INGER SCHARIS

 
 

INGER SCHARIS develops original drama and adaptations for film and television in Swedish and English. She is especially fond of the genres suspense, crime, and drama. 

Inger's passion for storytelling started at age four, and she sold her first short story at age 12. In the early 1990s, she began cinema studies, which earned her a Bachelor’s degree at Stockholm University. Parallel with her screenwriting career, she also earned a Master’s degree in Science with a Major in Wildlife conservation. Her research is published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and on BBC Earth.

Inger’s crime debut Carrion (Åtel) is published by Bokförlaget Forum.

Agent Erik Larsson

 
 

WORKS

CARRION

 

PUBLISHED Bokförlaget forum, march, 2025
GENRE crime
PAGES 350

RIGHTS SOLD:
Danish: cicero

Inger Scharis’ crime debut, CARRION  plunges readers into the chilling depths of a small, secluded Swedish village. Set amidst shadowed forests with wolves lurking in the dark, a brutal killing ignites a deadly conflict – delivering atmospheric, character-driven crime fiction at its best.

Detective Charlotte "Charlie" Graff, fleeing romantic betrayal in Stockholm, returns to her childhood town to live with her mother. Recently, she handled a case involving Gunnar Axell, a landowner accused of illegally killing a wolf, which deepened local tensions regarding the wolf population. After Gunnar’s acquittal, he is found dead in a suspicious hunting accident, and Charlie suspects foul play.

Reluctantly teaming up with Johan Nijpels, an ex-Legionnaire with a troubled past who worked for and respected Gunnar, Charlie delves into a tangled web of secrets and deception. Despite their mutual distrust and growing attraction, they must uncover who wanted Gunnar dead – and why.

In CARRION, Scharis blurs the line between the hunter and the hunted, crafting a pulse-pounding narrative where the final secrets revealed are more twisted than anyone could have imagined. This is a cold-hammered crime novel that captures the essence of rural Sweden, where the struggle for survival is as fierce as the landscape itself.

 
 

REVIEWS

“The rural environment is well-depicted and contributes to both tension and nice atmosphere. Scharis also skillfully portrays the almost claustrophobic feeling that can arise in a place where everyone knows everyone. I look forward to seeing how Inger Scharis takes her series further. And I would be very surprised if CARRION is not at least included in the discussions when it’s time to choose the best crime debuts of the year.”
- Borås Tidning

“Everyone should read this one...very good, lots of cliffhangers.”
- Monica Lindgren, Go'kväll

“Wonderfully cocky crime debut.”
- Dagens Nyheter

“Scharis effectively presents her cast of characters and quickly builds tension that makes it difficult to put the book down.”
- Göteborgs-Posten

“It is Inger Scharis’ crime debut and it impresses with its subtle seriousness. She is already one of those confident stylists who manages to tell stories about people with intense presence.”
- Lotta Olsson

“Inger Scharis is a debutant when it comes to books but has extensive experience in both detective stories and writing through her work as a screenwriter for, among others, Gåsmamman and Fartblinda. That experience is noticeable in the well-composed plot, in the captivating characters, in the dense scenes and in the well-captured environment and nature.… CARRION is a great read for those who, like me, enjoy tight crime novels with wilderness, hunting and complicated human relationships at the center. … this story [takes] readers on both a surprising and shocking journey. More books about Charlie Graff are promised in the future and I am very much looking forward to it.”
- Nerikes Allehanda

“Nice atmosphere and lots of drama that comes to the surface, after the first ten pages I'm hooked.”
- Allers

“Scharis keeps the suspense alive throughout all 500 pages... It is undoubtedly a page-turner, written with flair and a sense of drama.”
- BTJ (rating 4)

PUBLISHERS’ STATEMENTS

“All of us who work in publishing know that being an experienced screenwriter like Inger Scharis is no guarantee of being able to create high-quality suspense in book form. But that's exactly what Scharis has done in CARRION. We rarely buy based on a partial but as soon as I read the material I realized – this is going to be really good! With an unerring precision in the dramatic twists and turns, authentic dialogues and evocative settings, CARRION is a real page-turner.”
- Teresa Knochenhauer, Bokförlaget Forum

“It’s clear that Inger knows how to craft the perfect page-turner – she masterfully balances pacing and high energy with thrilling cliffhangers and surprising plot twists, all combined with truly atmospheric descriptions of the forest and life in the small village. We couldn’t help but think of The Chestnut Man and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as we read. This is exactly the kind of atmospheric crime novel we’ve been looking for – with dark secrets, psychological depth, and the beautiful Swedish landscape as a backdrop, creating an almost claustrophobic feeling of isolation. And then there’s the duo – you’ll want to follow them through many more installments! They’re really likeable and believable, and it adds a special depth to Charlie that, as the investigation progresses, we get small glimpses of her childhood in the little village.”
- Trine Mæhl, Cicero (Gyldendal Denmark)

“I have read and been greatly impressed by Inger Scharis. It is truly well-crafted, very well written, and testifies to a shining new star in the crime fiction sky. I read a lot of crime fiction, and CARRION stands out from the crowd; it has something more, something extra, that is very charming. The plot is multifaceted, but it is not difficult to follow. Along the way, I experience what is perhaps the first commandment of crime fiction: I am excited to find out who the murderer is. I think I understand the motive. Both Charlie and I are wrong several times. Scharis masterfully keeps many threads going at once, and ultimately brings them together in a convincing way. The solution is far from obvious. I feel that Scharis is in control, and I trust her. As a debut author, she has the authority that a skilled writer should have, and I think that is very well done.”
- Vidar Strøm Fallrø, Kagge