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Mystery and Murder Weekend at The Crime Writing Festival in Oslo

By ThorNews on January 17, 2013 • ( 0 )

Photo: Norwegian crime author Tom Egeland.

In 2012, The Crime Writing Festival in Oslo was held for the first time, and this year it has grown considerably larger. The festival runs from March 7 to 9.

Last year’s festival was an initiative from the Norwegian publisher Cappelen Damm. This year, 11 other publishers have signed up for the event, including the two largest houses Aschehoug and Gyldendal.

50 Norwegian and international authors will perform on eight different stages all over the city. 40 events are scheduled during the festival, and the authors will discuss everything from financial crimes to ‘splatter’ murders.

British authors like Val McDermid, Tom Rob Smith, Sophie Hannah, and John Harvey are confirmed guests, as well as Zoë Ferraris from the U.S. Icelandic author Yrsa Sigurdardottir and Annti Toumianen from Finland will also participate.

Photo: Val McDermid attends The Crime Festival in Oslo

Swedish crime has received great international attention. Crime writers like Lars Kepler, Jens Lapidus, Hjorth & Rosenfeldt, Viveca Sten, Helen Tursten, Ninni Schulmann, Karin Wahlberg, Håkan Østhlund, Cilla and Rolf Björklind and Lars Petterson will attend the Crime Festival in Oslo. From Denmark, Sara Blædel, Eric Valeur and Elsebeth Egholm arrive. One of the debate themes is the ratio between Danish and Swedish crime novels.

There will also be discussions about controversial protagonists, psychological crime, ‘crime and realism’, spy literature and relationships between crime TV series and crime fiction.

Norwegian crime writers like Knut Faldbakken, Gunnar Staalesen, Knut Nærum, Aslak Nore, Anne Holt, Chris Tvedt, Tom Egeland, Tom Kristensen, Jørn Lier Horst, Torkil Damhaug og Hans Olav Lahlum are represented.

Visitors can be entertained by Norwegian comedians through mystery theatresports, and a crime quiz (where the winner is considered an unofficial champion of murder and crimes) will be held.