Ten Minutes with Arne Dahl

Arne Dahl was one of our ‘one to watch’ crime authors of 2013. Writing since the 90s, Dahl’s Intercrime series hit our radar when it was first translated in the UK in 2012, and really took fire when BBC 4 adapted the first book for a crime series in his name, netting Arne Dahl a legion of fans.

We caught up with Arne Dahl when his third thriller To The Top Of the Mountain was released to ask him about current projects, his research and any news on Arne Dahl series two!

Dead Good: What are you currently working on?

I am trying to create something new, a stand-alone thriller. After 15 books in serial form, I want to do something different. But at the same time it is very difficult to divorce myself from Paul Hjelm, Kerstin Holm, Arto Söderstedt and the rest of the gang. For the future of my writing, however, I think it’s a wise choice. I need to turn a completely different rock to see what kind of creatures will appear.

Can you tell us a little bit about To the Top of the Mountain?

It is a very exciting story about events leading from a bar fight killing to a grim terror act against the city of Stockholm. It’s the book where the A Unit gets back together after being dispersed for a year, and what they have to deal with is constantly much bigger than it first appears. I still love the structure of this book – how all big crimes are always connected to small and insignificant crimes. And I love the feeling of it, tough, and yet both funny and very emotional.

Have you altered your research methods for the new book? We hear they are top secret!

It’s the utmost degree of secrecy, yes. 🙂 The research will be quite different, and the book will be quite different.

Have you found that things have changed for you since the first series of Arne Dahl was aired?

I suppose the name Arne Dahl has been elevated to a little more fame. I get to travel around the world in a new way, which is very nice. But to me as a writer, it didn’t really change anything. The writing remains the same struggle as ever. And the same joy.

When writing, does the TV series influence your characters?

Normally, I think of it as two separate universes. There is a TV series universe, and there is a literary universe, and never the twain shall meet. But it’s not really true. From time to time the TV characters tend to invade the sanctuary of my private literary universe. And they are actually quite welcome.

Can you tell us anything about series two? Any secret news?!

There will be detailed news at a press conference at the end of July. But let’s put it like this: the shooting is set to start in early August.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

I do believe it is the new, not-yet-written book. In a way I want to start from scratch, and I very much look forward to seeing what that means at a time in life when I have written almost 25 books. It could be heaven, but it could also be hell. And of course I am also looking forward to my travels, not least Edinburgh International Book Festival in August, where I will be appearing with John Harvey.

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A big thank you to Arne Dahl for taking the time to answer our questions. We’ll keep you posted on any news on series two of Arne Dahl right here.

In the meantime check out our character post on the series, and quick fire questions with the author.