
Photo: Jarli & Jordan
Jørn Lier Horst (b. 1970) and Thomas Enger (b. 1973) are the internationally bestselling Norwegian authors of the William Wisting and Henning Juul series respectively.
Jørn Lier Horst first rose to literary fame with his No. 1 internationally bestselling William Wisting series. A former investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled realism and suspense. To date, Horst has authored two crime fiction series for adults and two crime fiction series for younger readers, both of which are the most popular children’s book series in their respective age categories.
Thomas Enger is the journalist-turned-author behind the internationally acclaimed and bestselling Henning Juul series. Enger’s trademark has become a darkly gritty voice paired with key social messages and tight plotting. Besides writing fiction for both adults and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer.
Death Deserved is Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s first co-written novel and the first installment in a suspense series that combines the very best of both authorships.
Longlisted for the 2022 Petrona Award UK – Røykteppe Smoke Screen | 2022 |
Shortlisted for the Petrona Award UK – Nullpunkt Death Deserved | 2021 |
Jørn Lier Horst & Hans Jørgen Sandnes’ The Search for the Viking Treasure debuts on the official Norwegian bestseller list for children’s fiction this week, going straight to No. 1. Also new on the lists are Jo Nesbø’s The Night House, which claims the No. 2 spot on both the hardcover and the e-book lists. Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Engers’ Scars stays put at No. 1 on the paperback list.
Scars, the fourth book in the Blix & Ramm series, debuts on the bestseller list for paperbacks this week. This just ahead of the publication of Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s fifth jointly written book, Victim.
The Norwegian booksellers’ association has announced a list of the most sold crime novels of 2023 so far, and Liza Marklund takes the No. 1 spot with The Polar Circle. Horst & Enger meanwhile is the most sold domestic authorship, featuring at the top with their Unhinged, followed by Smoke Screen and Death Deserved. Also on the list are Anne Holt’s The Eleventh Manuscript, Liza Marklund’s The Mire, Jørn Lier Horst’s The Traitor, Jo Nesbø’s Killing Moon, Lars Kepler’s The Spider, and Kristina Ohlsson’s Storm Watch.
The Petrona Award’s jury has just presented its longlist for the 2022 Petrona Award for ‘Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year.’ The list of twelve nominees include Katrine Engberg with The Butterfly House, Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger with Smoke Screen, Anders Roslund with Knock Knock, and Antti Tuomainen with The Rabbit Factor.
The shortlist is to be announced on 16 November 2022.
Norwegian Bog og samfunn has compiled the most sold titles for the months of June and July, and Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s Scars grabs the No. 1 spot for fiction. On the children’s list, Jørn Lier Horst and Hans Jørgen Sandnes claims three out of the top five, The Search for the Camping King comes in at No. 1, Operation Ninja at No. 2 and The Search for the Unicorn at No. 4.
Alexander Blix is a broken man. Having been convicted for avenging his daughter’s death, he is held in one of Norway’s high security prisons. Inside, the other prisoners take every opportunity to challenge and humiliate the former police investigator. Sometimes it gets rough.
On the outside, Blix’s former colleagues have begun the hunt for a feared killer. Walter Kroos has escaped from prison in Germany and has crossed borders on his way northwards. The only connection the police have established between Kroos and Norway is a fellow inmate in Blix’s prison ward. Now they seek inside help from the policeman.
Journalist Emma Ramm is one of the few people featured on Blix’s visitor list. She becomes his ally when Blix has to connect the ties between the past and the present – and between the world inside and outside of the prison walls. The tracks lead to Osen, a woodlands community 150 kilometers north of Oslo, where several of the inhabitants carry deadly secrets and deep scars.
The Petrona Award’s jury has just presented its shortlist for the 2021 Petrona Award for ‘Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year.’ The list of six nominees include Anne Holt with A Necessary Death, Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger with Death Deserved, and Yrsa Sigurdardóttir with Gallows Rock.
The Judges have the following to say about each title:
“A pacy, absorbing thriller with a gutsy, complex main character.” – on Anne Holt’s A Necessary Death.
“The novel expertly fuses the writers’ individual styles, while showcasing their joint talent for writing credible and engaging characters, and creating a fast-paced, exciting plot.” – on Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s Death Deserved.
“[The protagonists’] relationship provides readers with some lighter moments and occasional black humour, along with a frisson of mutual attraction. The novel’s intricate plot focuses on skewed morals and revenge.” – on Yrsa Sigurdardóttir’s Gallows Rock.
The winning title will be announced on Thursday 4 November, 2021.
Katrine Engberg doesn’t budge from her No. 1 placement on the official paperback bestseller list, coming in first also this week with The Tenant. Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger meanwhile bounce to the top once more, coming in at No. 1 in e-books with Unhinged.
Lars Kepler and Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger reprise their placements on last week’s paperback bestseller list, coming in at No. 1 with The Mirror Man and No. 2 with Unhinged respectively. The e-book list meanwhile sees two names making a comeback: Katrine Engberg with The Tenant, which places at No. 3, and Anders de la Motte with Rites of Spring, which places at No. 4.
Lars Kepler’s The Mirror Man makes its debut appearance on the official Norwegian bestseller list for paperbacks, going straight to No. 1. Just after at No. 2 comes Unhinged, Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s third title in the Blix & Ramm series.
Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger’s Unhinged makes its debut on the Norwegian paperback list this week, claiming the No. 2 spot. Unhinged is the third novel in the Blix & Ramm series.
The official Dutch crime and thriller list for week 2 places Lars Kepler’s The Mirror Man at No. 1, a spot it has now occupied for six weeks straight. Just behind comes Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger, who lay claim to the No. 2 placement with Smoke Screen, the second novel in the Blix & Ramm series.