Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö

Maj Sjöwall (1935-2020) and Per Wahlöö (1926-1975) were Swedish authors best known for their collaborative Martin Beck crime novel series (1965-1975), which pioneered the Nordic noir genre and critiqued Swedish welfare state society through police procedurals. Their fourth novel, The Laughing Policeman (1968), won the 1971 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America.Maj Sjöwall Per Wahlöö