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You Like It Darker: The Phenomena of Nordic Noir

Thomas Enger and Ørjan Karlsson
Two Mystery Masters discuss the genre and why Nordic authors do mystery so well
Conversation
Festival Pass Required
Prices vary

About

The chilling world of Nordic Noir has captivated readers and audiences in recent years with stark, atmospheric landscapes and deeply complex characters that define the genre. The novels of acclaimed Norwegian authors, Thomas Enger and Órjan Karlsson, are excellent examples: flawed investigators, chilling protagonists, haunting disappearances and unsettling secrets which leave the reader questioning the malicious motivations amongst the idyllic settings. In this compelling conversation, they will dig into the roots that made the genre a global phenomenon.

Moderated by Trevor Campbell.

Enger and Karlsson’s appearances are supported by NORLA – Norwegian Literature Abroad.

Everyone here is lying… Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier. Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.
cover of SON

Chief Investigator of Nordland Police, Jakob Weber is drawn into a complex case when a teenaged girl goes missing in Northern Norway, and a second woman disappears from a remote island in similar circumstances … FIRST in a compelling, dark new Nordic Noir series. `Provides a boilerplate for anyone wishing to write a Scandi crime novel … Weber, “a dagger in a velvet sheath”, is an engaging character; discerning readers will wish to meet him again´ Mark Sanderson, The Times `Atmospheric´ Crime Monthly `Jakob Weber is a great protagonist, and the sense of place is phenomenal. The perfect start to a series destined for greatness´ Thomas Enger `This is first-class Nordic Noir from the real North, where danger lurks around every corner´ Gunnar Staalesen In Norway’s frozen north, it’s not just secrets that are buried… When nineteen-year-old Iselin Hanssen disappears during a run in a popular hiking area in Bodø, Northern Norway, suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend.
cover of Into Thin Air

Image of Thomas Enger
Thomas Enger is the author of the critically acclaimed Henning Juul series, the Blix and Ramm series co-written with Jørn Lier Horst, as well as the author of four books for young adults. He has also written a standalone novel. SON is his first collaboration with Johana Gustawsson.

Image of Ørjan Karlsson
Ørjan Karlsson grew up in Bodø, in the far north of Norway. After studying sociology, he received officer training in the army and has taken part in many overseas missions.

Dates & Times

Sat, June 28, 2025
7:30pm
8:30pm
A book signing will follow this event

Passes

3-Day Pass
Regular
$75 + $9.75 HST
Under 25
$45 + $5.85 HST
Saturday Pass
Regular
$35 + $4.55 HST
Under 25
$20 + $2.60 HST

Venue

Emmanuel College, Room 119
75 Queen's Park Crescent, Toronto, ON

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