‘Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole’ wins at ELLE Awards

ELLE Norway held its annual gala in Oslo last night, highlighting and celebrating those who have inspired, challenged, and made a mark on the past year. Putting Norway on the map was a theme throughout the eight different categories, and the award for the 2026 ‘International Success of the Year’ went to Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole.

According to the jury, the Netflix adaptation of Nesbø’s Harry Hole series achieved this “by conveying a story so rooted in Oslo that the city itself functions as its own character. Behind it stands a world-class narrator, who, through a distinctive literary universe, has made the streets we know the stage for stories we can’t let go of. At the center is a protagonist who is dark, problematic, and brilliant – and far from easy to understand. Perhaps that is why we continue to follow him. With the Norwegian language, Oslo as a backdrop and a strong – and local – team both in front and behind the camera, the series has shown us what talent exists in the Norwegian arts and culture industry, and what happens when resources are utilized. The result is a locally rooted story with international impact, and a character who continues to captivate.”

‘A Couple of Lies’ No. 1 on Netflix

A Couple of Lies, the TV series adaptation of Stefan Ahnhem’s psychological thriller novel of the same name, is the most watched show on Netflix worldwide, claiming the No. 1 position today. The four-part series has held strong top list placements throughout the world since its release on Friday, October 30.

‘Diamonds and Rust’ shortlisted for the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award

Anne Holt’s Diamonds and Rust, the thirteenth installment in the Hanne Wilhelmsen series, is shortlisted for the prestigious 2026 Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award for ‘Best Translated Crime Novel’. Diamonds and Rust is translated by Ann-Marie Skarp.

The winner will be announced on November 29th.

Lars Kepler, Jo Nesbø and Pascal Engman on the Norwegian bestseller lists

Lars Kepler’s Medusa, the latest installment in the Joona Linna series, debuts at No. 1 on both the hardcover and the e-book bestseller lists. After 10 consecutive weeks in the top position, Jo Nesbø’s Kill Shot claims the No. 2 spot in the hardcover category. Moreover, The Clan, Pascal Engman’s first installment in the Clan trilogy, debutes at No. 2 on the paperback list.

Kepler, Nesbø and Rämö on bestseller list in Finland

Lars Kepler’s Medusa is No. 1 on the largest bookstore chain Suomalainen Kirjakauppa’s bestseller list in Finland. Jo Nesbø’s Kill Shot claims the No. 2 position, with Satu Rämö’s Dísa closely behind at No. 3.

Sarah Sheppard awarded the 2026 Emil Prize

Sarah Sheppard is the winner of the 2026 Emil Prize, founded by the Småland Academy in honor of Astrid Lindgren.

The jury gives the following motivation: “[In Sheppard’s] innovative books on evolution, dinosaurs and other animals, joy of discovery, science, facts and imagination in words and imagery work together in a newthinking and brilliant manner, opening doors to exciting new worlds and instilling a sense of reading pleasure as well as education in young and old alike.”

The Adlibris Awards 2026 – nominees unveiled

The nominees for the Swedish 2026 Adlibris Awards have just been unveiled. Adlibris, the leading book retailer in the Nordic region, established the award in 2019. While a jury of Adlibris employees selects the nominees, the winners are chosen through a public vote.

Beginning with the category “Best Crime Novel,” Lars Kepler, Anders & Anette de la Motte, and Pascal Engman have all been nominated. Lars Kepler vies for the title with Medusa, the de la Mottes with Rivals in Rome, and Engman with The Love.

In the running for “Best Fiction” are Kristina Ohlsson with Beyond the Bridges, Katarina & Niklas Ekstedt with Salted Pearls, and Moa Herngren with The Fallout.

Johanna Swanberg’s All is Well, Always competes in the “Best Feelgood & Romance” category.

Anders Hansen’s The Achilles Heels of Your Brain is a nominee for the “Best Nonfiction” award.

The “Best YA” category sees the August Prize-nominated Moa Backe Åstot receive yet another shortlisting for You’re the One I Write About.

And finally, the “Best Children’s Book, ages 6-12” category features Tina Mackic and Martin Widmark amongst its nominees. Mackic for her Watch Out for Gorm in the Playground, and Widmark for his The Kidnapping Mystery.

The winning titles will be announced on January 28, 2027.

To vote, click the “Read more” button below, and follow the link on Adlibris’ website.

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‘Nocturne’ No. 1 on Apple TV and IMDb

Nocturne, the American TV-series adaptation of Lars Kepler’s The Sandman and Lazarus, instantly became Apple TV’s most watched show upon the release on Friday and is currently staying put at No. 1. The show, hailed by Variety as “an intensely mesmerizing watch [and a] wildly entertaining ride that gets better with every episode” has also soared to No. 1 on IMDb’s ‘Most popular TV shows’ chart.

‘The Savior’ published in Iceland

In the beginning, there was Silence.

For months, the world was turned off – no lights, no news, no internet. Humanity stood helpless in the face of a new reality: Superintelligence had taken over.

As everything is turned back on, a mysterious woman is found in the remote Himalayas. She is called the Savior by her followers and performs a series of miracles that give people new hope. Is she a saint, a butcher, or just another traitor?

In her shadow, three lives intertwine: a military doctor in Thailand, a tech tycoon with the key to the End in his pocket, and a blind girl by a Norwegian fjord.

Steinar Bragi’s The Savior is a futuristic thriller about gods and machines – and what comes after.

‘The Frost Lord’ published in Sweden

It is only when he is a few steps away that Holm realizes what, exactly, is protruding from the black sheet of ice. Two heads, their faces frozen in terror, their skin raw and burned by snow and frost.

A bitterly cold winter has descended upon Sweden, driving people indoors to wait out the darkness and the freezing temperatures. But when two members of parliament are found grotesquely frozen into the ice of a remote forest lake, the entire country is thrown into turmoil. The only thing the killer has left behind is a message, written in frozen blood.

Detective Inspector Leo Asker has been suspended from her position in the Department of Lost Souls, and not even Martin Hill can persuade her to leave her secluded cabin. Meanwhile, deep in the basement of Malmö police headquarters, the lost souls have picked up a promising lead. Could their investigation lead them to the killer the whole country is searching for? And can they find him before he chooses his next victim? Because the Frost Lord is far from finished with his work.

The Frost Lord is the fifth installment in the bestselling Leo Asker Series.

Latest reviews

Himlen over Kattesundet The Remarkable Reinvention of Sofia Meucci

by Annette Bjergfeldt

A firework of a novel. (…) Reading Annette Bjergfeldt’s third novel The Remarkable Re-Invention of Sofia Meucci is like diving into an ocean of sparkling intellectual vitality. /…/ The novel is voracious by nature – hungry for knowledge, too. (…) With solid research Annette Bjergfeldt thus embraces both the scientific and the passionate. /…/ Five dazzling shooting stars for Annette’s wonderful arrival in the literary solar system.

– Kristeligt Dagblad