One of Sweden’s most successful authors, Camilla Läckberg is now reaching new fans with her TV series The Glass Dome screening on Netflix.
Läckberg has sold over 35 million books in 60 countries and is rightly known as ‘The Queen of Swedish Noir’. Born in a small fishing village in Sweden, Läckberg wrote her first story at the age of five. Since then, she’s penned over 30 books, worked as a successful economist before turning to writing full time, runs her own jewellery business and film production company, and even came fourth on the Swedish version of Dancing With The Stars.
With such an extensive back catalogue to delve into, those coming new to Läckberg from The Glass Dome may be daunted about where to start. Here’s Nordic Watchlist’s top five Camilla Läckberg books to get you started.
THE ICE PRINCESS
Set in Fjällbacka, where Läckberg was born, her debut novel sets up the hugely successful Fjällbacka series featuring writer Erica Falk and detective Patrik Hedström. Now stretching to eleven books, this first instalment sees Falk return to her home town following the death of her parents. When the death of a friend suggests suicide, Falk and Hedström have other ideas and set out on a journey that reveals the peaceful town is holding a wealth of dark secrets.
THE PREACHER
With the success of The Ice Princess a sequel was inevitable, and in The Preacher Falk and Hedström have settled down and are expecting their first child. Peace is soon shattered when a small boy discovers the body of a woman and underneath that body are found the remains of two campers who vanished decades earlier. With the main suspect of that historic crime now dead and a further girl vanishing, did the police have the wrong man, or is there a copycat serial killer on the loose?
THE ICE CHILD
When a semi-naked child is wandering through the freezing Swedish woods in the middle of winter, something is clearly not right. The girl has been subjected to awful abuse but with three other girls missing from the local area this is only the tip of the iceberg. The ninth book in the Fjällbacka series, The Ice Child shows that Läckberg still has plenty of mileage left in the town.
THE CUCKOO
Book eleven of the Fjällbacka series, and the last to be published – so far – The Cuckoo see the writer of a long-running book series attacked while writing the 10th book. Fans needn’t worry; Läckberg isn’t killing herself off, instead, we’re given another intricate tale of past and present cases colliding that test the skills of both Falk and Hedström. The final book in the series to date, but more are promised, and fans can’t wait.
TRAPPED
Co-written with Swedish mentalist, author and TV host Henrik Fexeus, Trapped is the first of a standalone trilogy (alongside Cult and Mirage) featuring a new investigative partnership. Mentalist Vincent Walder and Inspector Dirabi. Walder suffers from mild Aspergers and anxiety and Dirabi has her own secrets and so it makes for a fascinating partnership. With a dangerous serial killer with a fascination for magic tricks, this isn’t going to be your straightforward murder case.
Have you got a favourite Camilla Lackberg book which you would recommend to read first? Let us know in the comments section.
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