The Crime genre is my great love, says Djordje Bajic (Đorđe Bajić), writer
Death in Pink, a novel by Serbian writer Đorđe Bajić, will soon be published by the YU Biblioteka in the English language.
Đorđe Bajić is a Serbian film and literary critic and writer based in Belgrade, passionately dedicated to the crime genre. Death in Pink is his fourth novel, preceded by: Ostrvo prokletih (Island of the Damned, 2010), Žuta kabanica (Yellow Raincoat, 2013), and Jedno đubre manje (One Bastard Less, 2015).
Published in 2021, Death in Pink soon became a bestseller. Thanks to YU Biblioteka initiative, It will have its first translation into the English language. The release date is mid-March, and in an exclusive interview, Đorđe is speaking about cooperation with YU Biblioteka, and reveals his expectations. He also speaks about specific literary crime genres, their Serbian representatives, and new authors whose time is yet to come.
How did you start writing crime novels?
The crime genre is my great love, my first love of reading. When I was ten, I first discovered novels by the queen of the crime genre, Agatha Christie, and then I started to expand that range a bit – with Raymond Chandler and other writers.
As I matured, the number of writers I liked to read also increased. And reached James Ellroy, for example. These are slightly more demanding crime novels, in the sense that they are also bloodier and more explicit. I really like the crime genre. When I wanted to write something, I hesitated between the horror genre and the crime genre. I started in horror, actually, my first novel was a horror adventure.
I wrote my first novel Ostrvo prokletih (Island of the damned). I started in horror, It was a very fun experience for me, but somewhere I felt that maybe it was time to try something different. That first novel was completely one escapism, it happened in Los Angeles, Indonesia, there were vampires, zombies, and all sorts of things. I decided to change my approach a little, I decided on an urban, contemporary, largely realistic story.
And that’s where the crime genre suited me very well, plus I decided it would be a Belgrade novel. I wanted to write a novel that would take place in the city where I was born, and where I grew up, I know it best. My first crime novel is Žuta kabanica (Yellow Raincoat) from 2013. I published that novel for the Publishing house Čarobna knjiga. People heard about me and I gained some devotees.
Two years later, in 2015, the novel Jedno đubre manje (One Bastard Less), an urban crime novel that takes place in Belgrade, was published, also for the Publishing house Čarobna knjiga. And then, I took a break of six years from the novels.
Due to circumstances, I was working on some other things. I’m also a film critic, so I wrote and published several books about contemporary Serbian films.
I came back to the literary world with the novel Death in Pink, which was released in April 2021. for Laguna. I changed the publisher, I’ve wanted to be in Laguna for a long time. With this novel, everything that was supposed to coincide finally came together. It’s another urban crime story from Belgrade.
How did the idea for that novel come about?
Death in Pink was created with the idea of writing a novel that will be an introductory novel in which I will present my inspector Nikola Liman. (Nikola Liman was an episode character in the previous novel Yellow Raincoat, note). This is my hero, my detective, who is the main investigator in the novel Death in Pink. So, I wanted to leave that character in that novel as it should be, to give him a story, to bring him to life, to make him as interesting and realistic as possible. I wanted to put him in front of a big challenge, and to make him involved in one complicated, intricate, and exciting crime case which needs to be solved.
In the novel, a beautiful young woman from Dedinje (elite part of Belgrade) was killed. How did you build the plot, and was the story inspired by real events?
It’s not my goal to make it completely realistic. I like to write genre, genre literature, so I adapt reality to the genre. Reality can be quite depressing, perhaps not exciting enough, etc., and the novel provides an opportunity for the writer to shape the events, and writes about them in the way he wants. It gives a great freedom. It is somehow inspired by some real events, especially by the media hype when something bad happens to a beautiful woman. That attracts a lot of media attention. We have often witnessed such events here, in the past. That may have been some initial inspiration, but, of course, this is my story, which is not deeply based on any real crime.
And is there any criticism of society in the novel?
Yes, certainly. Not at a first glance, it was not the most important thing for me while I was writing. But, quite simply, I believe that society should be criticized. The crime genre is very suitable for this, for several reasons. First of all, the writer is able to write about those dark aspects of life, about society, to go a little bit further and deeper behind those scenes. On the other hand, I tried to make it readable, to present readers with one story that makes them want to read it. There is death and murder in that story, but I tried not to make it too burdensome for readers. I wanted that all those who like the crime genre can just enjoy the novel. I wanted to make it exciting, and interesting for them.
What I think is important, now with this translation into English, I think that it is a novel that someone from Serbia and someone from another country will be able to enjoy equally. Crime fiction has a universality. I am very glad that people who like crime novels are curious to explore what is written outside of the Anglo-Saxon area. Without a doubt, English and Americans are great experts in the crime genre but also are other countries. I was encouraged by the fact that Scandinavian writers of crime novels are very popular, not only in Scandinavia but also outside of it.
In one interview, you stated that you were influenced by the so-called Scandinavian school, in which the main characters are not one-dimensional, but their private lives are also presented and important in the story.
In my novel, there is an inspector who is not only presented at work, but I also reveal his private life, and I think that is quite normal. I thought the character wouldn’t be complex if it is presented in the novel only in a work environment.
In addition, Liman is a rather colorful character. He likes to drink, has a lot of problems in his marriage, was unfaithful to his wife, and is trying to make up for some mistakes he made. All this creates some dynamics and affects the case he is investigating. Because it’s all connected.. Very often in crime novels you have an inspector to whom nothing private is happening but is only focused on the case. I am not sure how that is possible in practice. I think that this interweaving of private life and business life cannot be avoided.
How did you build the other characters? At the beginning of the novel, you have a list of characters like Agatha Christie did in her novels.
She did, but not always. I liked it very much. It often happened to me that while I was reading something, I might forget a character for a moment. Then I go back and check, especially when there are a lot of characters in the novel. I also listed all the characters at the beginning of the novel. I tried to make those characters colorful and interesting. It’s a rich gallery of characters, I didn’t skimp on them. I think it’s good for a crime novel if the characters are well-established, it’s good to have more of them. Inspector Liman is the initiator of the story, and the center of the story, along with the team around him, the inspectors, and the policemen who work together with him. But, of course, there are also the characters around the woman who was killed – the ex-husband, the current boyfriend, the housekeeper, her female friends, etc.
It was very interesting for me to place these characters, and I tried to make them different from each other – to be interesting, to have their own story, and be specific. If I succeed in that, I will be really satisfied.
In what environment is the novel set?
First, it is Belgrade, which is specific. In every plot of my novel, when it takes place in Belgrade, I try to record that Belgrade somewhere, to present it. I think this is a very interesting city, and people will recognize that when they read the novels. Our mentality is specific, and I somehow tried to incorporate it into the characters, to incorporate it into the story. When all that is added up, in addition to good entertainment, and the criminal spirit that the novel has, this is an insight into modern Serbia. Belgrade is a city that I love very much, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. It is a specific city that is constantly in some demolition and construction. It is equally in construction and decay. It is a specific situation. Especially in the last ten years. There are a lot of beautiful things there, even though it is a big city, a lovely city, the capital, there are some corners where one can escape from the hustle and bustle. There are also a lot of problems, the city is tense, it is constantly busy. So it suited me for this crime thriller.
What were the readers’ comments on this book?
Death in Pink isn’t my first novel, it’s my fourth novel, but it’s definitely the bestselling novel. It had quite good printing and attracted people. Something started to happen to me that hadn’t happened before – people wrote to me more through social networks, mostly to praise me, to inquire when the new novel will be released and whether Inspector Liman will appear in a new adventure. It means a lot to me. I’m a writer who likes to be read
The fact is that the novel was in the top 10 best novels when it came out. It had several editions It was on Laguna’s 40 best-selling books list for a long time (and Laguna is the biggest publisher in our country).
Honestly, I did not expect to be among the 10 most-read novels. It really means a lot to me. It seems to me that the readers wished for my novels. I had a really long break, too long. On the other hand, the number of readers significantly increased since I started to publish for Laguna Publishing House. I was on that list for a long time, I did not expect to be among the ten most-read novels. On the other hand, the number of those readers has increased. I gained a much larger readership when I started to publish for Laguna. It means to me whether the novel will be on the bestselling list, that it is selling, and being talked about. It is important to me. But it is the kind of literature that, if done right, should be communicative. Therefore, it is logical that it should be read and sold.
How did your first English translation for the YU Biblioteka come about?
Mira Popović, the owner of the YU Biblioteka, contacted me personally. I didn’t have any contact with her before. I heard about YU Biblioteka, but I didn’t know at that moment that they were also planning to do translations. Mra Popović told me that she had taken my novel into consideration and that she wanted to translate it into English.
It was actually her idea to translate a certain number of novels, among which will be mine, and to offer those novels in English translation to the American market. She told me that she recognized the quality of that contemporary Serbian scene and that she wanted to offer these novels in English, in a good translation. Because, without a good English translation, the writer is limited only to his market. Eli Gilić translated the novel. She is our famous translator, who lived abroad for many years. She mainly translated from English to Serbian, and she is also known for her translations, which are especially appreciated, from Serbian to English. I was in contact with her when something needed to be translated into English, or to help her translate something in the translation process.
I want to thank Mira in the first place, and then also Eli, since it seems to me that she really invested herself in that translation, she really put an effort to make it as good as possible.
I’m really glad it happened, I’m really looking forward to that release. Practically, it will be my first novel translated into English, and I am glad that it is Death in Pink. Somehow everything clicked and came together at the right moment. So, my most successful novel will actually be the first translated into English. I hope that there will be other translations if this one proves successful.
What do you expect from this translation?
I don’t know, I’m afraid to say now. I know how big the American market is, and there is really huge competition there. There are excellent writers from all over the world.
So I come to a market where there is a huge offer of that kind of literature, but again, on the other hand, I think that I have my own specific style, that I am not a copy of anyone. I built that certain specific type of criminal prose with that certain Serbian flair, with that certain angle. I would be happy for that novel to be noticed, and to be read, and I would be very happy for the novel to be noticed, to be read, and I can’t wait to see the reactions of people who are not from this country, from Serbia, or the region. A lot of Croats like my novels, and people in Bosnia also like my novels. So, in the region, where the language is similar.
You have a Facebook group dedicated to fans of the crime genre. Can you name the most important authors from Serbia and the region who deal with that genre?
When I started writing crime novels in 2012, that genre was not widespread in Serbia. There were some attempts and novels, but there was no continuity. I can’t say that I’m a pioneer of the genre. During the twenties and thirties, there were writers who flirted with the genre. When some writers like Milan Nikolić appeared in the fifties, crime novels became popular, but they were considered trivial literature and were quickly forgotten. During the 1960s, Nikolić had a series of novels with Inspector Malin.
I think it’s time to establish that scene in the right way, a genre scene. Fantasy and horror writers were a little more valuable. That scene was revealed earlier. In the last ten years, and especially in the last five, there are more and more writers dealing with the crime genre in Serbia, and only that genre. (it is also interesting to point out) These are authors who have serious plans with that genre. I have one group that is in the Serbian language. It is on Facebook. The best crime fiction novels and films. All, or almost all, Serbian writers dealing with that genre have gathered there.
I have that Facebook group in the Serbian language, The best crime fiction novels and movies. All, or almost all, crime genre writers gathered there. I would mention Mirjana Novakovic, who writes in the genre. Her novel Tito je umro (Tito has died) is one of the most loved crime novels written in Serbian when we talk about modern times. Marko Popovic made great success with his first novel, Pogrešan korak (One wrong step), which was published in Laguna. I have to mention Anja Mijović, who writes the Otpadnici (Outcasts) series, whose style I particularly like. There are a dozen of us writers on the Serbian scene, if not more, who write crime novels. We are quite different from each other. I think that it is a great quality and that it will be heard soon about all these writers.
What are you reading now?
I read the last draft, the third part of The Outcasts by Anja Mijovic. I was reading a new novel by Mina Todorović, who became famous for her fantasy and novels for young adults. This new novel is a romance novel. It is a work in progress, not been published yet. I had an opportunity to read it, liked it, and it was very interesting.
There are some other very interesting novels. There are new novels by Marko Popović, the novel Jedini izlaz (The only exit), which was recently published. Mirjana Novaković has a new book called Mir i mir (Peace and peace). It has been ten years since her last novel Tito je umro ( Tito Died). I liked this new novel, and I think that it is really a great injustice that it was not shortlisted for the NIN award. (The significant annual literary award by Belgrade magazine NIN –note)
I love those ambitious novels when I see that someone made an effort to create a lavish novel. I have to say that a new novel by Mirjana Novaković has only some elements of crime fiction. But it is a very interesting study of our society in the last 40 years.
So, I read local writers, but also classical ones. I have recently read Foster’s Howards End. It’s a great classic from 1910. I’m glad that a Serbian translation will appear soon. It was long overdue.
What are you doing now? Are you working on a new manuscript?
The new novel is finished. The first hand is closed. I signed a contract with Laguna. It’s Inspector Lyman’s new case. His life continues in this novel, but the mystery he has to solve is completely new. It was very interesting to me while I was writing. I have to sort out the novel a bit more, to see what the title will be, to shorten or lengthen something. The contract is signed, and I have to submit the final manuscript by March. By the summer, I hope a new novel will appear in bookstores. So I am basically dedicated to that.
Jelena Jovanović