The Swedish bestseller lists for the second quarter of 2026 are out, and Kristina Ohlsson’s debut in literary fiction, Beyond the Bridges, is the No. 1 highest grossing book across all genres. Anders Hansen’s The Achilles Heels of Your Brain comes in at No. 1 in the nonfiction category, and is No. 7 across all genres.
Photo: Robert Eldrim/SVT
Following the success of the 2025 television series Life on Seacrow Island (Vi på Saltkråkan), SF Studios is bringing Astrid Lindgren’s beloved archipelago world to cinemas. The feature film is now in production, written by Karin Arrhenius and directed by Fredrik Edfeldt.
The TV series was one of the most acclaimed Swedish productions of 2025 and last week it received a Kristallen nomination in the Best Children’s Programme category.
“Seacrow Island has a way of staying with you. To return and tell more stories about these characters – this time for the big screen – is a privilege,” says Karin Arrhenius.
Karolin is finally back in control of her life. She’s gone through a divorce, secured a new apartment and is somewhat managing to make life work as a single parent. But when her mum suddenly ends up in hospital as well, it’s the final straw and Karolin realizes she’s in full crisis mode. Luckily she has got Saga to lean on, her very closest friend. Karolin and Saga have been inseparable since middle grade. Saga is much like a bonus child in Karolin’s family and the godmother of her daughter. But just as Karolin needs her friend the most, something has happened. Saga has met a new man and Karolin soon notices how Saga changes when she’s around him. How she seems to slip away from her. Isn’t he rather controlling? When Saga tells her that she and Jon are moving in together far from town, it comes as a shock to Karolin. Not only have things progressed so quickly, Saga has also made the decision without saying a word to Karolin.
Karolin tries to be happy for her. Tries to trust Saga’s judgment. Then out of the blue Saga severs her ties completely with Karolin – no explanation offered.
The Fallout is skillfully told from different perspectives, where both parties own their truth and experiences. It’s a psychologically perceptive novel about the dark sides to friendship: about loyalties, jealousy and betrayal – and what happens when your best friend dumps you without warning.
The nominations for this year’s Kristallen Awards have been announced.
My Brother, written by Karin Arrhenius, is nominated for Best Drama Series. Life on Seacrow Island, also written by Arrhenius, and Anders Sparring’s Lokes hemlighet are nominated for Best Children’s Programme.
Erik Svedberg-Zelman has received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the drama series Golden Boys and Moah Madsen is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for her performance in Diary of a Ditched Girl.
The winner will be announced on August 31st at the Kristallen Gala in Stockholm.
Satu Rämö’s The Shadow of the Northern Lights, the third installment in the bestselling Hildur series, remains at No. 1 on Icelandic book retailer Eymundsson’s bestseller list across all formats, as well as at No. 1 in the paperback category. This marks the book’s fourth week at the top. Lisa Ridzén’s lauded debut When the Cranes Fly South follows closely behind at No. 2 on the paperback list, and No. 4 across all formats.
Pascal Engman tops the official bestseller list in Norway with The War, the second installment in the Clan trilogy. The novel comes in at No. 1 on both the hardcover and e-book list.
The official Swedish bestseller lists for July have just been released, and Pascal Engman’s second installment in the critically acclaimed Clan Trilogy, The War, comes in at No. 2 on the hardcover list. Anders Hansen’s The Achilles Heels of Your Brain, claims the No. 2 spot in the non-fiction category.
Satu Rämö’s The Shadow of the Northern Lights, the third installment in the bestselling Hildur series, claims the No. 1 spot on Icelandic book retailer Eymundsson’s bestseller list. The novel has held the No. 1 position since publication, making this its third consecutive week on the list.
Nightshifter, the fifth installment in Kristina Ohlsson’s bestselling August Strindberg series, debuts at No. 3 on Der Spiegel’s list for trade paperbacks this week.
Intrigue in Amalfi, the second installment in the Murders Under the Sun series, climbed to No. 4 on the official Czech bestseller list for fiction this week.
Bulgaria, EMAS
Two-book deal closed by Emma Granberg
Greece, Memento
Closed by Emma Granberg
China, Beijing Science and Technology
Five-book deal closed by The Grayhawk Agency on behalf of Ida Schabbauer
Poland, Smak Slowa
Two-book deal closed by Julia Angelin
Lithuania, Pflaŭmbaŭm Publishing House
Closed by Emma Granberg
Germany, Hoffmann und Campe
Closed by Julia Angelin
I could recognize myself in some of the scenes, and they affected me deeply. /…/ The book is also easy to get into. I was quickly drawn into the story and was very curious to see what would happen next.
– Sundsvalls Tidning
There are a lot of things to unravel in this pitch-black homecoming novel and Bengtsdotter succeeds really well in doing so on just under 300 pages.
– Göteborgs-Posten
It’s a powerful opening. In just a few pages, Selåker paints a portrait of a deeply flawed man on the verge of breaking point, while also capturing loneliness so vividly that the silence inside the house seems to scream from the pages. /…/ I’m looking forward to returning to the Wilderness Road and its surroundings, which Selåker portrays with a sharp eye in this dark and compelling first installment.
– Göteborgs-Posten
[A] brilliant thriller. /…/ [Winter Grave] is unsettling, occasionally hilarious and constantly thrilling. /…/ I make no secret of the fact I’m a fan of Heine Bakkeid’s writing (…). Winter Grave is also dark noir on an elite level.
– Harstad Tidene
You’re the One I Write About tells a tale as old as time. But it does so with fire and not without finesse. /…/ The result is a book you can read during a free period, but will carry with you much longer. Why? Perhaps because Åstot succeeds in capturing exactly how words fall between young people in this moment.
– Expressen
Late at night, a doctor burns to death inside the closed forensic psychiatric institution Helix. The interrogations with staff and inmates are complicated due to patient confidentiality and psychotic illnesses. After another death in the same ward, Saga Bauer accepts a top-secret assignment.