The Recommended Reading Order
For readers looking to dive into Cecilia Ekbäck’s haunting historical mysteries, the best path is to follow the publication order of her novels. While her work consists primarily of standalone novels and loose thematic companions rather than a direct chronological series, starting with her debut allows you to experience the evolution of her atmospheric style and her unique relationship with her primary setting, the fictional Blackåsen Mountain.
- Wolf Winter (2014/2015) – Set in 1717 Swedish Lapland, this is the definitive starting point that establishes Ekbäck’s signature blend of historical mystery and Nordic gothic atmosphere.
- In the Month of the Midnight Sun (2016) – Also published under the title The Midnight Sun, this novel returns to Blackåsen Mountain but jumps forward to 1856.
- The Historians (2020) – A standalone conspiracy thriller set during the dark days of World War II in 1943 Sweden.
The Blackåsen Mountain Companion Novels
Two of Ekbäck’s novels are connected by their location: the fictional Blackåsen Mountain in Swedish Lapland. Though they share a setting and thematic threads, they are set over a century apart and feature entirely different characters. You can read them in any order, but reading them in sequence highlights how the landscape changes over time.
Wolf Winter
First published in late 2014 (and released in many English-language markets in 2015), Wolf Winter takes readers back to the winter of 1717. The story follows a family of settlers who flee to Blackåsen Mountain, only to discover a mutilated body in the snow. Midwife Maija becomes determined to uncover the truth, unraveling a web of secrets among the isolated community. The novel explores themes of survival, superstition, and the oppressive weight of a harsh Scandinavian winter.
In the Month of the Midnight Sun / The Midnight Sun
Set in 1856, this 2016 novel (often retitled simply as The Midnight Sun for subsequent editions) returns to Blackåsen Mountain. During the heat of a perpetual summer, a geologist and his companion are sent by the government to survey the mountain and investigate a series of brutal murders. The book shifts focus toward the tensions of industrialization, colonization, and the clashes between Swedish authorities and the indigenous Sami people.
Standalone Novels & Short Fiction
Beyond the Lapland setting, Ekbäck has explored other historical periods and formats, carrying her trademark dark suspense to new settings.
The Historians (2020)
Shifting away from the isolated wilds of northern Sweden, The Historians is a gothic-inflected historical thriller set in Stockholm in 1943. When a young woman is found dead, a group of former university friends is drawn into a dark conspiracy involving Sweden’s neutrality, secret trade agreements with Nazi Germany, and questionable racial sciences. It is a highly researched, tense WWII mystery that works perfectly as a standalone read.
"Dark Matters" in The Outcast Hours (2019)
Ekbäck also contributed a short story titled "Dark Matters" to the 2019 speculative fiction anthology The Outcast Hours (edited by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin). Set in Finland, this eerie tale is told from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl named Irma, whose father repeatedly dies and returns to life, transforming Death and Resurrection into regular household visitors.
What to Know Before You Start
- Atmosphere and Pace: Ekbäck’s writing is slow-burning, lyrical, and deeply atmospheric. Her stories rely heavily on the psychology of isolation and the weight of their historical settings.
- Alternate Titles: Be aware that In the Month of the Midnight Sun and The Midnight Sun are the same book. Check the publication details to avoid accidentally purchasing the same novel twice.
- Sami Representation: A key element of Ekbäck’s Lapland novels is the exploration of Sami culture and history. Her work highlights the complex historical relations and colonial struggles faced by the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia.