The Ice Swimmer

By Kjell Ola Dahl

The discovery of a body in the freezing waters of Oslo Harbour spark an investigation that takes the Oslo Detectives right to the heart of the government … with life-shattering results. The godfather of Nordic Noir is back…

***Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year***

‘Fiercely powerful and convincing’ LoveReading

‘A masterclass in plotting, atmosphere and character’ The Times

‘Lena Stigersand, one of the decent, talented, hard-working Oslo police detectives in Dahl’s ensemble procedural series, takes center stage in this excellent sixth instalment … fans of Scandinavian noir will be eager for Dahl’s next book’ Publishers Weekly **Book of the Month**

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When a dead man is lifted from the freezing waters of Oslo Harbour just before Christmas, Detective Lena Stigersand’s stressful life suddenly becomes even more complicated. Not only is she dealing with a cancer scare, a stalker and an untrustworthy boyfriend, but it seems that both a politician and Norway’s security services might be involved in the murder.

With her trusted colleagues, Gunnarstranda and Frølich, at her side, Lena digs deep into the case and finds that it not only goes to the heart of the Norwegian establishment, but it might be rather to close to her personal life for comfort.

Dark, complex and nail-bitingly tense, The Ice Swimmer is a simply unforgettable instalment in the critically acclaimed Oslo Detective series, by the godfather of Nordic Noir.

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‘If you want your worst fears about what goes on inside a cop's mind confirmed, meet Kjell Ola Dahl's Oslo sleuths, Gunnarstranda and Frølich … impossible to put down’ Guardian

‘A chilling novel about betrayal’ Sunday Times

‘If you have never sampled Dahl, now is the time to try’ Daily Mail

‘More than gripping’ European Literature Network

‘The perfect example of why Nordic Noir has become such a popular genre’ Reader’s Digest

‘Dramatic, fast-paced and character-focused’ Crime Review

‘Skilful blend of police procedural and psychological insight’ Crime Fiction Lover

‘I have read many clever and thrilling crime novels through my life, but often they have nothing to do with real life. If I don’t believe in them, they don’t impress me. But when Kjell Ola Dahl tells his stories, I believe every single word’ Karin Fossum

'Kjell Ola Dahl's novels are superb. If you haven't read one, you need to – right now' William Ryan

• Language: English
• Publisher: ORENDA BOOKS
• Release date: Feb 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781912374083

Kjell Ola Dahl

One of the fathers of the Nordic Noir genre, Kjell Ola Dahl was born in 1958 in Gjøvik. He made his debut in 1993, and has since published eleven novels, the most prominent of which is a series of police procedurals cum psychological thrillers (Oslo Detectives series) featuring investigators Gunnarstranda and Frølich. In 2000 he won the Riverton Prize for The Last Fix and he won both the prestigious Brage and Riverton Prizes for The Courier in 2015. His work has been published in 14 countries, and he lives in Oslo.

Reviews for The Ice Swimmer

[atticusfinch1048 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Ice Swimmer – A Nordic ClassicKjell Ola Dahl returns with the Ice Swimmer once again proving why he is one of the best crime writers in Norway, now making headway here. If you have never read any of Dahl’s work, then you really are missing out on classy Nordic Noir. What he delivers on every page is powerful and convincing and the best example of Nordic Noir and why it is one of Britain’s favourite crime genres.Detective Lena Stigersand already has a stressful life, she does not require it to be made any more difficult, but you do not always get what you want. When a civil servant is pulled from the freezing water of Oslo Harbour her life is about to turn for the worst. Which just before Christmas is not the most welcome thing.Besides trying to crack a case that at first looks like suicide but turns into a murder case, having to deal with a cancer diagnosis, stalker, a new boyfriend whom seems to have secrets. Life is not easy, as her mother is on at her about the forth coming Christmas.Working alongside her colleagues, who she has trusted throughout her service, Lena digs deeper and finds herself in a political storm not of her own making. Someone within the Police Department seems to be letting them down, as the newspapers seem to be ahead of the Police, which piles pressure on them.The Ice Swimmer is a taut, tense explosion of Nordic Noir, that is beautifully written, and Don Bartlett once again translates and does not lose any of the power or the beauty of the text. Dahl is such a talented writer whose writing is powerful and so convincing, you will enjoy reading. The only fault being the crime gets solved and life moves on!

[jess_reads_books · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A dead man has been found floating in the freezing waters of Oslo Harbor. There are no signs of foul play. The death looks like an intoxicated man who fell into the water and couldn't get out.A woman throws herself in front of a metro train. CCTV footage reveals that she was being chased by a mysterious hooded man. Did she really commit suicide or was she pushed? Oslo detective, Lena Stigerstand is put in charge of the drowning case. She quickly finds herself involved in the workings of local politics and Norway's secret services in connection with this death. To make matters more intense, Lena's personal life has taken crazy turn, after crazy turn. She has a new boyfriend who isn't quite what he seems, a stalker, and a cancer scare. With the help of her trusted colleagues in the Oslo police department Lena will hunt for the answers that draw these two seemingly unrelated cases together. Can she track the killer before they strike again?Last year I started my journey in to reading more Nordic noir. When I was researching where to start Kjell Ola Dahl's name was one that kept popping up, so when Orenda reached out to me about participating in the blog tour for Dahl's latest installment in his Oslo Detective series I jumped at the chance! Despite this being the eighth book in a long standing series I felt like I was able to follow along without any issues. I got a feel for the trust between colleagues, which I'm sure has been built up over the last seven books, without feeling like I was missing pieces to the puzzle. I think my favorite part of this book, aside from the fascinating case, was Lena Stigerstand. The world of Lena is turned on it's side and then flipped again and again in this book and yet somehow she remains a pure badass detective. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a multi-layered crime fiction story with strong detectives leading the case. I'm looking forward to picking up some other editions in this series and getting to know these detectives a bit more in the future!Thank you so much to Orenda Book and Kjell Ola Dahl for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the fabulous Anne Cater for setting up another #teamorenda tour full of fantastic bloggers! Please be sure to check out the rest of the blogs showcasing this book on its blog tour!