Quentin Bates Books in Order

This reading order guide helps you find a complete list of Quentin Bates books in order, from the first to the latest, and is always kept up to date so you won’t miss anything!

About Quentin Bates

Quentin Bates is a British author born in southern England around the time of the Cuban missile crisis. His journey to becoming a writer took an unexpected turn when he decided to work in Iceland for just one year, only to stay for a whole decade. During his time in Iceland, he not only immersed himself in the country’s culture but also honed his writing skills by taking a course at a university. While he is British, his writing style is often compared to Scandinavian crime fiction, with its deep atmospheric settings and complex characters. His first novel, Frozen Out (also known as Frozen Assets), was published in 2011, and it introduced readers to his signature style of crime fiction.

Bates is best known for the Officer Gunnhildur series, which follows the tough and determined Gunnhildur, a female police officer investigating crime in Iceland. The series, starting with Frozen Out, delves into Iceland’s dark side, exploring corruption, crime, and the personal struggles of its characters. Apart from his novels, Bates has written non-fiction and worked as a journalist, contributing feature articles to a niche nautical trade magazine. He brings his detailed knowledge of Icelandic life and its complexities into his writing, creating stories that are as much about the environment as they are about the characters.

Though his works have received some mixed reviews, with some finding the plots slow or repetitive, Bates’s books remain popular among fans of Nordic noir. His ability to create realistic characters, particularly the relatable and resilient Gunnhildur, is a standout feature of his writing. Whether tackling corruption in Iceland’s financial sector or dealing with personal loss, Bates’s novels are gripping, well-crafted, and full of surprises, keeping readers coming back for more.