The sale of crime novels in Norway increases 500% in the week leading up to Easter.\u00a0 Norwegians simply love to read crime novels around Eastertime.\u00a0 When I first heard this, my first question was why Easter?\u00a0 Halloween seemed like the most reasonable holiday to be accompanied by a crime theme if I were to choose one.\u00a0 I do not believe anyone knows the origins of the tradition\u00a0for certain, but I have found one theory.\ufffd<\/p>\n
Prior to 1923, new novels were released in the fall.\u00a0 Kind of like movies in the U.S.-the major blockbusters usually come out late spring-summer.\u00a0 In an apparent\u00a0marketing campaign, the Gyldendal <\/strong>Publishing house decided to release a book about a criminal act on a Train in Norway set at Eastertime.\u00a0\u00a0 In Norway, as I have referenced in several of my posts, it\u00a0is\u00a0very quiet on Sundays and on holidays, times when most businesses are closed.\u00a0 This means no entertainment outside of the home.\u00a0 With a new crime novel out, this seemed like a great form of entertainment in an entertainment-deprived time.\u00a0 And thus, according to many people, the mystery of crime novels in Norway at Eastertime is solved.<\/p>\n Although it has become more and more popular for Norwegians to travel south over Easter break (which is typically about 5 days, much more than we receive in the U.S.), many people still engage in the old tradition of snuggling up in their hytte <\/strong>(cabin) next to the fireplace reading a thrilling, suspenseful, crime novel.\u00a0 There are very few things better than a long day out in the snow skiing or snowmobiling and then returning to a nice warm, cozy place with a good meal followed by a couple hours on the couch totally into a good book.\u00a0<\/p>\n I have not yet read any Norwegian crime novels, but I hear author Kjell Ola Dahl recently released his book ‘The Fourth Man’ that is supposed to be fantastic.\u00a0<\/p>\n Have any of you read any Norwegian crime novels?\u00a0 Any one particular author you recommend?\u00a0 I have heard that Jo Nesb\u00f8 is great.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The sale of crime novels in Norway increases 500% in the week leading up to Easter.\u00a0 Norwegians simply love to read crime novels around Eastertime.\u00a0 When I first heard this, my first question was why Easter?\u00a0 Halloween seemed like the most reasonable holiday to be accompanied by a crime theme if I were to choose…<\/p>\n