The ‘Queen of Crime Fiction’ Viveca Sten
Written By Elena Dakka
“I wonder what other lawyers think about
when they’re on vacation. Do they have
homicidal thoughts as I do?”
Viveca Sten on how the inspiration for the Sandhamn Murder series came.
Viveca Sten is one of the most prominent authors of the Nordic Noir genre and is considered as being the ‘Queen’ of the crime fiction novel. She created the Sandhamn Murder series, which is a series of novel set in Sandamn in Sweden, where the two main characters Tomas and Nora are solving crimes. The Sandhamn Murder series sold more than three million copies worldwide, were at the top of some best seller charts and the series were adapted into a TV show, which scored more than one million views.
Sten was a successful lawyer, and had published a few non-fiction books, before deciding to dedicate her time and energy to writing fiction and more specifically crime fiction. Her inspiration for the Sandhamn Murder series came from the fact that she has a particular love for Sandhamn, an island from the Swedish archipelago where she spends all of her holidays, and she desired to incorporate fascinating mysteries and crimes to this place she loves. The first book of the series, I de Lugnaste Vatten, or Still Waters in English, was published in 2008 and she has published 7 other novels from the series since then.
Viveca Sten will be participating to several events throughout the Blue Metropolis Festival.