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Q&A with Karin Fossum, 'Norway's Queen of Crime'.
In 'He Who Fears the Wolf', Errki
escapes from an asylum; and Jannick lives in a home for boys. How were you able
to capture the psychology involved with these characters?
I have been working in several institutions. I
know outsiders well, and I sympathize with them.
Prior to its Harcourt debut in the
United States, 'He Who Fears the Wolf' was released around the world. In a review,
the Sunday Times said, "Fossum's presentation of her characters is marked
by an intelligence and compassion that is not often found in the pages of crime
fiction." When it comes to your work, what marks a book's success for
you?
That the readers believe in my story. That I
have been able to move them.
Inspector Konrad Sejer first appeared
in 'Don't Look Back' (Harcourt, 2004). What do you like most about this
character?
He is serious and decent. And he loves his
work.
Originally published in Norway, your
crime novels that feature Inspector Sejer have been translated into sixteen
languages. How does it feel to have your books so widely published?
It feels strange. I look upon them as small,
quiet stories.
Do you have any plans for another
Inspector Sejer mystery?
Yes. I'm working on it. I have fallen in love
with this genre. [The third book in Fossum's
series, When the Devil Holds the Candle will be
available in July 2006.]
You've been dubbed Norway's
"Queen of Crime." What do you enjoy most about writing crime novels?
The drama. The tragedy. The psychology. The
mystery.
As a writer, what's been your
proudest moment?
When I published my first collection of poetry
at the age of twenty (1974).
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