Jens Lapidus

Jens Lapidus

‘At last: an epic European thriller to rival the Stieg Larsson books.’ Says James Ellroy of Jens Lapidus’ Easy Money, the first instalment (and first book to be translated into English) of his hugely successful Stockholm Noir trilogy. The exceptional execution of this genre-defining collection can perhaps be attributed to Lapidus’ career choice. As one of Sweden’s top criminal defence attorneys, Lapidus has an insider’s view of Stockholm’s criminal underworld. In an interview with The Local he explains: ‘The inspiration for all my books comes from the world that I see in my job as a lawyer,’ a world where ‘there are people for whom it's 'normal' to commit crimes’. However he goes on to reveal that he, ‘didn't have any plans to write a novel. I was never this person that always had a dream about writing a book… It came to me more like a need than something I was planning to do.’

A stark, brutal and desperate existence is mapped out for Lapidus’ antagonists; people for whom money and status take precedent over laws, morals, happiness, safety and freedom. This is not a cop drama, or a detective whodunit; the criminals are in control here, and it is we who are stepping on their turf.