Granite Noir 2024: Norwegian Noir

Granite Noir 2024: Norwegian Noir

Chaired by Katalina Watt

Afternoon delight with two of Norway’s stars! Agnes Ravatn will introduce her latest psychological drama, The Guests and Jørn Lier Horst takes the reader on a man hunt for an  escaped prisoner in Stigma [written with Thomas Enger].

Agnes Ravatn

Agnes Ravatn is a Norwegian author and columnist. She made her literary début with the novel Week 53 in 2007. Since then she has written a number of critically acclaimed and award-winning essay collections, including Standing, Popular Reading and Operation Self-discipline, in which she recounts her experience with social-media addiction. Her debut thriller, The Bird Tribunal, won the cultural radio P2’s listener’s prize in addition to The Youth’s Critic’s Prize, and was made into a successful play in Oslo in 2015. The English translation, published by Orenda Books in 2016, was a WHSmith Fresh Talent Pick, winner of a PEN Translation Award, a BBC Radio Four ‘Book at Bedtime’ and shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award and the 2017 Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year. Critically acclaimed The Seven Doors was published in 2020.

Agnes lives with her family in the Norwegian countryside.

Jørn Lier Horst

Jørn Lier Horst (b. 1970) has, with his award-winning novels about William Wisting, joined the elite of Nordic crime writers. Having worked as a head of investigations before becoming a full-time author, Horst brings a unique brand of suspense and realism to the table. Besides his novels for grown readers, Horst has gained recognition for his unparalleled ability to thrill even young readers with charming mysteries. His standing as the Norwegian king of crime fiction for all ages was cemented when he created the Detective Agency No. 2 and CLUE series, both the most popular children’s book series in their respective age categories. Jørn writes the international, bestselling Blix & Ramm series with Thomas Enger, and lives in Norway.

Katalina Watt

Katalina Watt (she/they) was Longlisted for Penguin Write Now 2020 and received a 2021 Writers Grant from Ladies of Horror Fiction. Her short fiction has been published in various magazines and anthologies including Haunted Voices, Unspeakable, and Extra Teeth. They have appeared at festivals and literary events including Edinburgh International Book Festival, Cymera, and FIYAHCON. Katalina is represented by Robbie Guillory at Underline Literary Agency.

Katalina is Literature Officer at Creative Scotland and Audio Director for khōréō, a speculative fiction magazine for immigrant and diaspora authors.