
How a Danish police investigator transitioned to writing crime fiction while mentoring international law enforcement
Arne Woythal, a Danish homicide detective, has shifted from solving crimes to writing about them. The career transition marks a notable evolution for an investigator who also served as a mentor to Afghanistan's Criminal Investigation Division under NATO.
Quick Facts
Arne Woythal represents a distinctive career path within Scandinavian crime circles—a homicide detective who has transitioned into crime fiction authorship while maintaining connections to international law enforcement training.
As a detective with the Danish police, Woythal accumulated firsthand experience in criminal investigations. This background provided direct exposure to real cases and investigative procedures that inform authentic crime narratives. Beyond Denmark's borders, Woythal served as a mentor to Afghanistan's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) under NATO. In this capacity, he discussed the complexities and challenges inherent in building criminal investigation capacity in post-conflict environments, including firsthand observations of crime scenes in active investigation contexts.
Woythal's professional evolution reflects a broader trend among experienced law enforcement officials who transition into creative fields. His move toward crime fiction authorship—identified as a "krimiforfatter" (crime fiction author) in Danish media—capitalizes on authentic investigative knowledge while reaching audiences through narrative storytelling.
The detective-turned-author has engaged with Scandinavia's crime culture community. In 2020, Woythal was scheduled to participate in Krimimessen, Denmark's prominent crime fiction fair, where he was announced to speak on "True Crime" alongside fellow crime professionals Lone Theils and Hans Petter Hougen. The same event featured a separate media appearance discussing "Under nordlys" with co-participant Jonas Knudsen. Though the 2020 programming was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the scheduled appearances highlight Woythal's standing within Nordic crime communities.


