Greenland Is Shaping the Next Crime Fiction Genre, Says Professor Annemette Hejlsted

The cold nights, the long dark days, and the melancholic ambience of the Nordic region have been made world-famous by countless Scandinavian writers and producers in the crime genre, Nordic Noir.

Like other crime genres, Nordic Noir revolves around a crime, usually a murder, and its investigator. The investigator is often attempting a cumbersome balancing act between the heavy burden of the work and their personal demons. Often, the investigator is female and morally complex.

At the same time, the genre sheds light on social issues in the North, revealing cracks in the picture-perfect Nordic social democracies. 

Now, a new subgenre is emerging under the name Arctic Noir, characterized by an even harsher climate and bleaker environment, which first developed in Greenland. But it's not just about the environment, says researcher Annemette Hejlsted at Ilisimatusarfik, the University of Greenland.

"It allows the writer to play with new elements, such as how everyone knows each other in small communities. In addition, it often includes Indigenous culture, which is unique and has kind of developed on the outskirts of the dominant Western culture."

She says this is one of the ways Arctic Noir differs from Nordic Noir: the portrayal of the clash between traditional and modern cultures and knowledge, which is so often found in the Arctic.

"Arctic Noir provides a new setting, not just in terms of climate, but also in the uniqueness of Indigenous cultures that have developed across mainstream cultures," says Hejlsted.

"Greenlandic culture is naturally similar to a lot of other cultures. We study at the university, go to the swimming pool, and drink coffee at cafes. Yet, there is another unique element present here."

Not necessarily meant for a local audience

In 2024, HBO's acclaimed True Detective's fourth season was set in Alaska, showcasing the global appeal of the Polar Night and the allure and mystique of Indigenous knowledge and ways of living.

Literature set in Greenland is also often focused on that element of mystique that Arctic communities possess from the perspective of outsiders. Hejlsted says that many novels set in Greenland are written by Danish authors, not Greenlanders, and are intended for a Danish readership. 

"This creates somewhat of a distance," says Hejlsted, adding that the last bookstore in Nuuk closed in January 2025, making it hard for Greenlanders to discover such books.

The first Greenlandic crime novel, The Tattooed Message, by Greenlandic author Kristian Olsen, can be characterized as 'glocal', where the author combines global and local aspects, allowing the international and the regional to interact, attracting a wider audience beyond Greenlanders.

Greenland in children's literature

One of the researcher's other main subjects of interest is how Greenland is portrayed in Danish children's literature.

"This interest comes from the discussions about the Danes' attitude towards Greenland and the lack of knowledge about Greenland. But where does this come from? It starts with what we have read in children's literature," says Hejlsted, and continues:

"Greenland is portrayed in widely different ways. Some portray Greenland as something remote, strange, and primitive. Others show deep respect and understanding of Greenland and Inuit knowledge."

She explains that there is also a strong focus on nature, which differs markedly from that of Denmark, as well as an emphasis on what is actually required to live in Greenland.

"The perception that Danes have of Greenland comes from a place, and I hope my research can help add to that understanding."

Working and living in Greenland

Hejlsted grew up outside of Copenhagen and has always loved stories. Her father was a literary journalist on Danish radio, and Hejlsted says her love of literature began at home.

She worked for many years at the University of Copenhagen, but has lived in Nuuk since 2020, after a two-year stay in Iceland. She is now the only literature researcher at the University of Greenland. 

"I felt like I had something to give. We are building something new here. The University of Greenland is quite young compared to the University of Copenhagen and is not as bound by tradition," says Hejlsted, and adds:

"This is what I have always wanted to do and dreamt of. I am happy to give something back."

Literature can shed light on anything

Hejlsted says literature research can be a resource in the Arctic, as it tells us what people have believed and felt in the region about social relations, Indigenous culture, and so on.

"Literature is in a cultural dialogue with just about anything. It can tell us something about anything from any perspective," she says and continues:

"Topics are discussed in a different way in literature than in politics, and we should utilize that more."

"This resource has been displaced, not just in the Arctic, but everywhere. And it is a great motivator for me to shed more light on it," concludes Hejlsted.

Recommendations from the researcher

Hejlsted recommends three Arctic Noir novels for anyone interested: Nina Von Staffeldt's "Frosne beviser" (2016), Mads Peder Nordbo's "Pigen uden hud" (2019), and the recent "Skyggebjørn" (2025), also by Nina von Staffeldt.

She also cites two examples of Danish children's literature set in Greenland: Estrid Ott's "Børnene paa Grønland" (1934) and Kim Leine's "Drengen der drog nordpå med sin far for at finde julemanden" (2015).