Sweden

Sweden

Friday, 1 November, 2024

Sweden is one of the happiest countries in the world. And it’s no wonder! Its residents enjoy one of the highest standards of living on the planet with low unemployment, one of the world’s longest life expectancies (80.6 for men; 84.1 for women), a commitment to caring for the environment, and a strong sense of community. Ninety-one percent of Swedes agreed that they know ‘someone they could rely on in a time of need.’

Plus, there’s ABBA.

Which is all very sweet and life-affirming. But also raises the question: Why are Swedish novels so murdery?!

The answer to the riddle lies in the question itself. Sweden — and, really, all of Scandinavia — is a happy, outdoorsy place. (More than 50% of the country is covered in forest, and there are 100,000 lakes.) There’s a commitment to tradition, including robust celebrations of both the dark of Christmas and the light of Midsommar. The population is well-educated, friendly, content, and always down to eat a cardamom bun while taking a minute to talk about life.

So when violence strikes a community — whether it’s in the capital city of Stockholm or a fishing village along the coast — it’s shocking because it happened in this near-utopian version of the world.

The contrast between the before (idyllic, bathed in golden sunshine or pure, white snow) and the after (dark, bleak, and icy) is impossible to resist — at least on the page.

our podcast

In this episode, we discuss everything that makes Sweden one of the happiest and most liberal places on Earth. Then we share the books that transported us there: a historical novel steeped in royal intrigue, a coming-of-age story rich with atmosphere (and food), and examples of excellent Scandi noir, including a classic of the genre set on a bleak island, a twisty whodunnit in an isolated village, and a missing-person case set in the forest during Midsommar. (show notes / transcript)

recommended books

Dark Pines

buy | read review

Black River

buy | read review

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

buy | read review

The Ice Princess

buy | read review

Popular Music from Vittula

buy | read review

The Stockholm Octavo

buy | read review

The Almost Nearly Perfect People

buy | read review

Top image courtesy of Jon Flobrant/Unsplash.

Want to keep up with our book-related adventures? Sign up for our newsletter!

featured posts

Sweden is one of the happiest places on Earth. It gave us ABBA, IKEA, and some of the darkest crime fiction on the bookshelves. In this ep, we discuss all of that and share five great books that transported us there.
A sinful but repentant monk, an assist from the devil, an 800-year-old book, potential madness, and a rivalry between Bohemia and Sweden. This story of the Codex Gigas, also known as The Devil's Bible, has everything.
How about a delicious meal to go with your immersive reads?! This is just the recipe to give you a taste of Sweden. It's comforting with luscious contrasts between hot, cool, tart, sweet, and savory in every bite.
One of our favorite ways to mingle with locals in new-to-us cities is among the shelves of a neighborhood bookshop — it's even better when they include English-language books. These two in Stockholm are must-visits.
Fika is the leisurely consumption of carbs and caffeine that's a standard part of every day in Sweden. More than a coffee break, it's a pause to connect with people, recharge, and appreciate the good things in life.
Our heroine Tuva could break up her workday as a reporter by celebrating fika, the Swedish coffee break built around pastries and good friends. Instead, she goes tromping in the woods after a serial killer. Oh, Tuva!'
The summer solstice — a long day of sunlight and the setting for a chilling mystery. As revelers celebrate Midsommar in Sweden, danger creeps from the forest, suspects abound, and an intrepid reporter is on the case.
'Tis the season of snow and ice, so let's embrace the frosty weather with this thoroughly chilling mystery set in a tiny fishing village on Sweden's east coast. Bad actors getting their comeuppance is so comforting.
Young Matti is our guide to the brutal, beautiful landscape of Pajala, a town in Swedish Lapland near the Arctic Circle. Yes, it's freezing, but it's warmed by friendly banter, family connection, and homemade food.
Gotta love a place that embraces contrasts — and Sweden is all about it: the warm snuggly vibe of a Swedish Christmas or afternoon fika (coffee and cake) — and the magnificent, twisty murder mysteries of Scandi noir.

sharing is caring!

Can you help us? If you like this article, share it your friends!

our mission

Strong Sense of Place is a website and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books we love. Reading good books increases empathy. Empathy is good for all of us and the amazing world we inhabit.

our patreon

Strong Sense of Place is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the work we do, you can help make it happen by joining our Patreon! That'll unlock bonus content for you, too — including Mel's secret book reviews and Dave's behind-the-scenes notes for the latest Two Truths and a Lie.

get our newsletter

Join our Substack to get our FREE newsletter with podcast updates and behind-the-scenes info — and join in fun chats about books and travel with other lovely readers.

no spoilers. ever.

We'll share enough detail to help you decide if a book is for you, but we'll never ruin plot twists or give away the ending.

super-cool reading fun
reading atlas

This 30-page Reading Atlas takes you around the world with dozens of excellent books and gorgeous travel photos. Get your free copy when you subscribe to our newsletter.

get our newsletter
Sign up for our free Substack!
follow us

Content on this site is ©2024 by Smudge Publishing, unless otherwise noted. Peace be with you, person who reads the small type.