Stockholm Noir

“[A] superb sampling of Swedish crime writing talent . . . will be appreciated by fans of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium [series] and Jens Lapidus’s Easy Money.” —Library Journal What could be more peaceful than a city made up of a series of islands surrounded by crystal-clear water? But like any big, international metropolis, Stockholm has a dark side—fed by the disparity between its affluent boroughs and its more gritty suburbs. But even in the heart of its medieval streets, existential dread makes its presence known and gives Stockholm its own brand of Scandinavian noir. In Stockholm Noir, you’ll find stories by Unni Drougge, Inger Edelfeldt, Carl-Michael Edenborg, Åke Edwardson, Torbjörn Elensky, Inger Frimansson, Carl Johan De Geer, Martin Holmén, Nathan Larson, Malte Persson, Anna-Karin Selberg, Johan Theorin, and Lina Wolff. “Capture[s] the gloomy underside of Sweden’s capital, portraying the hopelessness of those trapped in what Larson and Edenborg in their introduction call the city that ‘devours your soul.’” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “Another worthy entry in this globe-trotting mystery series.” —Booklist “Stockholm may not be Marseille, but Larson and Edenborg’s contributors show that even a verdant place with socialized medicine can have its seamy side.” —Kirkus Reviews

"Stockholm Noir "joins "Copenhagen Noir "and "Helsinki Noir "in powerfully representing the Akashic Noir Series in Scandinavia.

Drug dealer Jorge is just out of prison but already bored with his new existence selling lattes and cappuccinos at a cafe. Who wouldn't be? But big money looms, if he can pull off an audacious last heist. What he doesn't know is that the police are already closing in: an undercover investigator has wormed his way deep into Stockholm's criminal circles, close to Jorge. And also close to JW, the part-time student, part-time cab driver who turned to crime - and got in over his head - in order to keep himself in with a rich party crowd. At the same time, someone is trying to take down the Godfather himself, Radovan Kranjic. What would Stockholm be like with Radovan gone? Who would be Stockholm's new king - or queen - of crime? As the novel unfurls answers will be found amid the voracious hunt for money, power, and a carefree life. The goal is easy - and the life deluxe

Marxist theories have had a profound influence on crime fiction, beginning with the works of the American writers of the 1930s. This study explores the development of a Swedish Marxist noir subgenre after the 1990s through a Marxist reading of central works, from the Marlowe novels of Raymond Chandler to the 1960s social crime fiction of Sjöwall-Wahlöö to modern bestselling authors such as Henning Mankell, Stieg Larsson, Roslund & Hellström, Jens Lapidus, Arne Dahl and others. The works of these writers show a common thread of Marxist worldview in their portrayal of a modern world gone wrong.

Niklas, a weapons expert, has returned home after years as a mercenary. His world has no laws. His life has made him a violence fanatic and an adrenaline junkie. He is haunted by traumatic childhood memories. One night his mother calls, hysterical. Someone has been murdered in her apartment building. Thomas is a demoralized cop. He's working the night shift when the call about the murder comes in. The victim has been badly beaten, and his arms have been pockmarked by syringes. But someone wants the case silenced - why? Mahmud is just out of jail, and keen to live the high life. He has debts to someone he used to deal for. In a game of russian roulette, his life is spared - but at what cost? He has to look for a man whom he later wishes he'd never found. And his search takes him to a side of Stockholm he wishes he'd never seen. No matter how hard they try, the power is not theirs. It belongs to Radovan who rules over the dark parts of the city where everything is for sale. But the price is much too high.

Dirty money, no matter where it comes from, will be clean cash after it has been laundered by the right person. JW hasn't wasted his time in prison and he's planning a grand comeback. Jorge is tired of his new, square existence selling lattes and cappuccinos. Life deluxe looms on the horizon as he plans his last heist. This time it will be very big money. But the police are closing in and an undercover officer has got deep into Stockholm's criminal inner circle. Close to Jorge, close to JW. At the same time, someone is out to get the Godfather himself - Radovan Kranjic. People are starting to think about what life will be like once he's gone. Who will be Stockholm's new king - or queen? The methods vary but the hunt for money, power and a carefree life somewhere warm and sunny goes on. The goal is easy money - and life deluxe.

Ranging from Japanese silent films and women's films to French, Hong Kong, and Nordic New Waves, this book explores the influence of noir on international cinematic traditions and challenges prevailing film scholarship. It includes extensive bibliography and filmographies for recommended reading and viewing.

What is often termed 'Nordic Noir' has dominated detective fiction, film and television internationally for over two decades. But what are the parameters of this genre, both historically and geographically? What is noirish and what is northern about Nordic noir? The foreword and coda in this volume, by two internationally-bestselling writers of crime fiction in the north, Yrsa Sigurðardóttir and Gunnar Staalesen, speak to the social contract undertaken by writers of noir, while the interview with the renowned crime writer Val McDermid adds nuance to our understanding of what it is to write noir in the North. Divided into four sections – Gender and Sexuality, Space and Place, Politics and Crime, and Genre and Genealogy – Noir in the North challenges the traditional critical histories of noir by investigating how it functions transnationally beyond the geographical borders of Scandinavia. The essays in this book deepen our critical understanding of noir more generally by demonstrating, for example, Nordic noir's connection to fin-de-siècle literatures and to mid-century interior design, and by investigating the function of the state in crime fiction.