Crime fiction is the most translated genre in publishing. These non-English series are among its longest running.
Series in Reading Order
- Millennium by Stieg Larsson — 12 books · 2005–2025
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; continued by David Lagercrantz and Karin Smirnoff. - Harry Hole by Jo Nesbo — 10 books · 1997–2013
Oslo detective series, begun 1997. - Kurt Wallander by Henning Mankell — 11 books · 1991–2014
Ystad police procedural, 1991-2009. - Department Q by Jussi Adler-Olsen — 10 books · 2011–2024
Copenhagen cold-case unit, begun 2007. - Inspector Rebus by Ian Rankin — 16 books · 1987–2019
Edinburgh series, begun 1987. - Guido Brunetti by Donna Leon — 12 books · 1992–2019
Venice series, begun 1992. - Inspector Erlendur by Arnaldur Indridason — 20 books · 1997–2014
Reykjavik series, begun 1997. - Martin Beck by Maj Sjowall — 10 books · 1965–1975
Swedish police procedural, 1965-1975, written with Per Wahloo.
How to read these series
Numbered entries follow the order the books were published, which is the order the story was written and the safest order for a first read. Where a series has side novels or novellas, reading them in publication order avoids spoilers from later books.
Where the numbers come from
Book counts and publication years on this page are taken from the series entries in the GoBookSeries index. Each title links to the full book list for that series.
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