Description /Buy link takes you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Inspector Konrad Sejer is the name of a series of crime fiction novels written by a Norwegian writer called Karin Fossum. The books follow the exploits of a calm and collected detective who solves grizzly crimes and murders.
Get notified when Karin Fossum releases a new book at BookNotification.com.
Order of Inspector Sejer Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In the Darkness / Eva's Eye | 1995 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Don't Look Back | 1996 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | He Who Fears the Wolf | 1997 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | When the Devil Holds the Candle | 1998 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Calling Out for You / The Indian Bride | 2000 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Black Seconds | 2002 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | The Murder of Harriet Krohn | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | The Water's Edge | 2007 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | Bad Intentions | 2008 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | The Caller | 2009 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | The Drowned Boy | 2013 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | Hell Fire | 2014 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | The Whisperer | 2018 | Description / Buy |
Even though she is often lauded as the Queen of Norwegian Crime Fiction, Karin Fossum is quick to underplay her own writing talents. Even after making her debut as a poet in the early 1970s, Karin spent quite a long time working in hospitals and nursing homes.
Though she never stopped writing, it wasn’t until 1995 that the author made her debut in the crime fiction genre, writing In the Darkness, the first novel in the Inspector Konrad Sejer series.
The book explores the brutal murder of a factory worker and a prostitute. Konrad immediately spots a link between both crimes and attempts to find the one missing piece of the puzzle that will explain the motive that drove the killer.
Even though In the darkness was lauded for its unique approach to storytelling, it wasn’t until Don’t Look Back, the sequel to In the Darkness was published that Karin’s star began to shine.
The author has since become a household name, her books having grown so popular that they eventually received English translation, spreading Karin Fossum’s name to international waters.
Inspector Konrad Sejer isn’t like most heroes of noir Norwegian crime fiction. While his peers are often troubled figures, bad-tempered and self-destructive, Konrad Sejer is a calm, polite, self-controlled man.
He drinks and smokes but only at the end of the day and not so much that his judgment is impaired.
The widower uses every opportunity he gets to see his daughter. While he never stops thinking about his cases, they never consume him. Like most crime fiction protagonists, Sejer is driven to succeed by a desire to see justice done.
He has a strong moral code that compels him to respect his leaders and to walk the straight and narrow path. The cases the inspector encounters are typically brutal in nature and they are designed to force the audience to question their understanding of certain moral and social issues.
Karin Fossum frequently tackles subjects like inequality, immigration and sexism. Many of her antagonists are just ordinary people who were pushed too far.
Inspector Konrad Sejer Awards
Karin Fossum has won numerous awards for her Inspector Konrad Sejer series, this including, The Gumshoe Awards, Brage Prize, Rivertonprisen, Bokhandleprisen, and the Glass Key Award for When the Devil Holds the Candle, Elskede Poona, Se deg ikke tilbake, Den som frykter ulven, and Se deg ikke tilbake respectively.
Inspector Konrad Sejer Books into Movies
The Girl by the Lake, an Italian movie from 2007 was based on the Inspector Konrad Sejer novel Don’t Look Back. It was directed by Andrea Molaioli.
Best Inspector Konrad Sejer Books
Karin Fossum is often praised for her strong plots and the fact that her detective is so different from the crime fiction norm, with some of the best novels in her Inspector Sejer series including:
Don’t Look Back: The village at the foot of Kollem Mountain was a beautiful place to live, not only because of the scenery but also because of the peace and quiet, not to mention the friendly neighbors and safe streets.
But then a teenage girl was murdered and her remains were discovered near the lake. Now the peace has been shattered. Everyone supposedly loved the victim. It is up to Inspector Sejer to discover the secrets hiding behind the village’s inviting façade.
When the Devil Holds the Candle: Zipp and Andreas stole a purse from a stroller and didn’t think much of it. They didn’t know that their actions had led to the infant’s death. And they did not hesitate to follow an elderly woman home, with Andreas eventually following her into her house, switchblade drawn.
Now it is up to Inspector Sejer and his partner to resolve the infant’s death and determine how it connects to a local delinquent who disappeared.
Other Book Series You May Like
The “Rebecka Martinsson” Series by Asa Larsson is another great series. Rebecka fled her home a long time ago in disgrace. Now a Stockholm attorney, Rebecka is forced to return to Kiruna to help her friend solve her brother’s murder. She doesn’t know how drastically her life will change as a result.
Be sure to check out the “Mario Kallio” Series by Leena Lehtolainen as well. Mario Kallio is a police officer operating out of Espoo City. She spends this series trying to solve murders while maintaining a healthy personal life.
What Is The Next Book in The Inspector Sejer Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Inspector Sejer Series. The newest book is The Whisperer and was released on July, 25th 2018.