Fiction

Well-crafted police procedurals in a fascinating location. The Shetland Islands are a group of islands north of Scotland, about as close to Norway as they are to Scotland, and the history and culture of the islands has elements of both countries.

Ann Cleeves has written several mystery series - probably the best known are her Inspector Ramsay and Vera Stanhope series, the latter of which has been made into a British TV series. So far, I've only read her Shetland series, but I intend to take a look at her other books at some point, since I like her writing quite well. She writes fully-fleshed believable characters, lyrical descriptions of place, and deftly plotted mysteries that engage to the end.

These are the titles in the Shetland Island series:

1. Raven Black (2006)
2. White Nights (2008)
3. Red Bones (2007)
4. Blue Lightning (2010)
5. Dead Water (2013)
6. Thin Air (2014)

I've read the first five, I've got #6 on order, but it hasn't come into my library yet.

Of course, my absolute favorite police procedural writer remains Arnaldur Indriðason from Iceland. But he may be more dark and bleak than what you have in mind.