RLA is pleased to announce that the agency now represents the Scandinavian rights for two of Joachim B. Schmidt’s novels featuring the delightful Kalmann, the self-appointed sheriff of Raufarhöfn, Iceland: Kalmann and Kalmann and the Sleeping Mountain. The primary agent is Diogenes Verlag in Switzerland.
Joachim B. Schmidt grew up in the Swiss canton of Grisons before emigrating to Iceland in 2007. His novels, Tell and Kalmann, were bestsellers. Kalmann received the Crime Cologne Award in 2021 and placed third for the Swiss Crime Fiction Prize. Additionally, Kalmann was shortlisted for the 2023 Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award and is currently a contender for the Petrona Award in the UK for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel 2023.
Kalmann stands out as a touching and humorous Nordic crime thriller. It distinguishes itself by abstaining from gratuitous violence and revenge narratives. The story, a tightly-knit suspense narrative, centers on a mentally challenged protagonist portrayed with empathy, humor, and psychological insight.
