An Elderly Lady is up to No Good

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good is part of a mystery subgenre called Nordic Noir, Scandinavian Noir, or Scandi Noir. This subgenre typically uses distinctly Nordic settings—such as frozen fjords and other remote northern landscapes—to create atmospheres of isolation and bleakness congruent with the complex and flawed characters’ actions. These mysteries are characterized by social realism and highlight thorny social issues such as discrimination, sexual violence, environmental damage, and official corruption. Their language tends to be direct, avoiding flourishes like figurative language and emotionally charged diction.

Many critics credit Swedish authors Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö with creating the subgenre. In their Martin Beck novels, which they began publishing in the 1960s, Sjöwall and Wahlöö combined the crime story with Nordic settings and offered an examination of social issues in a gritty style influenced by American writers like Ed McBain, the author of Cop Hater. Nordic Noir has grown increasingly popular, with many novels originally published in Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands becoming international bestsellers. Some of the most popular novels have been adapted into films and television shows for international audiences.