2012:1

Continues Frostenson’s weaving together of ideas, use of contradictory images, transformations and unpredictable leaps that have made her one of Sweden’s most revered poets.

The reader eavesdrops on a nocturnal phone conversation with a friend, in which the events of the day slowly unfold.

Four individual narratives wind through the cold, technologically-mediated world of today’s youth.

A delightful comedy with touches of realism.

Much has been written and said about Strindberg and his attitude to women, but not many books have been written from the point of view of his women.

The blurb speaks of ‘a hilarious play on the idea of autofiction’ – and so it is. The story about the famous writer Lillemor Troj is closely based on Kerstin Lillemor Ekman’s own literary career.

At the end of the 20th century, traditional student privilege is being eroded and success is no longer guaranteed.

An exciting story, skilfully told, in the 'adventure tale' category.

The Agency of the title is a London theatre agency, run by a larger-than-life character called Semolina Pritchard.

Although Mankell is best known for his crime novels starring Inspector Kurt Wallander, he also writes many other kinds of books, including novels about Africa. This one explores the nature and legacy of European colonialism.

A witty, metafictional confection combining a thriller plot with many other strands.

Everything about Linda Olsson’s writing is permeated by nature, gentleness, longing and loving. She makes it personal, drawing you slowly but inevitably into her story, so that you care about the characters, as if they were your own kin.

A captivating, complex novel: Palm paints beautiful images of wintry Stockholm and arouses a palpable impression of the 1980s.

An original and humorous novel capturing not only quintessentially Swedish, but also very western phenomena of modern life.

The colon in the title ushers the reader into this world, the world of the beautiful but socially inept, and a world made up of triangles.

Palm concentrates on an area he knows very well: the work of a pathologist specialising in crime victims.

The author is insightful about the quirky by-ways of the mind, knows a lot about science and in particular about viruses.

The suspense grows and there is nothing for it but to read on.

A comprehensive study of the rise of right-wing extremism in Europe by a knowledgeable and brave journalist.

In our current civilisation almost defined by personal mobility, how should one define a writer in exile?

This is a novel about gender. It is about coming to terms with the fact that in our society you are sorted into the ‘not powerful’ category of people if you happen to have a female body.

This is a nicely illustrated book with funny, colloquial prose, mostly in the form of dialogue. In a charming way it demonstrates that we are all more or less strange.