Meny
Portrait image of Ian Rankin Ian Rankin and Maj Sjöwall
Photo: Ola Erikson / Forflex

Sample of authors

Rankin, Ian

The Scottish crime writer Ian James Rankin was born in the coal mining town of Cardenden, Fife, where his father owned a grocery store. His mother worked in a school canteen. There were few books at home, and Rankin began to visit his local library as a child and began to write short stories as a teenager. He attended Denend Primary School in Cardendan and later Auchterderran Junior High at...

Further reading

Literary figures

Ludwig Licht

Gender: Male

An odd character, he started his career as an agent for Stasi, moved over to the CIA and then tried to make his way in the restaurant business, but instead became a freelance spy. Thomas Engström has created an anti-hero in Ludwig Licht, whose father was a Nazi. He is addicted to alcohol and amphetamines, is always irritated and usually looks rather the worse for wear and in need of a haircut – ‘l...

Further reading