Where to Start Reading Åsa Avdic
Because Åsa Avdic does not write interconnected book series, you do not have to worry about finding the right entry point to a complex universe. Every single one of her fiction books is a standalone novel that operates in its own distinct setting and genre.
For English-speaking readers, the definitive starting point is The Dying Game (originally published in Sweden as Isola). This is her only novel to receive a widespread English translation and distribution. It serves as an excellent introduction to her signature style: claustrophobic tension, deep psychological profiling, and speculative elements that challenge how we view authority and trust.
For readers who can read Swedish or are tracking future international translations, your next step depends on your subgenre preference. If you enjoy historical suspense with a touch of the metaphysical, look for Ett liv till (known internationally as One More Life). If you prefer eerie, atmosphere-thick mysteries centered on folklore and young adult perspectives, you should pick up Strandhäxan (marketed in English as The Witch of Sea and Sorrow).
Åsa Avdic Books in Publication Order
Following Åsa Avdic's books in order of their release shows a fascinating evolution of an author willing to experiment with different genres. Although her fiction stands alone, reading in publication order reveals how she transitioned from dystopian thriller to historical drama and then to folklore-inspired youth mystery.
- Rätt åt dig: Så blir du en lyckad konsument (2012) – Her debut non-fiction book focusing on consumer rights.
- Isola / The Dying Game (2016 Swedish, 2017 English) – Her debut speculative fiction novel.
- Ett liv till / One More Life (2023) – Her second novel, focusing on historical suspense and spiritualism.
- Strandhäxan / The Witch of Sea and Sorrow (2025) – Her young adult suspense debut with a Southern Gothic tone.
Deep Dive into the Books
The Dying Game / Isola (2016)
Set in a totalitarian, bureaucratic version of the year 2037, The Dying Game blends the classic locked-room setup of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None with the paranoia of George Orwell's 1984. The protagonist, Anna Francis, is a compromised bureaucrat who is assigned to stage her own murder on the remote, storm-swept island of Isola. Her task is to secretly observe how six candidates for a highly sensitive government position react to her death and handle the pressure. However, the simulation quickly spirals out of control as a real storm cuts off the island and the candidates begin acting in unpredictable, dangerous ways.
Ett liv till / One More Life (2023)
Departing from the near-future sci-fi of her debut, Avdic’s second novel is a historical mystery set in the United States in 1921. The story centers on Ruth Doran, a former mathematician who gave up her academic dreams to enter a traditional, passionless marriage. Following her husband's death, she takes a job helping Thomas Bradford, an eccentric spiritualist who is attempting to prove the existence of the afterlife using rigorous scientific methods. The narrative uses a dual structure, alternating between Ruth's personal journal entries written after Bradford mysteriously disappears and an omniscient perspective charting their passionate, increasingly dangerous research relationship.
Strandhäxan / The Witch of Sea and Sorrow (2025)
Avdic's third novel is a young adult mystery set in Kilavik, a fictional fishing village in the Österlen region of Sweden. Drawing heavy inspiration from Southern Gothic conventions, the plot revolves around Tora, whose older brother Ville disappeared a year prior along with his classmate Selim. The local community has long whispered about the legend of the "Strandhäxa" (Beach Witch), a creature rumored to steal the sons of the town to avenge the crimes of the adults. When Selim suddenly washes up on the shore unconscious but alive, Tora and her friend Esther launch a private investigation that forces the town to confront its dark secrets, prejudice, and hidden history.
Rätt åt dig: Så blir du en lyckad konsument (2012)
Long before writing fiction, Avdic leveraged her background as a consumer advocate journalist to write this practical non-fiction guide. The title translates to Serve You Right: How to Become a Successful Consumer. It acts as an accessible handbook helping readers navigate everyday financial traps, understand their legal consumer rights in Sweden, and confidently negotiate with large corporations.
What to Know Before You Start
As you dive into Åsa Avdic’s work, keep in mind that her background as a high-profile journalist and news anchor for Swedish public television (SVT) heavily informs her prose. Her novels feature a clean, precise, and investigative style. She avoids sensationalist violence, choosing instead to focus on how systems of power affect individual human behavior.
Furthermore, because her novels span totally different time periods and settings—ranging from a speculative 2037 to a historical 1921 and a modern folkloric Swedish coast—there are no recurring characters. Anna Francis does not appear outside of The Dying Game, and the mysteries in each book are fully resolved by the final page.