The Recommended Reading Order for Embla Nyström
If you want to experience Detective Inspector Embla Nyström's journey as the author intended, the best way to read the series is in publication order. Because the overarching narrative of Embla's personal life—specifically her chronic nightmares, the mystery of her childhood friend Lollo's abduction, and her evolving role in the Swedish police force—develops continuously across the trilogy, jumping around will spoil key character developments and resolution arcs.
Here is the recommended reading path for the core Embla Nyström series:
- Book 1: Hunting Game (Swedish: Jaktmark, 2014 / English: 2019)
- Book 2: Winter Grave (Swedish: Sandgrav, 2016 / English: 2019)
- Book 3: Snowdrift (Swedish: Snödrev, 2018 / English: 2020)
Chronological Caveats: The Irene Huss Connection
While the trilogy stands on its own as a self-contained story arc, hardcore fans of Helene Tursten might be surprised to learn that Embla Nyström actually made her very first appearance outside her own series. Embla debuted briefly as a young police intern in The Treacherous Net (Swedish: Det lömska nätet, 2008 / English: 2015), which is the eighth book in Tursten's famous Detective Inspector Irene Huss series.
If you are looking for an absolute chronological reading order that includes every single appearance of Embla, you could insert that book before the trilogy:
- The Treacherous Net (Irene Huss Book 8) – Featuring Embla's brief debut as an intern.
- Hunting Game (Embla Nyström Book 1)
- Winter Grave (Embla Nyström Book 2)
- Snowdrift (Embla Nyström Book 3)
However, we do not recommend starting with The Treacherous Net if your goal is to read Embla's story. That novel focuses heavily on Irene Huss and the Gothenburg Violent Crimes Unit; Embla's role is minor and serves as an easter egg for fans who later read her standalone series. For the best experience, start directly with Hunting Game.
The Embla Nyström Books in Detail
1. Hunting Game (2019)
In the series opener, we are introduced to 28-year-old Embla Nyström, a mobile unit detective who is also a talented welterweight boxer and a seasoned hunter. The story kicks off during an annual moose hunt in the rugged, forested region of Dalsland. What should be a relaxing family tradition turns deadly when a member of the hunting party is found dead and another disappears. Because of her local connections and police training, Embla is thrust into the investigation, forced to navigate the secrets of a tight-knit community where everyone seems to have something to hide. Hunting Game does an excellent job establishing Embla's unique duality: her physical toughness contrasted with the vulnerability of her sleep disorders and panic attacks.
2. Winter Grave (2019)
The second installment moves the action to the icy coastal town of Strömstad during a bitter winter. A nine-year-old girl disappears on her way home from school, and shortly after, a local drug dealer is found dead. When a second child goes missing, Embla is dispatched from the Gothenburg Mobile Unit to assist the local police. The pressure mounts as she has to collaborate with a local detective who is slow to act, all while confronting the cold reality of a case that echoes her own unresolved childhood traumas. Winter Grave ramps up the psychological tension and expands on Embla's background, showing how her past continues to dictate her present.
3. Snowdrift (2020)
The trilogy reaches its climax in Snowdrift, a fast-paced thriller that ties up the lingering threads of the series. When a man is found murdered in a secluded cabin, the investigation leads Embla to a chilling connection: the victim is linked to the decades-old abduction of her best friend, Lollo, who vanished when they were teenagers. The suspect list points to a notorious Gothenburg mobster, forcing Embla into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game. As a massive snowstorm cuts off the region, Embla must face her deepest fears to finally uncover the truth about what happened to her friend.
Practical Reader Advice
Can these books be read as standalones? While the police procedural cases in each book are fully resolved by the final page, we highly recommend reading them in order. The overarching narrative concerning Embla's mental health, her relationship with her uncle, and the search for her missing friend Lollo acts as a continuous thread. Reading Snowdrift first will completely spoil the mysteries set up in the first two books.
Translation vs. Original Publication Years: When searching for these books, you might notice conflicting publication dates. Helene Tursten originally published the books in Swedish between 2014 and 2018. The English translations, published by Soho Crime, were released between 2019 and 2020. Don't worry about this discrepancy; the reading order remains exactly the same regardless of which translation or language version you are reading.
What to expect from the tone: The series is classic Nordic noir—moody, atmospheric, and focused on the dark underbelly of rural communities. However, Embla is a refreshing protagonist for the genre. Unlike many brooding, self-destructive detectives, Embla is physically active, uses boxing to cope with her anxiety, and has a strong support network in her family, particularly her uncle. This gives the books a slightly more active, dynamic energy than traditional, slower-paced Scandinavian procedurals.