“Everything was top secret, top secret. They called me into a dark room and explained the assignment,” she recalls. Swedish writer David Lagercrantz was chosen to continue the Millennium series after Stieg Larsson’s passing. The publisher Norstedts offered him the project, and he accepted without hesitation, driven by a fierce passion for the task. He believes that passion is what convinced them to entrust him with this responsibility.
As the son of Olof Lagercrantz, a respected publisher, literary critic, and professor, David built a multifaceted career as a crime journalist, novelist, and biographer. His works include biographies of adventurer Göran Kropp and football star Zlatan Ibrahimović. He is described as possessing a charisma reminiscent of Lisbeth Salander, a character central to the Swedish crime canon.
“The key is to truly understand the characters,” he explains. “One must read, reflect, and bring something personal to the table because static, unchanging figures aren’t compelling. The challenge lies in pushing boundaries while keeping fidelity to the characters. In the Millennium saga, there was a moment when Lisbeth cried, but that felt out of character for her. I stopped, realizing the moment wasn’t right. I hope the next author explores further than I did, because the pressure kept me from going as far as I wanted.”
Three years after the release of Girl Who Lived Twice, the sixth installment in the original series, Lagercrantz arrived in Spain to present Obscuritas (Fate), the first chapter of the Rekke and Vargas adventures. The project draws on researchers in the Holmes-and-Watson tradition, featuring a sophisticated psychology professor and a young policewoman, all surrounded by strict security measures to protect the story’s integrity.
“After the millennium trilogy, a sense of freedom returned and the question lingered: what happens when there are no limits? I chose to pursue what I truly wanted to write. Even though the pressure remained considerable, it felt much more manageable than before. There were moments of real hysteria—times when even typing on a computer with internet access was a challenge,” Lagercrantz recalls. Despite the extensive security, he could share progress and voice doubts with the team. And yes, sometimes it feels a bit like living as a spy, which, from a crime writer’s viewpoint, has its perks.
Cupcakes and ethical dilemmas
Set against the backdrop of Stockholm, Obscuritas follows a murder investigation led by a police force whose methods aren’t always rigorous. The city’s immigrant communities, coupled with prevalent macho attitudes, prejudice, and arrogance, frame a narrative that demonstrates the detective novel’s enduring power to critique society. This story asks hard questions without flinching, using crime fiction to reflect social realities rather than escape from them.
“Detective novels aren’t just about entertainment; they raise serious ethical, social, and political issues and keep the reader turning the pages until the last moment,” Lagercrantz notes. He emphasizes how literature can offer insights and perhaps even influence how people see the world. The protagonist is a Chilean immigrant who arrives in Sweden with a family history that shapes the investigation and lends the plot a tense, human center.
“Society has changed, and women now often lead the charge. A writer’s duty is to break free from clichés and stereotypes and to forge something new. The stronger the female characters in a book, the richer the literature becomes. That doesn’t mean the classic male detective should vanish entirely; rather, there must be room for both strong female leads and the traditional puzzle-solver who relies on grit and intellect to crack cases.” Lagercrantz adds, underscoring his belief in a more nuanced, inclusive approach to crime storytelling.