Where to begin with Jo Nesbo and Henning Mankell (US)

[Jerol]

Because Winter is Coming and I need some cold mysteries, where should I begin with these two authors and what works should I avoid? I have heard that Mankell is inconsistent and some of Nesbo's books are not available in the US.

[Fenryng]

Well, according to the inside of the third Jo Nesbo novel that I have, you want to read The RedBreast, The Devil's Star, and Nemesis. There was a mention of a book called The Snowman; I don't know if that is a translation issue, or a book he did without his protagonist Harry Hole, or not. There are apparently nine total so far of this character, only three have been done over here, and the order of publication over there to here is probably screwed up, if Wikipedia is correct with the data at all.

I have some of Mankell's novels, which I have purchased and not read yet, based solely on the strength of the tv adaptations starring Kenneth Branaugh. I don't know if he is inconsistent or not, but the shows have all been good enough to convince me to get them. YMMV. He did do a book of short stories, if that is closer to your cup of tea.

[Lyanna Stark]

Haven't read Mankell, only seen the TV series (bits of both the Swedish and the British one), but Jo Nesbo's I found really stereotypical troubled guy with lots of Manpain who meets various women and his Heroic despite his manpain and general outsider status. Plowed three of them last summer and found the first one (original title Flaggermusmannen) the best one, but still not more than rather meh.

Mankell, if he is like the TV series, tends to be a bit more low key and introverted than Jo Nesbo's more Dirty Harry-esque hero.

EDIT: Plus the areas around Ystad are stunning, on film as in real life, so I never bothered with the books when the vistas can be seen on the screen (rare for me, but it's an exception).

[3CityApache]

I've read all by both Mankell and Nesbo and I definitely prefer the latter. Mankell is interesting at first, even if a bit stereotypical (ageing, tired of life detective solving crimes while thinking about human condition in general and scandinavian alienation problems in particular), but lately he has become quite boring. The best are first few Wallander books.

Nesbo is another story completely. Even if the protagonist himself might seem a bit stereotypical as well (handsome guy with serious alcohol problem), the stories are not. All nine books are IMO worth reading (the tenth has just hit the bookstores). The Red Throat and The Snowman are the best, and the last one (ninth I mean) has a very shocking finale.

[Turinqui-Calima]

I've read a few by both authors and preferred Mankell, but then I was a teenager when I read his books and an adult when I read Nesbo's. As others said they are both very typical Scandinavian crime novels; nothing extraordinary but worth reading.

My husband read two books by Mankell in English, Faceless Killers and The Dogs of Riga, and apparently the two books have different translators He much preferred the writing in The Dogs of Riga so that might be something to keep in mind.

[Rorshach]

For me, I prefer Mankell. His books are more down-to-earth in a way. More.. normal? They both have rather stereotypical heroes, so that's not much of a difference, in my opinion.

Mind you, I've read the first nine Nesbø books (hey, he's Norwegian, and friends/family buy them, so I can borrow them). I'm .. tired of his charachters.

(I'll probably read number 10 later this year, my grandmother has it).

ETA: The publication sequence in Norway would put them in the order The RedBreast, Nemesis and The Devil's Star. The Snowman, if it's translated, is chronologically after these. You won't get them totally chronologically, though, as these are books three, four, five and seven in the series.

[mysig]

Mankell has a very low-key, detached and disconcertingly charming narrative voice and it keeps the pages turning even when the characterisation feels a bit flat and the mystery has essentially been flushed out into the baltic sea. I am not sure what the english translation's like though. I also think the Wallander books definitely contain an element of social commentary but that may only really come to the fore if one's familiar with the swedish socio-cultural setup.