Anders de la Motte

Anders de la Motte is a former Police Officer and was until recently Director of Security at one of the world's largest IT companies. He is currently an International Security Consultant. With his blend of fast-paced suspense, humour, and informed commentary on IT and social media, Anders de la Motte represents a distinct new voice in Scandinavian crime fiction.

End of Summer published in 2021 was the first in his Seasons Quartet, followed by Rites of Spring and Dead of Winter. Anders’ latest novel, Deeds of Autumn, was published by Zaffre in October and you can find Anders' books on our catalogue.

Who were your heroes and influences as you were growing up and when did you first realise that you wanted to write? Were you ever tempted to follow your mother into a career in libraries?

When I was young I wanted to be a musician and I had no thoughts whatsoever of writing (nor becoming a librarian) even though I’ve always been very interested in books and reading.

Later I went into the military and from there to the police and the security industry. I kept reading however, and when I was in my mid 30-ies the idea of writing something of my own slowly started to grow.

Your background before your writing career was as a Director of Security for an IT company. How did you make the jump from that job to being a full time writer?

Writing really has five ingredients: Imagination, talent, time, patience and courage. I had the imagination (mainly from reading), enough talent to get started and since I travelled a lot for work I also had the time.

With a little boost of my courage and patience from my wife Anette, everything came together and I started using the long flights and lonely evenings at hotels to work on my first scripts.

I was first published in 2010 and by 2012 my books were doing well enough for me to be a full-time writer. I have never regretted that decision for a second

Your last book Dead of Winter came out earlier this year. Can you tell us about the book and how it was to write?

Like all the books in my Seasons/Skåne quartet, Dead of Winter is a stand-alone story of a dramatic incident in the past, how this incident affects the small community where it took place and what happens when somebody starts digging into the past.

In Dead of Winter, Laura Aulin inherits an old and very run down holiday village from her aunt that she hasn’t seen or heard from in many years. In order to sell it she has to return to the little lakeside community where she spent all her childhood summer and winter holidays, this until a tragic fire ended the life of her best friend Iben. Laura hasn’t been back since and the trip brings back many painful memories as well as encounters with people who were once her friends. When she stumbles on information questioning the events leading up to the fire as well as the death of her aunt, Laura can’t help digging further.

We hear a lot about Scandi crime fiction here in the UK. Is that a real scene in Sweden and do your paths cross with other writers in the genre?

Scandi crime-fiction isn’t a separate genre here in Sweden, since this is what we all write. Sweden is a small country and most writers know each other. We have a small and very supportive crime-fiction community!

What is your writing routine?

I have a very nice studio behind my house where I spend most of my working days. I start every day with a long walk with my dog Alba (Welsh springer spaniel), we have breakfast, read the paper and at 10 we head to the studio and start working (that is, I do all the work and Alba has a long nap). We break for lunch and another walk and then keep working until about 5 when the rest of the family return home. I’m a planner so about 75% of the story is planned and the rest is dynamic. After 10 books this is the process that works best for me.

Is there anything you can share with us about your latest project?

I’m currently working on two projects. One is a classic and quite cosy murder-mystery series, situated in the picturesque south-east corner of Sweden called Österlen. Imagine Midsomer Murders but in south Sweden. This project I’m co-writing with my friend Måns Nilsson. The other project is a new series that will be released here in Sweden next autumn and that I’m very enthusiastic about. Too early to share any details though...

What is the best thing about being a published author?

That I get to have my hobby as a job and meet smart, talented and positive people who share my love for literature.

Is there a book you have read that has changed your life or made you think differently?

Books in general have this effect on me. I have books and the county library in Bjuv to thank both for my career and my marriage. (Anette and I discussed Dante on our first date, also the middle name of our youngest).

What is the best advice you were ever given?

When it comes to writing the best advice will always be: Get started!

This is the hardest thing about the writing process and where most aspiring writers fail. So sit down and get started!

Can you tell us one thing about yourself that your readers may not know?

Haha, well I’m actually a decent piano-player. I have a keyboard in my studio and every now and then I take a short music-break.