Jussi Adler-Olsen is a Danish author of Scandinavian crime fiction. He is best known in English-speaking countries for his Department Q series. His novels have been sold in 36 countries around in the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Russia, The Netherlands, Japan, Germany and China. He was the most popular author in Germany in the year 2011, despite not being German.

Jussi Adler-Olsen became a published author in 1985 with a non-fiction book on Groucho Marx. His first foray into fiction was Alfabethuset (The Alphabet House) in 1997. His first novel to be published in English was Mercy (UK)/The Keeper of Lost Causes (US). Below is a list of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s books in order of when they were originally released:

Publication Order of Department Q Books

The Keeper of Lost Causes(2011) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Absent One(2012) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
A Conspiracy of Faith(2013) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Purity of Vengeance(2013) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Marco Effect(2014) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Hanging Girl(2015) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price
The Scarred Woman(2017) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Alphabet House(2014) Best Hardcover PriceBest Paperback PriceBest Kindle Price

Notes: Mercy was also published as The Keeper of Lost Causes. Disgrace is also known as The Absent One. A Conspiracy of Faith was published as Redemption in the UK. The Purity of Vengeance is also known as Contempt in the UK. The Marco Effect was also published as Buried.

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Order of Books » Authors » Order of Jussi Adler-Olsen Books
  • Mick Walsh

    Crazy good Nordic crime fiction. The protagonist Carl Morck and fellow basement dwellers of Department Q, the inscrutable Assad and the, what’s the opposite of inscrutable, scrutable?, Rose, make for a wonderfully disparate crew solving cold cases. If you loved stieg, worship nesbo, and miss mankell’s wallander, these books fill the void.

  • Coriolanus41

    There’s no doubt that most of the best current crime fiction is coming from Scandinavia, and Jussi Adler-Olsen is right in the forefront. I’ve so far read the first two of the Department Q series, and am about to begin the third. He certainly has a feeling for the darker side of human nature, but he is able to balance that with a wonderful, sardonic wit. Looking forward to getting hold of the film based on The Absent One – the film version of The Keeper Of Lost Causes was excellent.

  • kate sarginson

    Terrific books that I just stumbled over last year. Absolutely first class.
    Now I have three friends hooked on Dept Q. The secretary is a hoot. You never know ‘who’ is coming in to work on what day. The ‘janitor’ is very mysterious and I am looking forward to finding out more of his back story.

  • CAdawn

    I’m so glad I found Jo Nesbo and Jussi Adler-Olsen. Love the Dept. Q characters. Another good new author (to me) is Olen Steinhauer with his character Milo Weaver. All great reads.

  • Fiona Caton-Jones

    I thought nothing could ever beat the fantastic journeys we’ve taken with Carl and his motley crew–that is, until “The Alphabet House.”
    Am still 10 chapters from the end of AH, which I take in daily morsels due to long distance walking, but it’s by turns harrowing, nail-biting and yet another study JAO style on the depravity of man that he so skillfully can show us with his tales. (And I’m a sucker for a great WW2 tale, anyway).
    Have gone through 5 with Carl and Co., have been waiting for eons for The Hanging Girl in the hold queue at the local library. We need more JAO! More Carl and his cohorts!
    And just when we finally got a big clue (blink and you’ll miss is) into the way Assad made his way to Denmark, (it’s either depressingly dismaying or heart warming, it could go either way) in The Marco Effect, the hold queue seems painfully long now for THG.
    As we read on, hope JAO is hard at work on more more more.

  • Brenda K. Webster

    More Department Q books, please!!!

  • Ilge Coxey

    I absolutely love Department Q, and am reading every book of Jussi Adler Olsen!