Studio 69 by Liza Marklund

I'm not quite sure what I think of Liza Marklund's character Annika Bengtzon.  She is a study in contrasts and perhaps that is why, though I might occasionally shake my head in exasperation at her, I find her so interesting to read about.  I first met her when I read Marklund's Paradise.  It's something of a challenge to get your hands on this book as it is out of print and fairly scarce and expensive to buy (I borrowed a library copy via ILL).  Add to that challenge is the fact that Marklund has written Annika's story (there are a total of eight books now, though not all translated into English) out of order.  While Paradise was the first book she published, it isn't actually the first book about Annika chronologically.  Studio 69, which I quite enjoyed (again with a very few reservations) actually begins Annika's adventures as a tabloid journalist.

In Paradise I learned that Annika was the victim of domestic abuse and had been involved in the death of someone close to her.  She is a sub-editor for the newspaper Kvällspressen in Stockholm, and in Studio 69 the events that are hinted at in Paradise are finally fleshed out.  Annika is not close to her family, she and her mother especially butt heads, but she has a close relationship with her grandmother to whom she returns when life is particularly weighing her down.  She has a steady boyfriend but he's mostly absent during the story as he still lives in the small town where he and Annika grew up.  She has come to Stockholm as a temporary, rookie reporter.  She has the summer to make her mark and hopes for a permanent position or will have to return home.  Annika wants nothing more than to succeed and is fairly fearless when it comes to going after a story, but being a novice she makes mistakes which also plunge her into a welter of self-doubt.

When someone calls in with a tip that the body of a young woman has been found in a local cemetery, Annika and another, more seasoned reporter set off to investigate.  The victim often crossed through the area on her way home from work, so she was only steps away from safety.  Annika's story begins to take shape as she interviews the dead woman's neighbors, friends and former classmates.  Each offers a different reality of the woman's life, a woman who was beautiful and smart and stuck in a job as a stripper at the persuasion of her jealous boyfriend, who Annika implies is the most likely culprit.  Initially Annika does well with her first investigative piece, with multiple stories appearing in the newspaper some on the front page. 

The newspaper's top editor is impressed with Annika, calling her an alert young woman who can turn things around fast and with a completely different approach in her thinking--only she goes too far sometimes.  When a new suspect emerges, contrary to Annika's line of enquiry, things blow up in her face.  The story takes a more complicated turn as a politician high up in Sweden's government is discovered to have entertained German politicians at the strip club where the victim worked.  More damning, he apparently has rooms in the same apartment building as the woman.    

Liza Marklund was inspired by actual events in Sweden involving illegal spying not only on other governments but on Swedes who were considered security risks.  She wraps the story of a young murdered woman up nicely with a political slant (here lies one of my reservations as some of this political detail was a little over my head not being too familiar with this aspect of Swedish history).  Not only does she wrestle with the questions of domestic abuse and pornography but she also ties it in with illegal activity on the part of the Swedish government, a theme which carries over into Paradise.  As the frenzy of the press and the possible involvement of a government official threatens to boil over, Annika notes that Josefin, the dead girl, is completely forgotten in this mess of political scandal.

Liza Marklund included a very helpful and interesting author's note at the beginning of the book (I should have read it first to avoid some of my confusion) that sheds a little light on why she writes about a character who is a tabloid journalist.  My perception of tabloids is that they tend towards scandalous (and maybe not usually true) stories.  Marklund notes that until the 1980s nongovernmental broadcasting was forbidden by the Swedish government.  They had state run TV and radio and broadcast news programs "have always been strict, official, and uncontroversial.  Investigative journalism and groundbreaking news have usually been found in the tabloids."

If you are a fan of Swedish crime novels and have yet to try Liza Marklund, do look for her books.  Her stories are less mysteries (you may discover the truth in reading, but that doesn't mean the real culprit is going to be brought to justice) than suspenseful tales that shed light on social issues or the inner workings of Swedish society.  Despite the unevenness of Annika's character (I'm curious to see if and how she changes over the course of other stories), I thought this was a more tightly written story, better plotted and with a more assured voice in the storytelling.  Next up is Prime Time, which looks like it will be another book that is difficult to find! 

Maxine at Petrona has written about the character of Annika Bengtzon here.  You can also read more reviews of Studio 69 at Reactions to Reading and Yet Another Crime Fiction Blog.  Studio 69 was translated from Swedish by Kajsa von Hofsten. 

Comments

[Dorothy W.]

This sounds like a case where cultural differences could get in the way -- thinking about the meaning of tabloid journalism -- of fully understanding the story. It's good that she included a note to clear things up. It's great to read books from other cultures, of course, but sometimes it really is a challenge!

[Danielle]

Dorothy--It is interesting reading about other cultures, but I think I do make some assumptions that are obviously not true. It was helpful that the author added that forward. I didn't know Swedish TV and radio had been government run--it explains a lot--and why the character would want to work on a tabloid so badly.

[Caroline]

I certainly want to read her and since they are all translated into German it should be easy to find them.
Do you have a favourite Swedish crime writer by now? And how about other Scandinavians? Which one do you prefer? I think I like Åke Edwardson best, so far. But I also enjoyed Karin Fossum.

[Liz F]

I am currently reading Red Wolf which would appear to be a long way ahead of the books you mention as Annika is a mother in it.
I do hate it when books in a series are published out of order so you don't know if you are going to read something that will be a spoiler for another book!

In the UK, a lot of our newspapers are in tabloid format now, even the serious ones like the Independent and The Times (although the Sunday editions are usually still broadsheets) To differentiate them from the papers which generally have a lot of celebrity coverage, we call the latter 'red-tops' because most of them have a lot of red in their front page titles.

[Kathy]

Interesting review of a book that sounds quite intriguing. I know absolutely nothing about Swedish politics, or even Swedish writers, for that matter. I can see that I'd like to read more books written by writers who are not American or English. Maybe I'll make that a goal for next year's reading?

[carolinareads]

I enjoy mystery novels with journalists but they all seem to follow the same path.

[catharina]

I was under the impression I had read more than just one Liza Marklund, but my little book tells me it was Paradise in 2009. I know I looked at Studio 69 at the library but put it back as it seemed there was a co-author to that one. Must have a second look now.

[Maxine]

What a great review and analysis, Danielle. I'm very glad you enjoyed it. I think it has flaws but the character of Annika and the whole newspaper thing (the news-breaking aspects and the workplace dynamics aspects) are so involving.

[Danielle]

Caroline--You're lucky as the English translations seem to be hard to find. I may have to see if can get the next one through ILL again. I've not yet read the two you mention yet, but I really liked the book I read by Johan Theorin--you might like him. I also like Liza Marklund very much. And I read a book by Camilla Ceder which I thought very good--you might be able to get it easier than I did (had to do ILL for it as well). There are so many Scandinavian authors writing crime novels now--or at least that are getting translated into English--I still have lots more to try. And I do have a book by Ake Edwardson next. I bet I would like Karin Fossum, too.
Liz--I think that is one of the later books. I am trying to read in order (well, chronological order) and Prime Time and then The Bomber would be next. Red Wolf might come after that? Annika was pregnant at the end of the second book (which is the first I read). I don't know how Marklund does it--writing out of order but everything seems to mesh so far. Interesting about tabloids. I think of US tabloids as being like The National Enquirer, which is really just a lot of silliness. I would never even read it for 'celebrity news', so it was interesting to think Annika is a tabloid reporter--obviously something very different in Sweden.
Kathy--I think crime novels are a really interesting way to look at a different culture--as strange as that sounds. I didn't know much about Sweden really--and not that I know very much now, but it is an interesting look at their society. The one thing I have read a lot of this year is translated fiction--just by chance!
Carolinareads--I'm not sure I've read a lot of mysteries with journalists as the main character--but I suppose by the nature of their business--writing about crime that they must share a lot of similarities. I'd be curious to know which other authors you read--may have to try more out! :)
Catharina--Paradise was the first Marklund book I read. She did write a book with James Patterson but I think it was called The Postcard Killer,which I have heard is not so good. I think Studio 69 is one she wrote on her own as it was earlier. I'm hoping I can get my hands on the next book.
Maxine--It is easy to get caught up in her stories, I agree. There was quite a lot to this one, as with Paradise, which I like--something a bit more complicated than a straightforward murder to solve. Marklund takes an interesting perspective, and even with a few flaws, I like that she writes from a different angle. Thanks for the kind words btw!

[litlove]

This does sound like a very intriguing set-up, although I've had mixed success with Scandinavian crime. Liza Marklund is a familiar name, though, so I must have seen her books around recently. If anyone can tempt me to read her, it's undoubtedly you, Danielle!

[Maxine]

Asa Larsson! Just finished her latest, Until Thy Wrath be Past. Magnificent. (Better if you have read the other 3 first but not necessary).

[Danielle]

Litlove--Annika is an interesting character. The Marklund books are a little different then some of the other Scandinavian authors I've read--not your usual mysteries since she incorporates so much about Swedish society into her novels, which I sort of like.
Maxine--I have her first book and have pulled it out to read--with a recommendation like that I'll have to read her now! Until Thy Wrath be Past is due to be published here in November--will see if I can work my way through a book or two before then. I need a good book I can concentrate on--am having a hard time with most books at the moment.