Photo: Thron Ullberg

Monika Fagerholm receives the Runeberg Award

Monika Fagerholm is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Runeberg Award for her lauded novel Nowhere Land/Women in Revolt. This is the second time Fagerholm receives the award and she is the first author to receive it twice.

The jury’s motivation states that Fagerholm makes a “wild, deep, and original deep dive into the past, and growing into a woman”, and that she “skillfully combines historical events, interpretation, and imagination. The tumultuous time period can also be likened with present day.”

The Runeberg Award is one of Finland’s most significant literary honors, presented by the City of Borgå, the newspaper Uusimaa, the Finnish Writers’ Union, the Finnish Critics’ Association, and the Finnish Authors’ Association.

Jo Nesbø on the Swedish bestseller lists

Jo Nesbø’s Blood Ties features at No. 2 on the Swedish paperback list for the third consecutive week. The novel also claims the No. 3 spot on the bestseller list for paperbacks for the month of January.

Kristina Ohlsson No. 1 in Iceland

Storm Watch, the first novel in Kristina Ohlsson’s August Strindberg series, is No. 1 on Icelandic book retailer Eymundsson’s bestseller list. Eymundsson is Iceland’s oldest and largest bookstore chain.

‘When the Cranes Fly South’ receives a Merit Award from the Ho Chi Ming City Writers Association for translated literature

Lisa Ridzén’s When the Cranes Fly South has received a Merit Award from the Ho Chi Ming City Writers Association for translated literature. The award recognizes works of the highest quality and outstanding efforts of those involved in the publication. The lauded novel was translated into Vietnamese by Minh Khôi.

‘Storm Watch’ No. 2 in Iceland

Kristina Ohlsson’s Storm Watch, the first novel in the internationally bestselling August Strindberg series, has soared to No. 2 on Icelandic book retailer Eymundsson’s bestseller list. Eymundsson is Iceland’s oldest and largest bookstore chain.

Antti Tuomainen winner of the Finnish Clue Award

Antti Tuomainen’s Saw Hard has been awarded the Finnish Detective Society’s Clue Award, for the best crime novel of 2025.

The jury’s decision reads:

“The novel is an engaging and addictive story about Heikki, a sawmill owner facing financial ruin, a corpse that turns out not to be dead, and the power of money. The small village setting is vividly portrayed. Its depiction of people in the summer night is warm, and the language is masterfully crafted. Tuomainen has discovered an ingenious way to remove villains from the stage almost by accident. The novel offers astonishing plot twists that make the reader laugh and cry at the same time. Yet the humor never feels forced; it simmers naturally throughout the narrative. The imagery is rich, and the storytelling flows effortlessly.”

Lisa Ridzén on Polish bestseller lists

Lisa Ridzén’s When the Cranes Fly South comes in at No. 1 on the Polish major book retail chain Empik’s bestseller list for translated fiction this week. The novel also features at No. 3 in all categories.

‘When the Cranes Fly South’ No. 4 in Denmark

Lisa Ridzen’s internationally bestselling debut, When the Cranes Fly South, is now featuring at No. 4 in the fiction category on Bog og Idé, Denmark’s largest book retailer.

Trailer release for ‘Hundarna’

Hundarna is based on an original idea by author Jens Lapidus and follows two friends who run a successful law firm together. The lead roles, Sasha and Kalle, are played by Arvin Kananian and Björn Bengtsson.

The series will premiere on SVT Play on February 20.