Vertigo Comics (an imprint of DC Comics) acquired the rights to the series, so all three books were also adapted into comic books.
The next author on our list carried on the Millennium series at the request of Larsson’s publishing company.
“Impulsive actions led to trouble, and trouble could have unpleasant consequences.”
Stieg Larsson, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
5. David Lagercrantz, 1962 –
Although Stieg Larsson died suddenly after writing the third book of the Millenium series, the story was continued, thanks to David Lagercrantz. In 2013, the author was commissioned by Larsson’s publishing company to write sequels based on original characters.
Lagercrantz is to be thanked for three installments: The Girl in the Spider’s Web, The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, and The Girl Who Lived Twice. Karin Smirnoff has written the next installment of the Millennium series.
Aside from contributing to the Millennium series, Lagercrantz has several standalone crime thrillers and a new crime series, starting with the novel Obscuritas, to his name. He also co-authored the best-selling sports biography I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović. To this day, the book has sold over 800,000 copies in Sweden alone and was translated into more than ten languages.
“Life often looks its best from a distance.”
David Lagercrantz, The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye
6. Camilla Lackberg, 1974 –
Known as “the rock star of Nordic noir” or “Swedish Agatha Cristie,” Camilla Lackberg began writing fiction right after college. Her first novel, The Ice Princess, published in 2002, introduced readers to her recurring characters, husband-and-wife duo detective Patrik Hedström and writer Erica Falck.
These books are known as the Fjällbacka series, as they’re all set in her hometown of the same name. They’re praised for their atmospheric depiction of the Swedish coast, well-thought-out characters, and complex plots. To this day, the series has sold 26 million copies in 60 countries. The first four novels were also adapted as telemovies.
Lackberg has several series and standalone novels to her name and also writes children’s fiction focused on the hero, Super-Charlie.
“Silence can never be taken back.”
Camilla Lackberg, The Ice Princess
7. Arnaldur Indriðason, 1961 –
In his home country of Iceland, Arnaldur Indriðason is considered to be one of the most popular writers, with his books making up seven of the ten most popular titles borrowed from the Reykjavík City Library. Worldwide, the author also enjoys popularity, having sold over 14 million copies in 40 languages.
Indriðason is mostly known for his murder mystery series featuring Reykjavik detective Erlendur Sveinsson. The series includes more than a dozen novels, following the detective in his search for crime and killers, but also in his fight with inner demons.
While mainly focused on the character, the books are a reflection of the social and historical context of Icelandic society. For the first two novels, Jar City and Silence of the Grave, Indriðason received grants from The Icelandic Film Fund to write film scripts.
“It sometimes occurred to her, which perhaps he too knew deep down inside, that the violence he inflicted on her was above all a manifestation of his own weakness.”
Arnaldur Indriðason, Silence of the Grave
8. Fredrik Backman, 1981 –
Fredrik Backman started his career as a writer for a Swedish newspaper and men’s magazine before switching to novel writing in 2012. This turned out to be a good decision, as his debut novel A Man Called Ove reached the New York Times Best Seller list just 18 months after being published. Not only that, but it stayed on the list for 42 weeks!
In 2015, the book was adapted into a Swedish movie of the same name, which was nominated and won many accolades. Then, in 2023, an English adaptation named A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks, grossed $113 million worldwide.
While the aforementioned book is probably Backman’s most popular novel, many of his other books were also number-one bestsellers in Sweden. After the international success of A Man Called Ove, his other books were also translated into English and later other languages as well.
“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”
Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove
9. Jussi Adler-Olsen, 1950 –
Jussi Adler-Olsen debuted as a non-fiction writer in 1984 before making a successful transition to fiction in 1997. Today, he’s Denmark’s best crime writer and a New York Times bestselling author.
His bibliography consists of about 20 books, but he’s best known for his Department Q series. The novels follow the unconventionally dark but funny detective Carl Mørck as he tackles unsolved cases. The series has nine installments, which are translated into more than 40 languages.
Six of the books from the Department Q series were adapted into movies, and the latest one is still being made.
His standalone novels include the historical fiction The Alphabet House, which tells the tale of two British pilots shot down behind enemy lines during World War II. In an attempt to escape, they end up as captives in an experimental hospital.
“But promises based on ignorance always prove disappointing.”
Jussi Adler-Olsen, The Keeper of Lost Causes
10. Maj Sjöwall, 1935 – 2020
Maj Sjöwall is widely recognized as the godmother of modern Scandinavian crime fiction. She is best known for her collaboration with her partner, Per Wahlöö, in creating the crime series of ten novels about Martin Beck, a police detective in Stockholm. The series includes The Locked Room and The Abominable Man.
Sjöwall met Wahlöö in 1962, and the two were instantly drawn to each other. Their shared love for detective stories resulted in a collaboration, producing a new style. They would write in the evenings, working on alternate chapters and passing the drafts across the table to each other.
After her partner’s death, Sjöwall mainly worked as a translator and a columnist for magazines. As an author, she only wrote two more books, which were also collaborations with other writers.
“January 7 arrived and looked like January 7. The streets were full of gray, frozen people without money.”
Maj Sjöwal, Roseanna
11. Per Petterson, 1952 –
Before becoming an author, Per Petterson worked as a bookstore clerk, literary critic, and even translator. His first literary work, which was a collection of short stories, came out in 1987. Since then, he added a dozen more books to his bibliography.
While most of his work received good reviews, he made an international breakthrough with the book Out Stealing Horses. The novel starts with an ending, introducing one of the main characters, Trond. The aging recluse then reflects on his youth and a particular event with his friend Jon on a day when they were out joy-riding horses.
Out Stealing Horses earned many accolades and awards, including the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. It was also named one of the ten best books of the year 2007 by the New York Times Book Review.
“You decide for yourself when it will hurt.”
Per Petterson, Out Stealing Horses
12. Jan Arnald/Arne Dahl, 1963 –
Jan Arnald was born and raised in Sweden and is more widely known by his pen name, Arne Dahl. As Dahl, he has written a series of crime novels about the Intercrime group, which features a team of detectives solving complex and violent international cases. The series includes Misterioso, the first book in the series, and To the Top of the Mountain.
There are currently ten books in the sequence, with the first five books being made into 180-minute films. It wasn’t long before BBC Four picked the series up and screened it as part of the television’s foreign crime series season. The author has received eight prizes and awards so far, all of them as Arne Dahl.
Before getting into the crime genre, Arnald published several works under his real name. These include novels, but his poetry collection named Nalkanden is worth a mention.
“Intuition is nothing but a concentration of experience.“
Arne Dahl, Watching You
13. Naja Marie Aidt, 1963 –
Originally from Greenland, Naja Marie Aidt is a prominent figure in contemporary Danish literature. Her work mainly includes poetry and short stories, but throughout her career, Aidt has written plays, children’s books, and even translated fiction and poetry from other Scandinavian languages.
Everything she writes is personal. One of Aidt’s best works is When Death Takes Something from You Give It Back, which is an elegy about her son’s death. While the terrible loss initially caused writer’s block for many years, ultimately, she realized that writing could actually help her move forward.
Aidt gained international recognition for her collection of short stories, Baboon, as well as her novel Rock, Paper, Scissors. The former received numerous honors and awards, including the Nordic Council’s Literature Prize, which is the most prestigious literature accolade in Nordic countries.
Naja Marie Aidt
14. Karen Blixen, 1885 – 1962
Throughout her career, this Danish author wrote under many pen names, including Isak Dinesen, Tania Blixen, Osceola, and Pierre Andrézel. Still, she is best known for her work which she published under her real name, Karen Blixen.
In 1912, she married Baron Bror Blixen-Finecke, with whom she soon moved to Kenya (British East Africa back then) to start a coffee farm. The marriage didn’t last for long, but the author remained living and working on the farm until 1931, when she returned to Denmark.
While she wasn’t very successful at growing coffee in Kenya, Blixen’s time spent in the country wasn’t wasted. Her memoir, Out of Africa, provides a vivid exploration of colonial-era Africa. The book was originally written in English and later translated into many different languages. In 1985, Sydney Pollack directed a film adaptation that won seven Academy Awards.
Blixen wrote Babette’s Feast under the pen name Isak Dinesen. It tells the tale of two elderly sisters living in a remote Norwegian community. One evening they offer hospitality to a Parisian refugee. The novella expands on the relationship the women develop and culminates with a luxurious feast they create.
“You know you are truly alive when you’re living among lions.”
Karen Blixen, Out of Africa
15. Halldór Laxness, 1902 – 1998
With his work encompassing many genres, Halldór Laxness has contributed significantly to Icelandic literature in the 20th century. Born in 1902, Laxness started writing stories at an early age.
His earliest published work dates back to 1916, but his international acclaim happened in 1934 with the novel Independent People. The novel tells of the struggle of poor Icelandic farmers at the beginning of the century, and it’s considered one of the best examples of social realism in Icelandic fiction.
In 1955, Laxness received a Nobel Prize in Literature for his vivid epic power of renewing the great traditions of the Icelandic saga. His literary approach to contemporary social and political questions has left an enduring mark on Icelandic literature and is widely appreciated for its depth and cultural significance. Other notable books by Laxness include The Fish Can Sing and Paradise Reclaimed.
“Remember, any lie you are told, even deliberately, is often a more significant fact than a truth told in all sincerity.”
Halldór Laxness, Under the Glacier
If this listicle has whet your appetite, check out our roundup of the best Nordic noir books.
