Inspector Huss Books in Order

How to Read the Inspector Huss Series

Helene Tursten's gritty, atmospheric Inspector Huss series is a cornerstone of modern Nordic Noir. Centered on Detective Inspector Irene Huss—a forty-something violent crimes investigator, mother of twin daughters, and former judo champion—the series blends meticulous police work with authentic social commentary and relatable domestic realism. To experience Irene's personal and professional growth accurately, readers have to navigate a slight discrepancy between the original Swedish publication sequence and the English translation order.

The Recommended Reading Path: Chronological (Swedish Publication) Order

We strongly recommend reading the series in its original chronological order (which matches the Swedish publication sequence). When Soho Press first translated the novels for English-speaking audiences, they released the second book, Night Rounds, out of order, publishing it fourth. Reading chronologically ensures that the subplots involving Irene's family, her husband Krister, her daughters, and the evolving dynamics of the Gothenburg Violent Crimes Unit develop naturally.

Here is the chronological order of the novels:

1. Detective Inspector Huss (2003) – Original Swedish: Den krossade tanghästen (1998)
2. Night Rounds (2012) – Original Swedish: Nattrond (1999)
3. The Torso (2006) – Original Swedish: Tatuerad torso (2000)
4. The Glass Devil (2007) – Original Swedish: Glasdjävulen (2002)
5. The Golden Calf (2013) – Original Swedish: Guldkalven (2004)
6. The Fire Dance (2014) – Original Swedish: Eldsdansen (2005)
7. The Beige Man (2015) – Original Swedish: En man med litet ansikte (2007)
8. The Treacherous Net (2015) – Original Swedish: Det lömska nätet (2008)
9. Who Watcheth (2016) – Original Swedish: Den som vakar i mörkret (2010)
10. Protected by the Shadows (2017) – Original Swedish: I skydd av skuggorna (2012)

The English Publication Order

If you pick up the English paperbacks as they were originally distributed in the US and UK, you will encounter the books in this sequence. While each mystery is largely self-contained, this order will cause minor timeline disruptions in Irene's family life:

1. Detective Inspector Huss (2003)
2. The Torso (2006)
3. The Glass Devil (2007)
4. Night Rounds (2012)
5. The Golden Calf (2013)
6. The Fire Dance (2014)
7. The Beige Man (2015)
8. The Treacherous Net (2015)
9. Who Watcheth (2016)
10. Protected by the Shadows (2017)

What to Know Before You Start

Unlike some of the darker, more cynical protagonists of Scandinavian crime fiction, Irene Huss is grounded by a warm, stable home life. Her husband Krister is a chef, and their twin daughters Jenny and Katarina grow up over the course of the ten novels, dealing with typical teenage issues, including school stress and, in Jenny's case, brief associations with local skinhead countercultures. This family dynamic offers a lighter contrast to the gruesome crimes Irene investigates, which range from human trafficking and satanic cults to high-finance murders and serial killers.

Gothenburg (Göteborg), Sweden, serves as a prominent character in the series. Tursten uses the city's seasonal weather, harbor, and distinct neighborhoods to highlight Swedish social issues, including immigration, economic disparity, and institutional sexism within the police force.

The Spin-Off: Embla Nyström Series

After concluding the Irene Huss series with Protected by the Shadows, Helene Tursten launched a new series featuring Embla Nyström, a 28-year-old mobile unit detective and champion boxer who suffers from nightmares. Embla is first introduced as a minor character in the eighth Irene Huss novel, The Treacherous Net. While the Embla Nyström series is a standalone spiritual successor, fans will appreciate recurring references to the Gothenburg police and a crossover appearance by Irene Huss herself in the novel Snowdrift.

The Embla Nyström books in reading order are:

• Hunting Game (2019)
• Winter Grave (2020)
• Snowdrift (2021)

Screen Adaptations of the Huss Universe

The success of the novels led to a series of highly popular screen adaptations:

• The Irene Huss Movies (2007–2011): A series of 12 Swedish-language television films starring Angela Kovács as Irene Huss. The movies adapt many of the early books (like The Torso and The Golden Calf) and write original mysteries within the same universe.
• Huss (2021): A spin-off television series focusing on Irene's daughter, Katarina Huss (played by Karin Franz Körlof), who joins the Gothenburg police as a rookie officer. Irene Huss (played by Kajsa Ernst) appears in this series as the Deputy Chief of Police, dealing with a tense relationship with her daughter.