Karin Fossum Books In Order

Publication Order of Inspector Sejer Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

A Norwegian author focused within the field of crime, Karin Fossum has been dubbed ‘the Norwegian queen of crime’. Currently living near Oslo, Norway, she continues to build upon her reputable brand name getting her work translated into a variety of different languages. Not only that, but she’s also gained a large amount of critical attention too, having received a number of awards for her work.

Early and Personal Life

Born on the 6th of November 1954, Karin Fossum began her life in Sandefjord, which is in the Vestfold County of Norway. Originally working in hospitals, she tended to the rehabilitation of drug addicts, as well as working within a number of nursing homes. To begin with, she first started her literary career by publishing some poetry, before moving onto fiction.

With a focus on the crime genre, she has experience herself within the field after knowing someone close to her who was murdered. This tragedy has helped inspire her work and has given her prose the sense of realism that her readers have come to appreciate. Dealing with both empathy and pathos, she manages to convey the harrowing reality of crime upon the page.

Setting many of her novels within the rural community north of Oslo, she takes inspiration from the environment around her to help dictate her material. This has further added to the depth within her work giving it greater substance as well. Adding to that her love of mysteries, especially the stories of writers such as Ruth Rendell, she builds intricate narratives that create a rich world for her ever growing audience to explore. Currently living near Oslo to this day, she successfully continues to produce her popular novels on a regular basis.

Writing Career

Having been translated into over twenty-five different languages now, Karin Fossum has gained both national and international recognition. This alongside the many various awards she has received, shows that it’s not only commercial success she’s gained, but critical acclaim as well. The main source of her material, though, has come from her greatly received ‘Inspector Konrad Sejer’ series.

Writing her first book of poetry, ‘Kanskje I morgen’, in 1974, she started out writing both poems and short-stories. Her first full novel was published in 1995 when she brought out ‘In the Darkness’, which was to be the first in her ‘Inspector Sejer’ series. Quickly following off the success of that, she then brought out ‘Don’t Look Back’ the following year, it being the second in the series. This was translated into English in 2002, whilst the first found itself translated in 2012.

Shortlisted for the ‘Crime Writer’s Association Gold Dagger’ in 2005 for her novel ‘Calling for You’ she’s no stranger to awards. Her book ‘Don’t Look Back’ also received the ‘Glass Key Award’ along with the ‘Riverton Prize’. With critical success secured, she was to take her work further afield, widening her appeal even more.

She’s also brought out singular works such as ‘De gales hus’ in 1999, with over five solo novels to her name now. Also still releasing poetry as well, she recently published ‘The Night is Another Land’ in 2012. With all this she shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, as her career appears to be growing fast, with her translations increasing every day and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future.

In The Darkness

The first book from Karin Fossum in the ‘Inspector Sejer’ series, this novel was originally translated into English on the 19th of July, 2012. In it features the introduction to this eponymous Inspector, as he attempts to uncover the case of a dead man found floating upon the icy waters of a river. Finding this body is Eva who is walking with her young daughter alongside the river one day, when it floats to the surface. Going to the phone she makes a call, thus opening a new case for Inspector Sejer.

Having been missing for months now, the body is identified as a man named Egil who, as it turns out, has become the victim of an extremely violent and dangerous killer. With the trail going cold though, it’s left the Inspector at a loose end, along with another case that’s just as puzzling; the murder of a prostitute who was discovered dead just prior to the disappearance of Egil. That is when Eva herself receives a call late one night from a stranger who quickly speaks before hanging up. Leaving her with startled she’s left staring into the night. Who is committing the murders and can Inspector Sejer ever put two-and-two together? Can he keep himself out of harm’s way during the investigation? Just what did that mysterious caller say to Eva over the phone?

Broken

Moving away from her more traditional fare, this book by Karin Fossum was originally translated and published in 2006. Featured in its storyline is the mystery of a woman who wakes up one night to find a strange man stood in her bedroom. As she lies there stricken with fear and paralyzed in shock, she soon realizes who he is and what he wants. Being an author who regularly creates fictional characters, she discovers that he himself is one of these characters having manifested into physical form.

In the past he has simply waited in her driveway as all her other characters do, but he’s become so desperate to have his story told by her, that he’s broken into her house and into her life. With the demand that she tell it straight away, she begins to formulate a story for him, but she first provides him his name; Alvar Eide. He’s forty-two years old and he’s been working in a gallery living a quiet and peaceful life, up until one day when something shakes his world to the core. A drug addict comes into the gallery from the cold winter outside and he takes pity on her, offering a coffee to help warm her up. Following this she turns up on his doorstep one day out of the blue to further turn his world upside down. Just what exactly is it that she wants from him? Can he provide it to her? What will become of the author and can she finish the story of the man that has broken into her home?

3 Responses to “Karin Fossum”

1. Karen: 2 years ago

   I started reading The Drowned Boy and was highly offended, about how people with Down Syndrome were portrayed, to the point that I would not read anymore of the book. I have a beautiful 3 1/2 year old granddaughter who was born with DS. My son and daughter-in-law would never have thought of terminating their pregnancy just because she had an extra 23rd chromosome. This book make them sound like DS people are strange, not very smart and scary to be around. That is not the case at all. Sure it takes them a little longer to learn certain things but they are very loving and smart individuals if parents work with them. Maybe you should study up on a subject before you start writing novels about them. There is nothing down about people with down Syndrome. I feel sorry for people who are too small minded to really get to know DS people. I’m proud of my granddaughter and how she has brightened everyone around her with her smile and love.

   Reply
2. Annmarie Fetsko: 7 years ago

   Is there a sequel to The Indian Bride? I ‘m left hanging ..to wonder who was the murderer

   Reply
   • Iva Haddit: 6 years ago

     Nope. It is what it is. go to goodreads dot com and see others comments

     Reply