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Åsa Larsson<br />
Liza Marklund<br />
Kerstin Ekman<br />
Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö<br />
Stieg Larsson<br />
Karin Alvtegen<br />
Jens Lapidus<br />
Leif G W Persson<br />
Arne Dahl<br />
Lars Kepler<br />
Roslund & Hellström<br />
Kjell Eriksson<br />
Håkan Nesser<br />
Mons Kallentoft<br />
Camilla Läckberg<br />
Åke Edwardson<br />
Mari Jungstedt<br />
Johan Theorin<br />
Henning Mankell<br />
SWEDEN
INTRODUCTION<br />
There are different ways of experiencing a country.<br />
Visitors to <strong>Sweden</strong> commonly focus on the diversity<br />
and beauty, are awed by the picture perfect settings<br />
and soothed by the calm. However, for those who<br />
dare, the journey from the south of <strong>Sweden</strong> to the<br />
north can be made through the eyes and minds of<br />
modern crime fiction writers. Swedish crime fiction<br />
is known to explore and analyze the society and the<br />
human psyche, while thrilling readers all over the<br />
world.<br />
In 2010, there were three Swedish crime fiction<br />
authors on the top ten list of most sold novels in<br />
Europe. If you consider that <strong>Sweden</strong> has a population<br />
of nine million inhabitants, compared with over 800<br />
million for Europe as a whole, you realize that this<br />
is something of a phenomenon – a Swedish crime<br />
fiction phenomenon. <strong>Sweden</strong> is perhaps not seen as<br />
a crime-ridden country. On the contrary. But through<br />
authors like Stieg Larsson, Henning Mankell and many<br />
others, it has become known for fictional crimes –<br />
and well-written ones at that.<br />
Join us here on a journey through the darker, but<br />
fictional sides of <strong>Sweden</strong> – as seen and described by<br />
the numerous Swedish crime authors now delighting<br />
fans of murder and mystery all over the world.<br />
The authors portrayed here represent some of<br />
<strong>Sweden</strong>’s many crime fiction writers. But there are<br />
other prolific and talented story tellers too, who are<br />
also translated and well-appreciated outside <strong>Sweden</strong>.<br />
We would urge you to use this booklet as an entry<br />
point to <strong>Sweden</strong>, its literature and the thrills of the<br />
country.<br />
This material is produced by the Embassy of <strong>Sweden</strong> in New Delhi. It has been inspired by the Swedish Institute’s exhibit Scènes de Crime en Suède and by the<br />
tourism information of Visit <strong>Sweden</strong>. The Embassy would like to extend its gratitude to photographers that have let their works be used in the production,<br />
as well as to Matton AB that have leant several pictures to the publication free of charge.<br />
1
CONTENTS<br />
INTRODUCTION.............................................................................1<br />
SOUTHERN SWEDEN..................................................................4<br />
HENNING MANKELL...................................................................6<br />
JOHAN THEORIN..........................................................................8<br />
MARI JUNGSTEDT.......................................................................10<br />
ÅKE EDWARDSON.......................................................................12<br />
CAMILLA LÄCKBERG ................................................................. 14<br />
CENTRAL SWEDEN..................................................................... 16<br />
MONS KALLENTOFT................................................................. 18<br />
HÅKAN NESSER...........................................................................20<br />
KJELL ERIKSSON...........................................................................22<br />
STOCKHOLM.................................................................................24<br />
MAJ SJÖWALL & PER WAHLÖÖ.......................................... 26<br />
STIEG LARSSON.......................................................................... 28<br />
KARIN ALVTEGEN ..................................................................... 30<br />
LEIF GW PERSSON..................................................................... 30<br />
JENS LAPIDUS................................................................................32<br />
ARNE DAHL....................................................................................34<br />
LARS KEPLER..................................................................................36<br />
ROSLUND & HELLSTRÖM.......................................................38<br />
NORTHERN SWEDEN .............................................................40<br />
ÅSA LARSSON...............................................................................42<br />
LIZA MARKLUND........................................................................ 44<br />
KERSTIN EKMAN......................................................................... 46
CRIME SCENE<br />
SWEDEN<br />
Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö, Stieg Larsson<br />
Karin Alvtegen, Jens Lapidus, Leif G W Persson<br />
Arne Dahl, Lars Kepler, Roslund & Hellström 3
SOUTHERN SWEDEN<br />
A journey across <strong>Sweden</strong> could begin in the South<br />
– a region known for its pastoral countryside,<br />
beautiful beaches, cozy restaurants and endless<br />
forests.<br />
With its wide range of leisure activities, the southern<br />
part of <strong>Sweden</strong> has something to offer everyone.<br />
The granite cliffs along the western coast, softened<br />
during thousands of years by the North Sea, make<br />
an ideal setting for sailing and old-fashioned<br />
seaside holidays. Many visitors spend time in the<br />
picturesque fishing villages with their welcoming<br />
harbors and the archipelago in the east. There are<br />
thousands of kilometers of hiking and bicycle trails<br />
criss-crossing the south, and numerous historical<br />
and archeological sites to visit.<br />
Combine the stay with a city break in Gothenburg,<br />
known for its seafood and Scandinavia’s largest<br />
amusement park, or a stop-over in Malmö, where<br />
you will find the Turning Torso – the architectural<br />
masterpiece of Santiago Calatrava – and the 15.9<br />
kilometer long Öresund bridge that connects<br />
<strong>Sweden</strong> and Denmark. Or why not spend a few days<br />
in Österlen, in the extreme south, where there are<br />
ample opportunities to explore modern Swedish<br />
gastronomy at its best?<br />
The South has a history which is rich with myths<br />
and legends. Many of the old tales carry the moral<br />
sense of the need to watch out for ill intentions<br />
and guard your secrets well. In the wrong hands,<br />
some information can become lethal and the most<br />
innocent of secrets may be used against you. When<br />
stakes are high – sweet dreams can turn into virtual<br />
nightmares.<br />
What is your worst fear?<br />
Åsa Larsson<br />
Liza Marklund<br />
Kerstin Ekman<br />
Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö<br />
Stieg Larsson<br />
Karin Alvtegen<br />
Jens Lapidus<br />
Leif G W Persson<br />
Arne Dahl<br />
Lars Kepler<br />
Roslund & Hellström<br />
Kjell Eriksson<br />
Håkan Nesser<br />
Mons Kallentoft<br />
Camilla Läckberg<br />
Åke Edwardson<br />
Mari Jungstedt<br />
Johan Theorin<br />
Henning Mankell<br />
4
Photo: Alex Brandell, © Malmö turism, imagebank.sweden.se
HENNING MANKELL<br />
Photo by: ©Lina Ikse Bergman<br />
At the southern tip of <strong>Sweden</strong>, you will find the<br />
small town of Ystad, known for its picturesque<br />
streets with old timber framed houses and the<br />
beautiful white beaches surrounding it. This is<br />
where Inspector Kurt Wallander, the main character<br />
of Henning Mankell’s crime fiction novels, starts to<br />
realize that a wind of change is blowing Swedish<br />
society in an uncomfortable direction. Wallander, a<br />
divorced, somewhat depressed music-lover, is one<br />
of the most famous and captivating personalities<br />
in modern Swedish literature. Mankell, in turn, is<br />
one of the most famous and captivating Swedish<br />
authors, selling millions of copies of his books<br />
around the world. Although the final book featuring<br />
Wallander has already been written, the novels and<br />
films (not least in the British TV series featuring<br />
Kenneth Branagh in the leading role) ensure that his<br />
name will live on.<br />
www.henningmankell.com<br />
www.skane.se<br />
6
Photo: © Magnus Wahman, Matton Images
JOHAN THEORIN<br />
Photo by: ©Laurent Denimal<br />
Öland used to be one of the poorest places<br />
in <strong>Sweden</strong>. The farmers and fishermen of the<br />
island in the Baltic Sea had to struggle hard for<br />
their survival. In the dark winter nights, tales of<br />
supernatural phenomena took shape, spurred<br />
on by the cold and powerful sea and the solemn<br />
scenery of Stora Alvaret – a UNESCO World<br />
Heritage site. After the construction of the bridge<br />
connecting mainland <strong>Sweden</strong> and Öland in the<br />
1970s, the situation changed. What used to be<br />
the end of the world has become the heart of<br />
Swedish summer tourism. In Johan Theorin’s<br />
books, the past meets the present and the<br />
ghostlike heritage of Öland is elegantly paired<br />
with modern crime fiction stories of greed, guilt<br />
and revenge.<br />
www.johantheorin.com<br />
www.olandturist.se<br />
8
Photo: Anders Johansson, © Ölands Turist AB, imagebank.sweden.se
MARI JUNGSTEDT<br />
Photo by: © Anna-Lena Ahlström<br />
Gotland, the Pearl of the Baltic Sea, is a summer<br />
paradise. A paradise, which may appear quite the<br />
opposite in the tired autumnal dusk or in the cold<br />
of winter. Anders Knutas, police inspector in the<br />
city of Visby, knows just how scary the island, with<br />
its rich history, can be. In Jungstedt’s novels, the<br />
ancient vaults of the city turn into places where<br />
men in high positions molest young girls, corpses<br />
of murdered people are found in pretty historical<br />
surroundings and everyday pleasures, like going<br />
fishing with a good friend, turn out to be a lot<br />
more dangerous than one might expect… Since<br />
her debut in 2003, Mari Jungstedt has written one<br />
new novel a year, to the great satisfaction of her<br />
large and dedicated audience.<br />
www.jungstedtsgotland.se<br />
www.gotland.se<br />
10
Photo: © Peter Grant, imagebank.sweden.se
ÅKE EDWARDSON<br />
Photo by: © Anders Deros<br />
Gothenburg is <strong>Sweden</strong>’s second largest city with<br />
the country’s largest harbor. The city is also home<br />
to important industries, many of which have<br />
substantial operations in India, such as Volvo and<br />
SKF. The city, often referred to as “Little London”,<br />
is where Åke Edwardson’s Inspector Erik Winter<br />
resides. The Anglo-Swedish dimensions are picked<br />
up in Edwardson’s first novel, when Winter goes<br />
to London to investigate the murder of a young<br />
man. In the succeeding novels, we continue to<br />
follow the private and professional life of Winter,<br />
going through ordinary family issues while solving<br />
spectacular crimes. Edwardson’s novels have been<br />
translated in some 20 languages, several have<br />
been made into films and the author has become<br />
one of the most read in <strong>Sweden</strong>.<br />
www.akeedwardson.se<br />
www.goteborg.com<br />
12
Photo: Kjell Holmner, © Kjell Holmner/Gothenburg & co, imagebank.sweden.se
CAMILLA LÄCKBERG<br />
Photo by: © Thron Ullberg<br />
The idyllic fishing village of Fjällbacka, surrounded by<br />
a breathtaking archipelago, is situated not far from<br />
the Norwegian border on the Swedish west coast. It<br />
is a place that attracts large numbers of tourists in<br />
the summer, when the weather is pleasant and the<br />
sea inviting. In Läckberg’s novels, however, Fjällbacka<br />
is also the scene of gruesome and violent crimes.<br />
The lead characters are Inspector Patrik Hedström<br />
and his wife, Erika Falck. A theme that keeps coming<br />
back in Läckberg’s novels, in between the crime<br />
horrors, is the difficulty and joy of the modern<br />
double-career family in <strong>Sweden</strong>. The novels of<br />
Camilla Läckberg are, according to the author herself,<br />
the result of boredom with her career as a marketing<br />
professional, an inspiring writer’s course and hard,<br />
dedicated work. Läckberg has nurtured a public<br />
image of herself as a successful business woman with<br />
crime fiction as her product.<br />
www.camillalackberg.com<br />
www.vastsverige.com<br />
14
Photo: Johnny Franzén, © Johnny Franzén/Johnér, imagebank.sweden.se
CENTRAL SWEDEN<br />
Central <strong>Sweden</strong>, the heart of the country and the<br />
cradle of Swedish industry, is home to thriving<br />
enterprises and a booming steel industry.<br />
Referring to Central <strong>Sweden</strong> as the heartland of<br />
<strong>Sweden</strong> implies its importance in terms of politics,<br />
commerce and culture. The significance of the<br />
region can be traced far back in history. Extractions<br />
from the Great Copper Mine in the northern<br />
part of the region started already in the 7 th or 8 th<br />
century. Later on, the findings there helped pave<br />
the way for <strong>Sweden</strong> to become a major power<br />
in Europe. Today the mine is listed as a UNESCO<br />
World Heritage Site. The region also carries a rich<br />
cultural heritage, and many of the beautiful palaces<br />
and castles are open to visitors. In Central <strong>Sweden</strong>,<br />
you will also find Dalarna, the province from which<br />
many traditional Swedish artifacts originate.<br />
Being in the centre of power may seem thrilling,<br />
but in the world of politics, there are plenty of<br />
written and unwritten rules. The sooner you pick<br />
them up, the better off you will be. Politics can<br />
be a dirty game and some people are willing to<br />
risk everything to attain power. With eyes locked<br />
on the goal, it is easy to lose track of what means<br />
can really be justified. One day when looking in the<br />
mirror, you may find that the person staring back is<br />
a complete stranger.<br />
Can you stand your own reflection?<br />
Åsa Larsson<br />
Liza Marklund<br />
Kerstin Ekman<br />
Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö<br />
Stieg Larsson<br />
Karin Alvtegen<br />
Jens Lapidus<br />
Leif G W Persson<br />
Arne Dahl<br />
Lars Kepler<br />
Roslund & Hellström<br />
Kjell Eriksson<br />
Håkan Nesser<br />
Mons Kallentoft<br />
Camilla Läckberg<br />
Åke Edwardson<br />
Mari Jungstedt<br />
Johan Theorin<br />
Henning Mankell<br />
16
Photo: © Louise Billgert, imagebank.sweden.se
MONS KALLENTOFT<br />
Photo by: © Mia Carlsson<br />
Linköping is one of <strong>Sweden</strong>’s largest cities, located a<br />
couple of hours drive south from Stockholm. This is<br />
the scene of crime in Mons Kallentoft’s novels, with<br />
Superintendent Malin Fors as the lead character. In one of<br />
the novels, an overweight, naked man one freezing night<br />
is found hanging from one of the branches of an oak tree.<br />
The investigation reveals that Bengt Andersson’s ending<br />
is nothing but the logical end to a tragic life. The case<br />
gets a breakthrough as Fors starts exploring the ancient<br />
Aesir faith, but the truth turns out to be hard to handle<br />
as upsetting aspects of today’s society are unveiled. Mons<br />
Kallentoft grew up in a working class home in which<br />
there were few books and little habit of reading. Yet, he<br />
has managed to become one of <strong>Sweden</strong>’s best-selling<br />
authors. Kallentoft is also one of many Swedish authors<br />
who use social media in their communication with readers.<br />
His “blog noir” is continuously updated with personal<br />
reflections and thoughts on society.<br />
www.monskallentoft.se<br />
www.visitsweden.se<br />
18
Photo: Fredrik Schlyter, © Fredrik Schlyter/Johnér, imagebank.sweden.se
HÅKAN NESSER<br />
Photo by: © Lena Koller<br />
The geographical locations where Håkan Nesser’s novels are<br />
set are often fictional. Yet, the similarities to places where<br />
the author has lived are difficult to miss. In recent years, this<br />
implies stories set in New York and London. In the earlier<br />
novels, however, Håkan Nesser’s home town, Kumla, and<br />
its surroundings are featured. Kumla is home to <strong>Sweden</strong>’s<br />
largest prison. Despite this, it is a calm and sleepy place and<br />
the inhabitants are shaken to the bones when, in one of<br />
Nesser’s novels, a former elite sportsman is found murdered.<br />
This is one of many cases of Inspector Van Veeteren – a true<br />
European, who through his work comes across the gruesome<br />
consequences of what loneliness and hatred can nurture.<br />
Nesser’s production also includes a series on Inspector<br />
Gunnar Barbarotti and a number of stand-alones. The novels<br />
have been translated in 25 languages and sold some 10<br />
million copies around the world. Håkan Nesser’s writing is<br />
praised for its literary qualities and appreciated also among<br />
people who generally shun crime fiction.<br />
www.nesser.se<br />
www.visitsweden.com<br />
20
Photo: © Björn Kärf, Matton Images
KJELL ERIKSSON<br />
Photo by: © Lotta Thörnrot<br />
Uppsala, located just north of Stockholm and west<br />
of the Roslagen archipelago, is dominated by one of<br />
<strong>Sweden</strong>’s largest and most prestigious universities<br />
and by successful high-tech companies, mainly in<br />
biotech. All of Kjell Eriksson’s ten crime novels featuring<br />
Inspector Ann Lindell are set here. This is where Tore,<br />
in one of the novels, struggles to make a new life for<br />
himself, far away from the drugs that used to dominate<br />
his existence. This is also where, in another of the<br />
novels, a young woman and her daughter are hit by a<br />
car when visiting a cemetery. Was it an accident or a<br />
crime? The author, who also works as a gardener, offers<br />
vivid and colorful descriptions of the central part<br />
of <strong>Sweden</strong> and of modern Swedish society. Eriksson<br />
was awarded the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’<br />
Award for best debut novel and also the award for the<br />
best Swedish crime fiction novel. He has vowed to<br />
continue his exploration of Uppsala, even as the series<br />
on Ann Lindell has now been completed.<br />
http://www.ordfront.se/Bocker/Varaforfattare/KjellEriksson.aspx<br />
22
Photo: © Anders Tukler, Matton Images
STOCKHOLM<br />
The capital of <strong>Sweden</strong>, Stockholm, deserves a<br />
stop of its own. Stockholm has every element<br />
of a metropolis; vibrant culture, great shopping,<br />
exquisite cuisine, exclusive accommodation and an<br />
internationally renowned nightlife. But what sets<br />
Stockholm apart from other major international<br />
cities is its closeness to nature and the clean waters<br />
surrounding the 14 islands on which it is built. The<br />
700 year old capital seduces its visitors and lures<br />
them back – time and again.<br />
<strong>Sweden</strong>’s largest city is best discovered on foot as<br />
most interesting sites are within walking distance.<br />
Nonetheless, the public transport system is<br />
extensive and well-coordinated, making walking<br />
optional. And those who prefer to just sit back and<br />
relax, while taking in the beautiful views, can do so<br />
in one of the many coffee shops or on a boat trip<br />
in the archipelago.<br />
As any capital, Stockholm attracts people from<br />
every corner of the country with promises of<br />
fame and fortune. It is the playground for the rich<br />
and famous. The way to the top, however, can be<br />
bumpy and if you get there, you stand the risk of<br />
others wanting to take you down. In the spotlight,<br />
there is no room for errors. When pressure mounts,<br />
a seemingly flawless facade may very well crack,<br />
revealing things that were never meant for public<br />
display. The taste of La Dolce Vita is sweet, the<br />
loss of it bitter.<br />
If everything comes at a price, how far are you<br />
willing to go to succeed?<br />
Åsa Larsson<br />
Liza Marklund<br />
Kerstin Ekman<br />
Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö<br />
Stieg Larsson<br />
Karin Alvtegen<br />
Jens Lapidus<br />
Leif G W Persson<br />
Arne Dahl<br />
Lars Kepler<br />
Roslund & Hellström<br />
Kjell Eriksson<br />
Håkan Nesser<br />
Mons Kallentoft<br />
Camilla Läckberg<br />
Åke Edwardson<br />
Mari Jungstedt<br />
Johan Theorin<br />
Henning Mankell<br />
24
Photo: Jeppe Wikström, © Jeppe Wikström/Johnér, imagebank.sweden.se
MAJ SJÖWALL & PER WAHLÖÖ<br />
Private Picture<br />
The pioneers of modern crime fiction are Maj<br />
Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, who between 1965 and<br />
1975 wrote ten novels with detective Martin Beck<br />
as the main protagonist. Their novels were the<br />
first to analyze the challenges of a developing<br />
society from the perspectives of those left behind<br />
during modernization. Today, the couple is a given<br />
reference in the crime fiction genre in <strong>Sweden</strong><br />
as well as internationally. Through their writing,<br />
Sjöwall and Wahlöö shed a light on Stockholm<br />
that the beautiful city was not used to. One that<br />
is quite different from the positive one likely to<br />
be experienced by visitors. The novels of Sjöwall<br />
and Wahlöö paved the way for the rich flora of<br />
Swedish crime fiction that has been written since<br />
and has resulted in a large number of films and TV<br />
series.<br />
www.salomonssonagency.com<br />
www.stockholmtown.com<br />
26
Photo: © Björn Andrén, Matton Images
STIEG LARSSON<br />
Photo by: © David Lagerlöf<br />
For those new to the Swedish crime fiction phenomenon, the<br />
Millennium Trilogy is perhaps the best illustration. Stieg Larsson’s<br />
series created an instant hype worldwide and have topped bestseller<br />
lists all over. In the Millennium Trilogy, maladjusted computer wiz<br />
Lisbeth Salander and truth-seeking journalist Mikael Blomkvist<br />
encounter the worst of a society where greed and disrespect for<br />
human lives is mixed with cynicism. Stieg Larsson, who passed away<br />
in 2004, shared many personal traits with Blomkvist, including that<br />
of the probing and political journalist. The Millennium Trilogy was<br />
yet another way for Larsson to describe the risks of corruption and<br />
societal collapse, when there is an abuse of power and a lack of<br />
transparency. After the Swedish film versions, Hollywood is doing<br />
remakes of the stories, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara in the<br />
lead roles. Ironically, the horrors experienced by Lisbeth Salander<br />
and the cold environments described in the novels have created<br />
a new wave of Stockholm tourism. The Millennium Tour, arranged<br />
by the City Museum of Stockholm, points out important sites and<br />
settings of the novels.<br />
www.stieglarsson.se<br />
www.stadsmuseum.stockholm.se<br />
28
Photo: © Frédérik Reglain, imagebank.sweden.se
KARIN ALVTEGEN<br />
An animal in perceived danger can get dangerous.<br />
The same holds true for human beings. What<br />
Alvtegen calls “the typically Swedish strive for<br />
perfection” is sometimes not enough to solve<br />
conflicts that may arise between socially welladjusted<br />
individuals. Alvtegen’s thrillers describe how<br />
fear, influxed by external and internal processes, can<br />
trigger strange and sometimes dangerous behaviors.<br />
Alvtegen has received a number of literary awards,<br />
including The Glass Key for best Nordic crime novel<br />
and the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award<br />
for best crime novel of the year. She has also been<br />
nominated for two of the most prestigious crime<br />
novel awards in the world: The CWA International<br />
Dagger and The Edgar Allan Poe Award.<br />
www.karinalvtegen.com<br />
www.stockholmtown.com<br />
LEIF GW PERSSON<br />
There is a distinct Stockholmian accent, and<br />
few people have made use of this more than<br />
professor of criminology Leif GW Persson. It is little<br />
wonder therefore that most of Persson’s novels<br />
are set in Stockholm. Considering that Persson’s<br />
research extensively explores the measures and<br />
methodologies of Swedish police, it is also no<br />
surprise that those novels are mainly crime fiction.<br />
Leif GW Persson is one of <strong>Sweden</strong>’s most established<br />
crime writers. There are two main characters in his<br />
novels: the hero, Inspector Lars M Johansson, and the<br />
anti-hero, Inspector Evert Bäckström. Many of the<br />
cases touch upon the 1986 murder of Swedish Prime<br />
Minister Olof Palme in one way or another. Persson<br />
exposes the incompetence and level of corruption<br />
among some policemen, politicians and civil servants<br />
and launches theories of what actually took place<br />
when the Prime Minister was murdered. The series<br />
has now presumably come to an end and Leif GW<br />
Persson’s many readers wait with anticipation on<br />
what next will come from his pen.<br />
www.salomonssonagency.com<br />
www.stockholmtown.com<br />
30
Photo: © Jens Randecker, imagebank.sweden.se
JENS LAPIDUS<br />
Photo by: © Sara McKay<br />
Jens Lapidus novels are set in the fast-paced, young and<br />
glossy Stockholm. The setting would be superficial in its<br />
vain self-consciousness, had it not been for its ties to<br />
international drug and crime syndicates. In the Stockholm<br />
that Jens Lapidus describes, the reader meets a cruel,<br />
cynical and violent world where money and the striving<br />
to climb the social ladder into the fast lane are central<br />
elements. The lead characters operate in the legal greyzone<br />
or beyond. Many, but not all, experience judicial as<br />
well as – worse – social blows. The settings are vividly<br />
described by the author, who works as a criminal defense<br />
lawyer in one of Stockholm’s most prestigious firms.<br />
To date, two of Lapidus’ Stockholm Noir Trilogy titles<br />
have been released – Fast Cash and Never Fuck Up. The<br />
novels have been sold to 27 countries. Fast cash has been<br />
cinematized, with the remake rights sold to Warner Bros,<br />
where Zac Efron has signed for the lead role.<br />
www.salomonssonagency.com<br />
www.stockholmtown.com<br />
32
Photo: © Kristoffer Kling, Matton Images
ARNE DAHL<br />
Photo by: © Sara Arnald<br />
One of <strong>Sweden</strong>’s more prolific crime writers is Arne Dahl,<br />
which is a pseudonym for the literature critic Jan Arland. Arne<br />
Dahl has written a series of eleven novels about the A-group, a<br />
special unit for international crimes in the Swedish police force.<br />
The series has been translated in 20 languages and, like other<br />
Swedish crime fiction, it is selling well internationally as well as in<br />
<strong>Sweden</strong>. Jan Arnald has in recent years started publishing books<br />
under his real name. His analyses of Swedish society are made<br />
from a leftist angle and often strongly critical of a development<br />
wherein private interests are given prominence at the expense<br />
of traditional values such as solidarity. Arnald voices the opinion<br />
that the crime fiction genre gives opportunities to explore<br />
difficult existentialist queries and approach groups of people who<br />
would otherwise be excluded from those discussions – and that it<br />
should be taken seriously. The first five Arne Dahl novels are being<br />
cinematized during the years 2010-2011. The project engages the<br />
same director and script writers as the productions of Sjöwall and<br />
Wahlöö’s Inspector Beck series.<br />
www.salomonssonagency.com<br />
www.stockholmtown.com<br />
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Photo: © Jens Randecker, imagebank.sweden.se
LARS KEPLER<br />
Photo: © Anna-Lena Ahlström<br />
Under the pseudonym Lars Kepler, the couple<br />
Alexander and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril have<br />
written cruel thrillers, in which the violence is grim<br />
and the undertone nightmarish. In The Hypnotist,<br />
which was released in 2009, Stockholm is described<br />
as cold in every sense. It’s winter and freezing and<br />
simultaneously, there is a lack of empathy between<br />
people that gives the reader the shivers. The novel<br />
was sold to 23 countries already before it was<br />
released in <strong>Sweden</strong> and it has consistently been<br />
on the bestseller lists since its release. The second<br />
novel, The Paganini Contract, is equally violent and<br />
psychologically uncomfortable, and this novel was<br />
even better received by critics. The way the reader<br />
increasingly gets to know the novels’ protagonist,<br />
Inspector Joona Linna, points to that Coelho<br />
Ahndorils/Lars Kepler do not intend to stop at two<br />
successful releases!<br />
www.bonniergroupagency.com<br />
www.stockholmtown.com<br />
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Photo: © Noemi Pal, imagebank.sweden.se
ROSLUND & HELLSTRÖM<br />
Photo: © Peter Knutson<br />
In the novels by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström,<br />
readers are taken on a journey where fiction meets<br />
reality, with tales of loss, addiction and revenge. In their<br />
writing, the duo demonstrates a strong social awareness<br />
and the novels carry political undertones. The main<br />
character, Inspector Ewert Grens, has become a wellknown<br />
hero of modern Swedish literature. Roslund<br />
and Hellström’s novels have been translated in over 20<br />
languages and are sold to some 50 countries with film<br />
rights sold to Hollywood. The combined experiences of<br />
Roslund and Hellström stand out: Börge Hellström has a<br />
past as a drug-addict with multiple sentences for crimes<br />
of violence. After having cleaned up, Hellström worked<br />
with rehabilitation of young offenders and drug addicts<br />
and co-founded the crime prevention organization,<br />
Criminals Return Into Society (KRIS). The duo met when<br />
the journalist Anders Roslund was making a documentary<br />
on the same.<br />
www.roslund-hellstrom.com<br />
www.stockholm.com<br />
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Photo: © Björn Nordien, Matton Images
NORTHERN SWEDEN<br />
A visitor to the North of <strong>Sweden</strong> is often struck by<br />
the magnificent landscape of towering peaks and<br />
endless vistas of pine forest, polar plains, meadows<br />
and glaciers.<br />
The North has a lot to offer in terms of rich natural<br />
resources and a unique cultural heritage. Here is<br />
where one finds the legendary national parks<br />
Abisko and Sarek in Swedish Lapland – Europe’s last<br />
remaining wilderness. Many wild animals are found<br />
in Northern <strong>Sweden</strong>, such as bear, elk, golden eagle<br />
and the rare Arctic Fox, as well as reindeer herded<br />
by Sámi, <strong>Sweden</strong>’s one indigenous population.<br />
This is also the land of the Midnight Sun and the<br />
staggeringly beautiful Northern Lights.<br />
During winter-time, ski resorts close to the<br />
Arctic Circle are packed with enthusiastic visitors<br />
indulging in various winter activities. A must-see<br />
is the famous Ice Hotel, located in Jokkmokk. It<br />
has all the features of a luxury boutique hotel, the<br />
twist is it that everything, including the glasses in<br />
the bar and the beds(!), is made of ice.<br />
With all its richness, the North is a paradise for<br />
lovers of the outdoor life. However, the long,<br />
cold winters and the lack of daylight can have a<br />
dangerous effect on a fragile psyche. A fear of the<br />
dark, in a place where light is scarce, can easily<br />
become a breeding ground for dangerous minds<br />
feeding on the fear of others.<br />
Are you afraid of the dark?<br />
Åsa Larsson<br />
Liza Marklund<br />
Kerstin Ekman<br />
Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö<br />
Stieg Larsson<br />
Karin Alvtegen<br />
Jens Lapidus<br />
Leif G W Persson<br />
Arne Dahl<br />
Lars Kepler<br />
Roslund & Hellström<br />
Kjell Eriksson<br />
Håkan Nesser<br />
Mons Kallentoft<br />
Camilla Läckberg<br />
Åke Edwardson<br />
Mari Jungstedt<br />
Johan Theorin<br />
Henning Mankell<br />
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Photo: © Ove Källström , imagebank.sweden.se
ÅSA LARSSON<br />
Photo: © Laurent Denimal<br />
Intriguing psychological crime thrillers is<br />
something of a trademark for Åsa Larsson’s literary<br />
work. The plot often plays out in the hometown<br />
of the author – Kiruna. The city, located in the<br />
far north, is known for many things, such as its<br />
long, freezing cold and dark winters, the Kiruna<br />
mine, which is the largest underground iron<br />
ore in the world, and last but not least – its<br />
disproportionally large number of suicides.<br />
Larsson made her mark in the world of crime<br />
fiction with her debut novel Sun Storm – the<br />
first in a series of books about the young female<br />
lawyer Rebecka Martinsson. The story begins<br />
when unexpected events force Rebecka to return<br />
to her home region, just to find herself haunted<br />
by both the past and the present. And when the<br />
wrong person is out to get you, some secrets are<br />
better kept hidden.<br />
www.albertbonniersforlag.se<br />
www.kiruna.se<br />
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Photo: © Peter Gant, imagebank.sweden.se
LIZA MARKLUND<br />
Photo: © Annika Marklund<br />
“A male-dominated society, in which women are often<br />
portrayed as flat bystanders to powerful men, calls for<br />
more heroines!” That was the leading thought behind the<br />
creation of Liza Marklund’s well-known crime fiction series<br />
about the investigative reporter Annika Bengtzon. In her<br />
thrilling novels, Marklund simultaneously deals with the<br />
issues of combining parenthood and a successful career.<br />
Bengtzon constantly seems to carry a feeling of guilt and<br />
inadequacy, especially since her choice of career and quest<br />
for the truth often lead her into situations where she puts<br />
herself as well as her family at risk. Marklund originates<br />
from the small village Pålmark in the north of <strong>Sweden</strong>. She<br />
moved to Stockholm to pursue a career in journalism and<br />
is one of the first successful Swedish female crime fiction<br />
writers. She has received international recognition through<br />
her bestsellers. The novel she wrote together with James<br />
Petterson in 2010, The Postcard Killers, topped the New<br />
York Times bestseller list.<br />
www.piratforlaget.se/forfattare/liza-marklund<br />
www.pitea.se<br />
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Photo: © Thomas Utsi, imagebank.sweden.se
KERSTIN EKMAN<br />
Photo: © Pieter ten Hoopen<br />
The novels of Kerstin Ekman are neither purely fiction<br />
nor reality, but something in between. In the 1970s<br />
and early 1980s, her stories were largely influenced<br />
by people and places in her hometown, Katrineholm,<br />
and her tetralogy, The Women and the Town, was<br />
criticized for coming too close to reality. In the late<br />
1980s Ekman decided to settle down in the North. The<br />
Northern landscapes, people and the society soon<br />
became central in her work. Several of Ekman’s books<br />
are referred to as crime fiction novels, but it is the<br />
individual and her inner struggle that stand in focus.<br />
Among her works can be mentioned Blackwater and<br />
the trilogy The Wolfskin. Ekman was elected member<br />
of the Swedish Academy in 1978, but left the Academy<br />
in 1989 due to the debate following death threats<br />
posed to Salman Rushdie. According to the rules<br />
of the Academy, however, she will remain a passive<br />
member for the rest of her life.<br />
www.albertbonniersforlag.se<br />
www.luleå.se<br />
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Photo: © Staffan Widstand, imagebank.sweden.se
THE END, BUT...<br />
With that, our journey through <strong>Sweden</strong> ends<br />
– for this time. However, Swedish crime fiction<br />
keeps prospering, with new writers emerging<br />
and established ones continuing to publish.<br />
Thus, you will find many reasons to revisit the<br />
darker sides of <strong>Sweden</strong> in the future.
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