Photo: Thron Ullberg Photo: Thron Ullberg

Martin Widmark

Martin Widmark (b. 1961) is an acclaimed Swedish children’s book author known for popular series such as The JerryMaya Detective Agency, Nelly Rapp, Halvdan the Viking, and many more. His books have received countless awards, sold more than 20 million copies, and been translated into 39 languages. Many of the books have been adapted into feature films and TV series, or made into board games, theater, and video games.

Martin is strongly engaged in promoting reading comprehension among children and young people and is considered one of the most prominent writers of children’s fiction today. He has received multiple prestigious awards. In 2014, he was awarded the Swedish Government’s medal Illis quorum for his work to encourage young people’s reading.

Before becoming a full-time author, Martin Widmark worked as a middle school instructor and a Swedish language teacher. In the year 2000, he made his debut with the book To Catch a Tiger (Att fånga en tiger). Since then, he has written over a hundred books for children and young people and is today one of Sweden’s most popular children’s book writers.

Martin Widmark & Helena Willis


Swedish writer Martin Widmark (b. 1961) and illustrator Helena Willis (b. 1964) have together created the bestselling children’s book series The JerryMaya Detective Agency
 for ages 6-9.

The popular books with the young detectives Jerry and Maya are constantly on the bestseller lists, on the libraries’ most popular lists, and have been awarded the children’s own book award 12 times.

Awards

The Adlibris Award (Children’s book 6-12 of the Year) Sweden – Smugglarmysteriet The Smuggler Mystery 2026
Shortlisted for the Storytel Awards (Best Children's Book) Sweden – Smugglarmysteriet The Smuggler Mystery 2026
Shortlisted for the Adlibris Awards (Children’s Book of the Year, Ages 6-12) Sweden – Smugglarmysteriet The Smuggler Mystery 2025
Shortlisted for the Storytel Award Iceland – Galoppmysteriet The Racecourse Mystery 2024
Shortlisted for the Storytel Award Sweden – Dinosauriemysteriet The Dinosaur Mystery 2024
Shortlisted for the Adlibris Award (Children’s Book of the Year, Ages 6-12) Sweden – Dinosauriemysteriet The Dinosaur Mystery 2023
Shortlisted for the Storytel Awards (Best Children's) Sweden – Berättelser från Valleby: Det mystiska brevet Stories from Valleby: The Mysterious Letter 2023
Shortlisted for the Storytel Awards (Best Children's) Sweden – Maskeradmysteriet The Masquerade Mystery 2023
The Emil Prize (by the Småland Academy, in honor of Astrid Lindgren) Sweden 2021
USBBY Outstanding International Books United States – Huset som vaknade The House of Lost and Found 2019
The Crimetime Award (Best Children’s Book) – LasseMajas deckarhandbok JerryMaya’s Handbook for Detectives 2019
Astrid Lindgren’s World Scholarship Sweden 2015
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Fängelsemysteriet The Prison Mystery 2015
The Illis quorum medal Sweden 2014
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Brandkårsmysteriet The Fire Brigade Mystery 2014
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Cykelmysteriet The Bicycle Mystery 2013
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Födelsedagsmysteriet The Birthday Mystery 2012
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Simborgarmysteriet The Swimming Pool Mystery 2011
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Campingmysteriet The Campsite Mystery 2010
The Blood Hound (Best Children's and Youth Detective story) Sweden – Nåjdens sång The Song of the Wise One 2008
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Biblioteksmysteriet The Library Mystery 2007
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Guldmysteriet The Gold Mystery 2006
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Tidningsmysteriet The Newspaper Mystery 2005
The Blood Hound Sweden – Tidningsmysteriet The Newspaper Mystery 2005
The Book Jury Prize Sweden – Nelly Rapp och varulvarna Nelly Rapp and the Werewolves 2004
Close award list

Bibliography

Stand-alone

The JerryMaya Detective Agency

Activity books

Stories from Valleby

Nelly Rapp, illustrated by Emil Maxén

Nelly Rapp, illustrated by Christina Alvner

The Jansson Family

Picture books

David & Larissa

Halvdan Viking

Related news

Martin Widmark No. 1 in Sweden

Martin Widmark’s The Kidnapping Mystery, tops the official Swedish bestseller list for children’s titles, coming in at No. 1 for the third consecutive week.

Moa Herngren and Martin Widmark on the August bestseller lists

Moa Herngren’s just published The Fallout comes in at No. 4 on the official hardcover bestseller list of August in Sweden. Martin Widmark’s latest JerryMaya title, The Kidnapping Mystery, grabs the No. 2 spot on the children’s fiction list.

Martin Widmark No. 1 in Sweden

Martin Widmark’s The Kidnapping Mystery stays at the top of the official Swedish bestseller list for children’s titles, coming in at No. 1 also this week.

Martin Widmark No. 1 in Sweden

Martin Widmark’s The Kidnapping Mystery jumps to the top of the official Swedish bestseller list for children’s titles. The Kidnapping Mystery is a brand-new, extra tricky story about the cooky inhabitants of Valleby. The Kidnapping Mystery is the thirty-fifth installment in the series about Jerry and Maya.

Ahnhem and Widmark on the Swedish bestseller lists

Stefan Ahnhem’s Generation Zero, the latest installment in the Fabian Risk series, takes to No. 1 spot on the official Swedish bestseller list for paperback fiction this week. Additionally, Martin Widmark’s The Smuggle Mystery, the latest installment in the JerryMaya Detective Agency series, comes in at No. 5 in the children’s category.

Martin Widmark on the Swedish bestseller list

The weekly Swedish bestseller lists are out and Martin Widmark claims two spots in the children’s category. The Fire Brigade Mystery comes in at No. 2, while The Café Mystery claims the No. 3 spot.

The Norwegian Storytel Awards 2026

The Norwegian Storytel Awards 2026 are now open for voting.

Among the nominated in the category Crime & Suspense are Jørn Lier Horst’s The Lake, Lars Kepler’s The Sleepwalker, Jo Nesbø’s Blood Ties, and Liza Marklund’s Storm Mountain.

In the Children’s category, Martin Widmark is nominated for both The Dinosaur Mystery and Nelly Rapp and the Mare.

The winners will be announced on February 12. To cast your vote, click “Read more” below.

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Martin Widmark winner of the 2025 Adlibris Award

The winning titles of the 2025’s Adlibris Awards have been announced, and Martin Widmark’s The Smuggler Mystery has been crowned as the ‘Children’s book 6-12 of the Year’.

Adlibris is the leading book retailer in the Nordics and the Adlibris Award was founded in 2019 to celebrate the site’s greatest titles.

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