Authors: Kristina Ohlsson
Besides, it was only a question of time before the urge grew too strong for me: the urge to write a book linked to one of the two places in the world that I love and find fascinating, namely the
USA. It is a country to love, and sometimes to question. A true friend cannot be uncritical. Even an author who writes with the aim of entertaining the reader has the right to spice up her work
with important dilemmas and problems that the reader will hopefully consider afterwards.
My books usually write themselves, and that was also the case on this occasion. I made use of all the sources around me. Sweden, after experiencing its first suicide bomber. The world after
9/11. One of the questions raised after the terrorist attack in Stockholm echoed in my mind for a long time: ‘The guy was on Facebook and wrote about his views there. So why didn’t
anyone notice?’ I was astonished. Did people really think that the Swedish authorities had nothing better to do than sit and read everything that’s written on Facebook? Didn’t
they realise what the consequences of such an approach would be? And didn’t they realise how many people express various kinds of frustration and sometimes pure hatred through social media,
both in Sweden and abroad? Are we to bring in all these individuals for questioning, interrogate them about their visions and plans? Do we fine them? And if so, by exactly how many thousand per
cent would the forces of law and order need to be increased?
I am often asked how much time I spend on research, and when it comes to this book the answer is: many, many hours. Given my background, it was very important to me that the context in the novel
could be perceived as factual, and could also be found in sources that are accessible to all. For example, it is no secret that the USA has, and has had, so-called ‘secret’ detention
centres in other countries, and it is no secret that Sweden has laws that mean that a person’s permanent residence permit can be revoked under certain circumstances. However, both Tennyson
Cottage and Zakaria Khelifi are products of my own imagination. Even someone who has worked in security policy for several years has the right to make up stories.
And terrorism is a productive subject, if you want to write exciting books. That may be crass, but it’s true. Having a vivid imagination and a never-ending desire to tell a story is also a
great help, of course. To a certain extent, I had great fun writing
Hostage.
You have to love Eden Lundell, don’t you? She became such a delicious part of my literary excursion to my
former workplace, the Swedish Security Service (Säpo). Many crime writers before me have tossed Säpo into the mix, and many will do so in the future. I don’t know what makes it so
difficult to do Säpo justice. I don’t know why it’s so hard to work out what they do and don’t do, what they’re allowed to do and what they’re not allowed to do.
After ploughing through their home page in my quest for publicly available information, I discovered a wealth of interesting detail about what our country’s security service actually does.
All you have to do is take a look. As I did.
One of my early readers was horrified by the ending of
Hostage
. The guilty parties, the terrorists, get away! But why should that be so surprising? It’s a cornerstone of our justice
system that if there is reasonable doubt on the question of guilt, then it’s better to be safe than sorry. Which sometimes inevitably leads to the fact that those who are guilty will get away
with what they have done. And who says the story is over when it comes to the hunt for Sofi Khelifi? All I have said is that I am letting her rest for the time being. While Eden Lundell lights
another cigarette and wonders whether she really has got over Efraim, I will allow Sofi and Zakaria to bide their time and make plans for the future. They won the first round in their battle, and
they might also win the next, but sooner or later even the most successful bad guys have to pay the price.
A
s usual when I write my books, I have received fantastic support from Piratförlaget. Warm thanks to everyone who works there, and special thanks to my
publisher Sofia and my editor Anna. Without you, things would often come to a standstill and end up much worse.
Thank you also to everyone at the Salomonsson agency who continue to ensure that my books reach readers outside Sweden’s borders. Special thanks to my agent Leyla, who puts such an
enormous amount of energy into promoting my books overseas.
Thanks to Johan for his opinions and non-opinions on my manuscript.
Thanks to Karl-Henrik for taking the time to answer all my questions about airline security and routines.
And thanks to Sofia E for once again reading my book and coming back to me with wise comments.
And finally, thanks to my fantastic family and all my wonderful friends who continue to think it’s cool that I write books, and who are always there when I want something else to think
about, or when I simply want to call them and tell them the latest news about my writing.
Thank you.
Kristina Ohlsson
Stockholm, winter 2012