Having watched Unit One (Rejseholdet in Danish see image in post), the Eagle a Crime Odyssey and now The Killing (currently showing on SBS TV in Australia) I have become somewhat entranced by Scandinavian crime stories. Perhaps this is a reflection of my Norwegian heritage.The TV shows offer a refreshing and different approach in their story lines. A for cry from the crime by numbers and a car chase US shows. Perhaps closed in style to the English shows such as Cracker and Wire In The Blood. It is great to see that the cultural imperialism is being challenged on SBS TV at least.
This has in turn put me on the path of Scandinavian authors. The first author I have read is the Norwegian Jo Nesbø, his hero the rather flawed Inspector Harry Hole. The next auther that I have encountered is Asa Larsson I am looking forward to this as it is based in Sweden. Already Henning Mankell with his Wallander series has made a this Swedish authors stories well known in print and and on TV.
I agree the killing and the other danish crime shows are a breath of fresh air in the crime tv genre. You mentioned a few good authors but there are oodles of them, waiting for you to find and read them. Not all are translated but you might also like Camilla Lackberg, Karin Altvegen, Hakan Nesser, Arnaldur Indridason (Icelandic) Anne Holt and Karin Fossum (Norwegian) to name a few. They really give you a picture of life in Scandinavia. Marianne Fredricksson is also a great read, but not crime fiction.
oops forgot to add two more great scandi authors: Liza Marklund and Per Pettersen.
Thanks for the names I will add them to m growing list