Lars Kepler is the pen name of the Swedish writing duo Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. Together, they create Scandinavian crime fiction, with a focus on the Chief Inspector Joona Linna series. The couple, who are married, decided to use a pseudonym for their collaborative work, and Lars Kepler was chosen as a tribute to Stieg Larsson, the author of the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, and Johannes Kepler, the German scientist.
Prior to writing as Lars Kepler, both Alexandra and Alexander had successful careers as authors under their own names. They chose to adopt a pseudonym for their collaborative work in order to make a clear distinction between their individual and joint writing projects. Their decision to remain anonymous at first added to the intrigue surrounding their debut novel, The Hypnotist, which was published in 2009. It wasn't long before Swedish tabloids discovered their true identities, but the authors continued to write under the Lars Kepler name.
The Ahndorils have three daughters and divide their time between their home in Stockholm and a summer house on the west coast of Sweden. Their writing partnership is built on a foundation of mutual respect and a shared love for the crime fiction genre. They have written seven novels in the Joona Linna series, which has been translated into 40 languages and has sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Their work has been met with critical acclaim and has gained a large and dedicated following.