The Svenska Deckarakademin -- the Swedish Crime Academy -- is awarding their prizes tomorrow.
In the Swedish-language category the only non-household name in the US/UK is Tove Alsterdal, but all the others are readily available in translation (though not yet these titles).
More interesting, of course, is to see what translated works are considered prize-worthy in this hub of Nordic crime fiction -- and while it's possibly no surprise that two familiar Icelandic names figure among the five finalists, it does seem kind of surprising that Belinda Bauer places two titles on the shortlist.
As the list of previous winners (and finalists) shows, they have a pretty decent track record -- all the way back to a double-volume of John Franklin Bardin titles in 1976 (both under review at the complete review: The Last of Philip Banter and Devil Take the Blue-Tail Fly). Okay, 1996 sounds like it was a mistake (Snö faller på cederträden ? seriously ?), but overall .....
In the Swedish-language category the only non-household name in the US/UK is Tove Alsterdal, but all the others are readily available in translation (though not yet these titles).
More interesting, of course, is to see what translated works are considered prize-worthy in this hub of Nordic crime fiction -- and while it's possibly no surprise that two familiar Icelandic names figure among the five finalists, it does seem kind of surprising that Belinda Bauer places two titles on the shortlist.
As the list of previous winners (and finalists) shows, they have a pretty decent track record -- all the way back to a double-volume of John Franklin Bardin titles in 1976 (both under review at the complete review: The Last of Philip Banter and Devil Take the Blue-Tail Fly). Okay, 1996 sounds like it was a mistake (Snö faller på cederträden ? seriously ?), but overall .....