Sara Lövestam's Books | Crime Books Prize-Winning Fiction

Biography

Sara Maria Kristina Lövestam, born in 1980 in Uppsala, is a Swedish author, freelance journalist, linguist, and podcaster. She also taught Swedish to immigrants for eleven years.

When not writing, Sara is the judge on the Swedish radio programme Lantzkampen, a light-hearted review of the week’s news.

Writing Career

Lövestam has always had an interest in language. She learnt to read when she was very young. Her parents claim that whilst sitting in a supermarket trolley when she was two, she startled customers by declaring she could read. A woman gave her a tub of Keso (a brand of cottage cheese), and she read out the label. My children are not destined to be authors; they were too busy screaming in Sainsbury’s at that age.

“I started writing at the age of four, and ever since then, I’ve nurtured the dream of writing novels. I gave it my first try at 18 and failed miserably. After a few unsuccessful years, I was left thoroughly humbled and more aware of the hard work that is actually required to write a novel. I was 28 when I finally signed a contract.” (Sara Lövestam)

Multi-Genre Writing

Sara Lövestam’s books (28 of them to date) cover a plethora of subjects. She is not a diehard crime author and moves between genres, having written historical novels, books about relationships, young adult fiction and a handful of books on grammar.

Her debut novel Udda (Different), is a drama about three young adults in Stockholm. Martin has a secret fetish for amputee women. Lelle is his friend, an out-and-proud lesbian, and Paula is a PhD student in a wheelchair. The book recounts their strained and steamy relationship. Her three most recent books narrate the tale of Monika Bengtsson, a 40-something single woman and her attempts at IVF. Lövestam has even written a picture book for children. Under mattan (under the carpet) is a story about a family that sweeps all its problems under a carpet.

Whilst she slips from genre to genre, Lövestam doesn’t think it confuses her writing; on the contrary, she believes that the different genres fertilise and enrich each other.

“I’m often passionate about the genre I haven’t dabbled in for a long time. It’s like food; you start craving something else when you’ve had your favourite dish for a week.” (Just nu – Just här)

There is, however, an underlying theme of her writing — an interest in identity and psychology.

“A recurring theme in my books, and in everything I’ve ever written, is the sense of self. The need to be who you are versus the forces trying to stop you.” (Sara Lövestam)

This plays through in the Kouplan quartet that has won her notoriety as a crime writer.

Kouplan

Lövestam’s foray into crime fiction features private detective Kouplan, an Iranian refugee and illegal immigrant. Kouplan is an immigrant to Sweden whose asylum appeal was rejected but has decided not to return to Iran for fear of losing his life. He is an illegal immigrant who lives in the shadows, desperate to avoid the attention of the authorities.

Despite his illegal status, Kouplan must eat and earn money. He must subsidise the meagre amount he raises, scavenging rubbish bins for recyclable cans and bottles. Kouplan was a journalist in Iran, so he set himself up as a private investigator, advertising in the small ads.

Private detective. If the police can’t help, call me!
The Truth Behind the Lie

Kouplan scratches a living carrying out detective work for people who want to avoid turning to the police.

The first of four Kouplan novels, The Truth Behind the Lie (Sanning med modification), won a barrage of awards, including The Swedish Deckarakademin prize for a best debut crime novel and the French Grand Prix de Littérature Policière. Kouplan helps a young mother who thinks she has lost her daughter to a people trafficking ring. As Kouplan attempts to find the missing girl, he also struggles to feed and clothe himself whilst avoiding the Swedish Immigration Agency.

The following three novels (which have yet to be translated) shadow the theme as Kouplan helps a vengeful fraud victim, traps an unfaithful husband and finally searches for his missing brother.

Is This Crime Fiction?

The Kouplan novels sit on the margins of crime fiction. The stories are as much about an immigrant’s struggle to find a life for himself as the cases he is investigating. Much of the drama and excitement relates to Kouplan’s brushes with the police and his desperation not to be deported back to Iran.

“I am an SFI teacher at heart, with eleven years of teaching Swedish to immigrants within me. Although Kouplan himself is fictional, I can recognise my students in many of his character traits and his experiences.” (Piratförlaget)

Sara Lövestam’s books — like those of Dominique Manotti and Henning Mankell — highlight social and political issues. In Lövestam’s case, it is the plight of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants in Sweden.

“The books could be more exciting from a crime perspective. The quality of the cases themselves lies in the portrayal of the people and the psychology behind these people. What is really exciting is to see if and how Kouplan will manage to elude the authorities in the 16 days he has left before he is eligible to apply for asylum again.” (Deckarhuset)

Swedish Linguist

As well as being an author, Lövestam has carved herself out a reputation as a Swedish linguist. she has written numerous books on Swedish grammar, including Handbok för språkpoliser (handbook for the language police), which is “your friend in a world where thugs swear in English, and the language is in constant decline” and Grejen med verb (the thing with verbs) which is ideal “for dates when the conversation falters and is formative toilet reading”.

Lövestam calls herself the “grammar apostle”.

“An apostle is a disciple, someone who goes out into the world and tries to spread the good news. I see myself as someone who wants to open people’s eyes to how fun and interesting language can be, especially grammar.” (KULT Magasin)

But Lovestam is not a paid-up member of the language police, believing that breaking the rules and finding your own language is every bit as important as being grammatically correct. But violations of the rules are best when they are committed consciously.

On a more serious note, she has also written Grammatik-undervisning, a training manual for sfi (Swedish for immigrants) teachers. All four of her Kouplan novels have also been simplified and rewritten as “easy to read” books for people who are learning Swedish or have dyslexia. There are worse places to start if you are an aspiring Swedish speaker.