Introduction
Karin Fossum (born 6 November 1954) is a Norwegian author of crime fiction, often referred to as the "Norwegian queen of crime".
Early life
Karin Mathisen was born on 6 November 1954 in Sandefjord, in Vestfold county, Norway. She currently lives near Oslo. Fossum debuted as a poet with Kanskje i morgen, her first collection published in 1974 when she was just 20. It won Tarjei Vesaas' debutantpris. For a time she worked in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted with rehabilitation of drug addicts.
Writing career
Fossum began her literary career as a poet. She is the author of the internationally successful Inspector Konrad Sejer series of crime novels, which have been translated into 25 languages and honoured with several awards.
She won the Glass Key award for her novel Don't Look Back, which also won the Riverton Prize, and she was shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger in 2005 for Calling Out For You.
La ragazza del lago, internationally released as The Girl by the Lake, is a 2007 Italian thriller-drama film directed by Andrea Molaioli, in his directorial debut. It is based on the 1996 novel Don't Look Back (Se deg ikke tilbake!).
Awards
- Tarjei Vesaas' debutantpris 1974, for Kanskje i morgen
- Rivertonprisen 1996, for Se deg ikke tilbake
- Glass Key award 1997, for Se deg ikke tilbake
- Bokhandlerprisen 1997, for Den som frykter ulven
- Brage Prize 2000, for Elskede Poona
- Martin Beck Award 2002, for Svarte sekunder
- Cappelen Prize 2003
- The Gumshoe Awards for best European crime novel 2007, for Når djevelen holder lyset (translated as: When the Devil Holds the Candle")
- Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the category Mystery/Thriller for 2007 published in 2008, for Elskede Poona (translated as: "The Indian Bride")