The Living and the Dead: Mikael Söderström and the murder case in Skavböke
An award-winning examination of a cold case from Halland by Christoffer Carlsson
What is the book about?
The Living and the Dead is written by the acclaimed Swedish criminologist and author Christoffer Carlsson and constitutes the third volume in his praised Halland suite. The story begins on a snowy winter night in December 1999 in the small village of Skavböke in rural Halland, Sweden. Here, 18-year-old Mikael Söderström is found beaten to death in a car after a local party. His two best friends, Sander Eriksson and Killian, who both attended the party, quickly become the police's main suspects. Although they both claim to have alibis, it soon becomes clear to the investigators that they are hiding crucial information about the events of the night.
The story spans over twenty years and weaves past traumas together with present consequences. When another man from the original party is found murdered under similar circumstances between 2019 and 2022, retired officer Siri Bengtsson and investigator Vidar Jörgensson are forced to reopen the cold case. The book not only examines the murder itself but also the deep secrets within the close-knit community, including a theft of 50,000 Swedish kronor from Jakob Lindell's family home, which took place on the same night as Mikael's murder.
The real case
Although The Living and the Dead is shaped like a novel, Christoffer Carlsson draws on his extensive knowledge as a criminologist to create a realistic portrayal of Swedish police work and the sociological mechanisms in small communities. The case of Mikael Söderström and the subsequent murder of his brother, Filip Söderström, serves as a focal point for a narrative about guilt, moral ambiguity, and the psychological burdens of carrying dark secrets for decades. The author manages to portray how violence committed in youth can cast shadows over an entire life and transform a whole region like Halland.
About the author
Christoffer Carlsson is one of Scandinavia's most prominent voices in modern crime literature. He is trained as a criminologist and uses his academic background to dissect both the criminal's and the investigator's state of mind. His works are known for their atmospheric weight and deep character studies, which have led to comparisons with great names like Dennis Lehane. With the Halland suite, Carlsson has established himself as a master of combining suspense with social critique and human insight.