Most
people have heard of the
type of crime fiction
known
as Scandinavian crime fiction or Nordic noir, and of which Åsa
Larsson's writing (see last post) is an example.
(Nordic
noir: a
type of Scandinavian crime fiction and television drama that
typically features dark story-lines
and bleak urban settings).
In other words, it combines
realism with a
dark, often quite complex, mood. The success of the genre has been
attributed to a direct, precise, uncluttered writing style.
It
is usually well-written The
law-enforcers are generally ordinary human beings with their own
problems
and cares;
none
of them are in any way heroic - at least not on the surface. Some
critics feel that the social equality and liberalism of Scandinavia
hides dark secrets and even hatreds which, in turn, are often the
motivating forces behind this particular genre.
Some
of the authors, besides Åsa Larsson, are Stieg Larsson, Karin
Fossum, Kerstin Ekman, Åke Edwardsson, Håkan Nesser, Peter Høeg,
Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbø. There are many more...
