Anna Jansson

Anna Jansson made her debut in 2000 with the crime novel *Stum sitter guden* (The Silent God), featuring Detective Inspector Maria Wern. The books are primarily set on Gotland, where Jansson grew up. While fundamentally police procedurals, they also incorporate action sequences and intense psychological suspense. In several of the books, Jansson—a nurse with 25 years of professional experience—skillfully integrates her medical expertise into the plot, while simultaneously portraying Wern’s personal struggles and the challenges she faces as a woman in her profession. The books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have sold nearly 6 million copies in Sweden.

The acclaimed *Främmande fågel* (2006) was adapted into a TV series in 2008 starring Eva Röse; the series has aired in nearly 40 countries worldwide. Anna Jansson has also written a series of mystery novels for children and young adults—illustrated by Mimmi Tollerup-Grkovic—featuring Maria Wern’s son, Emil Wern, as a young detective.

In 2014, the first book in a feel-good series about Angelika Lagermark—a hairdresser at Salong d'amour in Visby—was published. The *Bergslagens blå* series, centering on Örebro police officer Kristoffer Bark, launched in 2019 with the book *Dotter saknad* (Missing Daughter); it follows a group of reassigned police officers working on unsolved cases.

In 2021, Anna Jansson received the Crime Time Award’s honorary prize for her body of work, comprising some 70 books and over 5 million copies sold in Sweden alone. The jury’s citation read: "Acclaimed, beloved, and—above all—read!"

Image: Anna-Lena Ahlström