The Power of The Good Example: The Packaging of Characters and Places in Contemporary Nordic Noir

The recent global success story of Nordic noir, that encompasses products from film and television as well as literature, is often attributed to the great popularity of its places and characters. Many of the protagonists of some of the most popular TV-shows, for instance, are described as more in depth-characters than many of their European and American counterparts. Notable examples are Kurt Wallander, Sara Lundh, Saga Noren and Lisbeth Salander. These characters as well as specific places such as Swedish Ystad and Gotland are used as orientation points for new crime writers. In order to gain success in the field, the newcomers are inspired by “good examples”, either for imitation or to try to create something different. The paper will investigate the impact of some of the most popular protagonists and places of Nordic noir today and how they are used in the marketing of new crime fiction. The paper is going to rely on field observations and participation in a crime festival and guided tours.