The recent year’s boom in crime fiction-export has opened many’s eyes for Swedish writers. 

Swedish author and criminologist Leif GW Persson has found great success with his crime novels all over the globe. In his home country Leif GW Persson is also a well-known expert on crime, so well-known that he is often referred to as just GW. 

In recent years his popularity has led to him being consulted as an expert on everything from relationships to wine. 

GW offers an explanation to why crime-novels have become so popular: 

– It is an approachable way to read about harrowing things, he says. 

Why is this type of story-telling special?

– Crime novels are constructed as riddles where the hero, the cop, has to uncover the truth, and that you do step by step.

Where does this fascination with crime and violence come from?

– It is a stirring way to read about colloquial things, and people are curious, they want to know who did it.

What will you be reading this summer? 

– Not a crime novel, I don’t read crime novels.