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Malin Podlevskikh Carlström, Department of Languages and Literatures, University of Gothenburg and School of Languages and Translation Studies, University of Turku 

“Swedish Crime Fiction in Russia 1992−2021. Publication, Marketing and Paratextual Framing” 

This article investigates the publication and paratextual framing of Swedish crime fiction in Russia in the period 1992–2021. Based on an analysis of publication data and the written peritexts of 230 editions, conclusions are drawn regarding: 1) publication patterns and trends; 2) representations of Swedish crime fiction; 3) representations of Swedish crime fiction authors; 4) representations of Sweden; 5) the marketing of Swedish crime fiction. The article also includes comparisons to the previously analyzed Soviet context. 

The publication of Swedish crime fiction in Russia has increased considerably during the period investigated. The boom in Swedish crime fiction reached the Russian market around 2010, which coincides with the publication of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy. In terms of editions, crime fiction is the most important genre of Swedish literature in Russia today. Sjöwall & Wahlöö, Mankell and Larsson are seen in Russia as important stages in the development of Swedish crime fiction. These three authors, who all write socially motivated crime fiction, are included in the top five for both the entire period analyzed, 1992–2021, and for the latest 15-year period, 2007–2021. While Sjöwall & Wahlöö were seen as the top writers of Swedish crime fiction during the Soviet period, this status has today been passed on to Stieg Larsson. Thus, social issues are still the cornerstone of Swedish crime fiction from a Russian perspective. The following aspects seem to be important for the marketing of Swedish crime fiction in Russia: 1) the novel itself (e.g. genre and plot); 2) aspects that signal the author’s consecration (e.g. awards and translations into other languages); 3) indications of the author being a bestseller, the best or number 1; 4) comparisons to other authors. 

While the Soviet publication of Swedish crime fiction was ideologically motivated, the Russian publication of Swedish works between 1991 and 2021 is varied and seems to be market oriented.