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28 titles in the catalogue

Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2014 and olderClear all
The Drowned Boy
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2014 · 224 pp

The Drowned Boy

Karin Fossum

"He´d just learned to walk" she said. "He was sitting playing on his blanket, then all of a sudden he was gone." A 16-month-old boy is found drowned in a pond right by his home. Chief Inspector Sejer is called to the scene, as there is something troubling about the mother´s story. As even her own family turns against her, Sejer is determined to get the truth. This is the eleventh book about Inspector Sejer. Fossum´s Inspector Sejer novels are invariably morally and psychologically complex affairs, but The Drowned Boy might well be her crowning achievement to date. IRISH TIMES Karin Fossums minimalist police procedurals have a stealthy way of mutating into richer, if also darker, psychological studies of criminals and their victims.NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW A gripping story, balanced, believable and compassionate.GUARDIAN

Rights soldSold to 9 territories
123
Hellfire
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2014 · 256 pp

Hellfire

Karin Fossum

A rusty old caravan sits in a forest grove. The door is open and a four or five year old child lies inside. The child's body has been chopped into pieces and is nearly drained of blood. An adult woman, presumably the child's mother, lies on a sofa, also stabbed to death.This is brutal even for Konrad Sejer. The deceased are Connie, who works as home help for the elderly, and Simon, her son. There are many characters in this book, but the central figures are Connie and Simon as well as Mamma Mass and her 21-yearold son Eddie. Both are single mothers not in contact with the fathers of their children. As Connie works as home help, we also encounter many other people and their destinies in the homes she visits. The author switches deftly between chapters set in 2004 and chapters set in 2005, or rather, before and after the murders. This increases the tension, and the reader is able to participate in solving the mystery of who the killer is. There are many clues leading in different directions. Helvetesilden deals with topics such as poverty in a wealthy Norway, the situation of the elderly and the absence of a father. But above all it makes for very exciting reading. ‘Helvetesilden is one of Karin Fossum’s best crime stories. … In her writing, Fossum expertly captures the nuances of everyday life and the way in which living people struggle to make sense of life. She does it with a subdued tone and an unwavering dedication to her characters. … In Helvetesilden, the story approaches a point which is heartbreaking rather than thrilling. This novel shows that Karin Fossum is in a class of her own as a crime writer.’DAGSAVISEN ‘Here she delivers what must be one of her most penetrating and moving novels. An author at the height of her creative ability. … The composition is almost a stroke of genius in itself, as for a long time we are at a complete loss as to how Fossum intends to fuse the parallel storylines. … The way she does it demonstrates both her mastery of her trade and her formidable ability to portray tormented minds without diminishing them through inconsequential platitudes about insanity and other dissociative diagnoses.’AFTENPOSTEN ‘The opening scene showcases Fossum at her best – the dank camper van, the heat and the brutal murders. The detailed, subdued tone; the grotesque in the middle of the everyday.’DAGBLADET ‘A really high-grade crime novel should delve deep into human motivation, both that of the main characters and the supporting characters, so that the hero and antagonist are not merely presented in black and white. And not least, the language should be functional, precise and efficient. There are not many people who write like this within the extensive crime genre. Karin Fossum is one of few who can. She writes high-quality crime of the best, international standard. She has now focused her attention on a novel which, in my opinion, has to be one of her very best. It is called Helvetesilden. So disturbing, riveting and painful that you can’t help but be drawn in.’TØNSBERG BLAD ‘And just like Ibsen, Fossum’s use of language is beautiful - precise, expertly calling to mind images without ever employing a single superfluous word… it is a sheer joy to reunite with old companions Sejer and Skarre ... Their best attributes are put to the test, and yet again they pass with flying colours. The same can be said for Karin Fossum.’DRAMMENS TIDENDE ‘Intricate and surprising.’VARDEN‘Karin Fossum is the most literary of the Norwegian crime writers ... The novel is skilfully composed, and several of the characters from Helvetesilden will remain with the reader long after the final page has been turned.’ADRESSEAVISEN‘Karin Fossum has mastered the art of describing the exhausting everyday lives of individuals. We come to understand how a monstrous double-murder can occur, and Fossum writes with a wonderful and affectionate eye for detail and the bonds that connect people.’OPPLAND ARBEIDERBLAD‘It is a joy to observe the weaving together of the three parallel stories contained within the novel - the author is in her element in this respect. The way in which she describes the crime and that which is hidden in the shadow of madness reveals an empathetic logic from which many members of society can learn a great deal. Karin Fossum is truly a writer unlike all others.’TRØNDER-AVISA‘The tight focus on the protagonists and the tempting darkness lurking beneath the surface makes this no typical tale of murder and police investigation. Instead, this is a story of human destiny, buried history and painful feelings that grip the reader and refuse to let go until long after the book has ended.’TELEMARKSAVISA‘Helvetesilden is a strong sequel to Fossum’s earlier psychological novels - glittering prose situated within a framework that both fascinates and inspires the reader.’GJENGANGEREN‘Yet again, Karin Fossum delivers an impressive piece of work - one would expect no less...’LO-MEDIA

Rights soldSold to 9 territories
Operation Hydra
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2014 · 320 pp

Operation Hydra

Johnny Brenna / Sigbjørn Mostue

A young Jewish boy is brutally knocked down and scarred for life outside Ila school in Oslo. The same day, someone sets fire to the house of a prominent but controversial Norwegian politician. A mother of two is killed in the blaze. This is just the prelude to a wave of violent attacks against the Norwegian population. One thing that seems to connect these events is Norway's MiddleEastern politics.Axel Th. Munthe, undercover detective in Oslo police force's special operations department is brought in early in the case. Both he and the security service work hard to combat various different extremist groups, but they find themselves struggling to keep up as things escalate. Finally the threat is directed at the heart of what it is to be Norwegian: the independence day parade on Karl Johan street. Meanwhile, Axel tries to get his regular partner Tobben back on his feet following a personal breakdown. All while the clock is ticking and the decisive hour draws nearer for Axel and thenation of Norway. ‘Operasjon Hydra is solid literary crime writing in which the authors chase us through the pages. ... The fact that I have decided to read Mostue and Brenna’s two first novels also speaks volumes.’FÆDRELANDSVENNEN‘Mostue and Brenna write well with great flow and suspense. I can’t fault them.’5/6MOSS AVIS‘... the book deserves at least five out of six as it has received from most other reviewers. I look forward to a follow-up. The rest of you should keep your fingers crossed for Christmas.’EIDSVOLL ULLENSAKER BLAD

The Drowned Boy
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2013 · 224 pp

The Drowned Boy

Karin Fossum

Konrad Sejer is back! In Carmen Zita og døden, Sejer is very present indeed, not only as the thoughtful, incisive crime investigator but also the human being Konrad Sejer, with problems of his own to deal with. The picture of his beloved Elise hangs on the wall of his sitting room and, every day, he shares some thoughts with her. The dog Frank Robert, a Chinese Shar- Pei, is always at his side. His evenings usually end with a whisky with water and a lonely cigarette. This time, Skarre arrives at the scene first. A small child has drowned in a pond. One unguarded moment and the very worst thing has happened. The young parents are devastated and everything indicates that the death was an accident. But Skarre is taken aback by something about the mother, and tells Sejer of his impressions. As always in cases of sudden death, an investigation is begun and Carmen, the child’s mother, proves to be somebody rather special. Selfish, shallow, spoilt and crazily vain. This novel has everything you have come to expect from Karin Fossum’s crime fiction; a terrible incident and well-drawn, exciting pictures of the people involved, solid police work and a surprising turn of events. And, as ever, literary writing at a high level. ‘Karin Fossum is among our foremost authors, regardless of genre. This because of her unique ability to create real people and her deep understanding of the human soul. She has always mastered this, but never better than in Carmen Zita og døden.’Drammens Tidende‘As usual, Fossum shines with her descriptions of her characters and unpleasant exploration of the human soul. And no other couple of investigators have left such a mark in the souls of crime fiction readers than Konrad Sejer and Jacob Skarre.’Trønderavisa‘Among Fossum’s finest novels … another novel from Karin Fossum with a strong literary quality all the way, wisely distributed portions of revealing details and quivering suspense.’Dagsavisen‘Karin Fossum shows us how the crime novel can be more than sheer entertainment literature. … Well-written and gripping about the hidden murders.’Dagbladet ‘Around the fascinating Carmen character a room for reflection opens up, related to the much debated sorting society. To this comes Sejer’s and Skarre’s not entirely coordinated religious contemplations. … Karin Fossum always gives the reader the solid pleasure of being in good hands, simply because she has something to tell which exceeds the mastery of this genre’s machinery.’Aftenposten

Rights soldSold to 9 territories
Scavenger
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2013 · 448 pp

Scavenger

Eystein Hanssen

In an old earth cellar in Vika, a homeless drifter finds the remains of a child. Or is it? Elli investigates the site and discovers more remains. Slowly, the site is further excavated and claustrophobic tunnels and forgotten bunkers are uncovered. It is a world apart, where animals are mistreated and people killed. Only the murderer knows all the exits. But Elli must get in there. She has several lives to protect. Do we really know what exists under the ground in Oslo? This is the fourth book about Elli Rathke, the half Norwegian/half Thai investigator with a black belt in karate. ‘This time, Eystein Hanssen takes us down into very unpleasant tunnels and bunkers underneath the roads and pavements of the city. An interesting journey, as many of them actually exist. In the plot itself, the author also shows us something real, a special environment unknown to many which I have not seen discussed in a novel so far. And the reader does not only get a trip down into the dark spaces under Oslo, but also a trip into the darkest corners of the human mind. … exciting throughout.’ VG ‘Eystein Hanssen is socially engaged and looks at contemporary issues. This time he touches upon various issues such as fauna crime, illegal adoption and the abuse of au pairs. These themes are handled in an interesting way. ...I expected excitement in book number four about Elli and was not disappointed. I think Eystein Hanssen has done it again. He has a unique ability to create thrillers from contemporary issues. This makes for both frightening and exciting reading. There is no shortage of action, and the end in particular is breathtaking. All the loose threads are tied up and solutions are found.’ OPPLAND ARBEIDERBLAD ‘Frightening and brilliant … He keeps the excitement going for 448 pages. You just want to keep reading, and it is almost sad when it’s over.’ STAVANGER AFTENBLAD

Rights soldSold to Germany and Sweden
I can see in the dark
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2012 · 224 pp

I can see in the dark

Karin Fossum

Riktor doesn´t ask the policeman why he has stormed into his house without knocking - he´s certain that someone has finally realised what happened that day. As the policeman questions him, however, Riktor realises that he´s being accused of something completely unexpected - something he has nothing to do with. But can Riktor convince the policeman that he´s innocent of one wrongdoing without revealing that he´s guilty of another, far more terrible, crime? The storytelling is outstanding...Dark, brilliant and guaranteed to leave you feeling queasy.CRIMEFICTIONLOVER Fossum´s elucidation of the criminally degenerate mind is first-rate.DAILY MAIL A superb writer of psychological suspense.NEW YORK TIMES Fossum writes humane thrillers, which perturb and chill.OBSERVER

Rights soldSold to 10 territories
Operation Helena
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2012 · 304 pp

Operation Helena

Johnny Brenna / Sigbjørn Mostue

The killing of a police informer by torpedoes brings about the collapse of a prestigious heroin operation being run by Oslo police’s Special Operations Section (SO). The newly-appointed detective Axel Th.Munthe and his partner Tobben are left stranded. Shortly afterwards, fifteen-year-old Caroline Fredrikke Walters, daughter of a wealthy investor, is brutally kidnapped and raped. Instead of picking up the threads of the heroin case, the department’s resources are channelled into finding the girl before it is too late. The case brings Axel into contact with the darkest sides of Norwegian society, where international crime syndicates are are already spreading their tentacles. It makes for a tough introduction to the world of human depravity, but there is light in the form of Noor, a woman Axel feels may be the right one for him. ‘Sigbjørn Mostue and Jonny Brenna have joined forces and written a disturbing thriller set in the criminal world in the capital.’ Oppland Arbeiderblad ‘Sigbjørn Mostue and Johnny Brenna impress with a well-constructed plot and a wealth of detail in their first work of crime fiction. (...) Dense, realistic tale of investigating crime in Oslo’s underworld.’ Dagbladet ‘Operasjon Helena is fantastic. So well written and so exciting I almost stopped breathing!’ Liv Gade, Bokinspirator‘Narcotics, organised crime, mutilation, honey traps; all feature in an ice-cold overview of the everyday reality of police work in Oslo that is the starting point for an action-driven and quite cynical narrative.’ VG ‘A successful debut!’ Kulturspeilet ‘The plot in Operasjon Helena and the account of the on-going police work are the most realistic seen in Norwegian crime fiction for a long time. And it feels good to be able to welcome a protagonist who doesn’t struggle with alcohol problems and who likes being a team player together with his police colleagues.’ Trønder-Avisa

I Can See in the Dark
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2011 · 224 pp

I Can See in the Dark

Karin Fossum

Riktor is the protagonist in Karin Fossum's new crime novel. He has worked for many years in the Løkka nursing home and seems to be normal, quiet and polite. He is often left on his own to manage patients with many and complex care needs. He torments them at every opportunity – pinches the skin at the back of their necks, pulls their hair. Medication that might have soothed their pain is poured down the loo and syringe contents injected into the mattress. Riktor is, simply, the «Nurse from Hell». He is a loner, but when he encounters Arnfinn, a man with a severe alcohol problem, a kind of friendship grows between them. Then, one day, Riktor comes across Arnfinn extracting money from his wallet. That's the end of Arnfinn: Riktor kills him unhesitatingly. A few days later, DI Randers turns up and charges Riktor with the murder of one of the elderly patients in the nursing home and locks him up for a crime he didn't commit. The tension and suspense of the narrative are as much related to the insight into Riktor's dark mind, as to the case against him. Will he be found innocent of the old lady's murder? Will he be charged with killing Arnfinn? ‘Karin Fossum deserves great praise for her stringent language and impressive psychological insight in her new, dark novel.’NRK ‘The language in itself makes her new book worth reading. … Fossum's sentences are vivid and crystal clear, free of redundancies, and in this novel they come with a rhythm which seems to be perfectly in tune with the content.’DAGBLADET ‘A story in which the reader is driven forth by intensity and the unmatched mastery of language.’DAGSAVISEN ‘By making the “I” of the story its narrator, the author has created a difficulty for herself which demands a firm grip and all-round control. Fossum has what is needed, together with chiselled, brisk and very persuasive language with many facets and nuances.’ VG ‘She challenges, entertains and frightens you. Karin Fossum’s writing is exceptionally good. The protagonists have an intense presence and she somehow “paints” people’s stranger sides.’ TRØNDERAVISA ‘Karin Fossum’s shows her mastery at two levels. Her language is outstandingly precise and varied. It never tends toward grand, metaphorical. Also, there is her insight into the unknown, sometimes murky depths of the human mind, as for instance Ricktor’s - a leading character.' TØNSBERGS BLAD ‘The book is written in a poetic, vivid language. It is exciting despite not being crime fiction in the usual sense of the word. The story is tense and from time to time unsettling for the reader but it is impossible to put it down (…) I predict that Karin Fossum will be awarded several prizes soon.’ OPPLAND ARBEIDERBLAD ‘Karin Fossum has delivered the goods again and written a brilliant crime novel.’ TELEMARKAVISA

Rights soldSold to 10 territories
Satellite People
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2011 · 320 pp

Satellite People

Hans Olav Lahlum

The date is 10th May 1969, a Saturday. DSI Kolbjørn “K2” Kristiansen is in his Oslo office when he receives a phone call from Ferdinand Schjelderup, the legendary multi-millionaire and resistance fighter. Schjelderup wants to see DSI Kristiansen about a family matter: one of his nearest and dearest is planning to kill him. Before the meeting takes place, Schjelderup collapses and dies during a Sunday dinner, at which ten members of his circle are present. The powerful, much disliked patriarch has been poisoned and the murderer sat at his dining table. Exactly on which seat is the question that drives this thrilling crime story. The plot thickens, as one mysterious letter after another warns of further deaths among the guests at Ferdinand Schjelderup's last meal. DSI Kristiansen needs help and he seeks it from his secret consultant, professor Borchmann's part-paralysed, witty daughter Patricia Louise I. E. Borchmann. Hans Olav Lahlum's Satellittmenneskene is in the classical mould of crime fiction – as close as possible for a book published in 2011. Satellittmenneskene is a thought-provoking, engaging novel about characters whose lives were part of an important period of modern Norwegian history. ‘Refreshingly old-fashioned and genial … Satellittmenneskene is impossible to put down. It contains a forceful drive and demands the reader’s full attention, because here there is a lot to keep straight. Bulls eye once again.’Six out of sixOppland Arbeiderblad‘Thorough retro crime fiction … If you like the classical crime novel as it was created by Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, you should immediately go and buy Hans Olav Lahlum’s Satellittmenneskene.’Dagbladet‘Here is style. Lahlum puts his own finger print on this work, as he did with his previous novel. We are talking “Lahlumian” here. There is no one like him. Dealing with such a particular pen is so liberating. And with a mysterious plot, carefully constructed, and delightfully free of unneccessarily detailed voilence.’VG Rights sold to: PORTUGAL (ASA II Edições - Grupo Leya), GREECE (Fantastikos Kosmos Publications), KOREA (Kugil Publishing, Co., Ltd), GREAT BRITAIN (Mantle /Pan MacMillan).

Rights soldSold to 7 territories
Bad Intentions
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2010 · 192 pp

Bad Intentions

Karin Fossum

Early one September three friends spend the weekend at a remote cabin by Dead Water Lake. With only a pale moon to light their way, they row across the water in the middle of the night. But only two of them return, and they make a pact not to call for help until the following morning. Inspector Sejer leads the investigation when the body is discovered. He is troubled by the apparent suicide and has an overwhelming sense that the surviving pair has something to hide. Weeks pass without further clues, and then in a nearby lake the body of a teenage boy floats to the surface. This is the ninth novel about Inspector Sejer. I always eagerly await a new novel from Karin FossumRUTH RENDELL

Rights soldSold to 11 territories
The Water´s Edge
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2010 · 240 pp

The Water´s Edge

Karin Fossum

A middle-aged couple out walking in the woods discover the body of a half-naked boy. To Kristine´s horror her husband, Reinhardt, begins to take photographs of the body on his mobile phone. But this proves only the beginning of his obsession with the case. Inspector Sejer is called to the scene, but he can find no immediate cause of death, nor can he uncover the identity of the agitated man that the couple saw moments before their discovery. Then a second boy goes missing and the once peaceful community is left deeply shaken. This is the eighth book about Inspector Sejer. An exceptionally fine story, Fossum´s real narrative appeal rests on her ability to see the humanity in even the most wretched soul.NEW YORK TIMES If you´re in search of an antidote to the in-your-face energy of American crime fiction, this quiet, slender, bracingly bleak tale could well be it.SUNDAY TIMES Taut, tense...The Water´s Edge can scarcely be better.INDEPENDANT

Rights soldSold to 15 territories
He Who Fears the Wolf
Literature and Fiction / Mystery and Crime2010 · 252 pp

He Who Fears the Wolf

Karin Fossum

A twelve-year-old boy runs into the local police station, claiming to have seen a corpse in the woods. Errki Johrma, an escaped psychiatric patient, was spotted at the scene, before vanishing into the trees. The next morning a bank in a nearby town is robbed at gunpoint. The gunman takes a hostage and flees. As his plans starts to come apart he, unlike his passive hostage, rapidly loses control. Meanwhile the search for the killer has developed into a manhunt - everyone is looking for the enigmatic Errki. This is the third book about Inspector Sejer. Fascinating reading.SUNDAY TELEGRAPH If you like the Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell, you´ll also enjoy the work of Karin Fossum. He Who Fears The Wolf is distinguished by a humane approach to its troubled characters. INDEPENDENT Fossum´s presentation of her characters is marked by an intelligence and compassion that is not often found in the pages of crime fiction.DONNA LEON, SUNDAY TIMES

Rights soldSold to 26 territories