An ABA Indie Next Pick December 2019 Praises for Winter Grave
"[A] winning series."
--Wall Street Journal
"An engrossing read."
--BBC Culture
"A complex, rounded, and dedicated cop . . . Fans of intelligent Nordic crime fiction--especially those starring Tursten's other series character, Irene Huss--will be amply rewarded."
--The Seattle Times
"Embla Nystroem is back. This time in full force . . . Tursten delivers with an intricate, complex (but not confusing), carefully constructed plot with a long list of victims and a longer list of suspects to go with it . . . a perfect winter read."
--Mystery Scene Magazine
"An icy blend of everything we love about Scandinavian thrillers . . . Winter Grave will draw you in with its three-dimensional characters and twisting plot--and leave you with the thrilling sense that the universe is a very dark place kept illuminated by people like Embla Nystroem."
--BookBub
"If you're looking for an alternative to the hard-drinking, self-lacerating, morose detectives who dominate Scandinavian noir, Swedish cop Embla Nystroem might be your girl."
--Air Mail News
"Embla, a sharp-witted detective and titled boxer, inspires confidence that the truth will out, despite the pervasive gloom of Tursten's Swedish winter . . . a winner for fans of Scandinavian crime fiction and atmospheric British procedurals, like those by Susan Hill, Deborah Crombie, and Reginald Hill."
--Booklist
"A lethal combination of two missing children, arson, and a policeman's murder . . . Those looking for Scandinavian crime fiction that's not entirely bleak will be rewarded."
--Publishers Weekly
"A series of satisfying twists and turns."
--Library Journal
"Tursten's books present the Swedish setting as if it were a character, in rich, active detail. The cultural quirks that make this so interesting for American readers are front and center in the crimes . . . Make room on the bookshelf for more of this intriguing series."
--New York Journal of Books
"A full, rich portrait of (here) small-town Sweden . . . it is well worth setting aside a few hours to immerse yourself in what is an example of Swedish not-completely-noir."
--Reviewing the Evidence
"An excellent mystery."
--Kittling Books
Praise for Hunting Game, the first Embla Nystroem investigation
"Impetuous and physical . . . [Embla is] a bright light among young Swedish cop characters."
--Toronto Star
"Embla is a winning new Scandinavian noir lead."
--BBC Culture
"A breathless thriller that's impossible to put down. I was fascinated by Embla, a credible and complex character who is hiding secrets . . . A great reading experience."
--Anna Jansson, author of the Maria Wern series
"[An] outstanding series launch . . . Embla is a refreshingly capable lead, whose situational ethics means that she doesn't feel she must do everything by the book."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"[Embla] is a sharp, willful, though emotionally vulnerable detective. Fans of the Huss novels in particular and Nordic noir in general will want to follow this series from its start."
--Booklist, Starred Review