Anne Holt published her debut book in 1993 with great success and has since then averaged a new novel every year, all of which have been bestsellers in Norway. The author, lawyer and media consultant served as Norway’s Minister of Justice in the ‘90s and is well known in Norway for both her career within the law system and her realistic novels, which often depict with great authenticity the community within the police force.
“1222” is the first novel featuring the Norwegian heroine Hanne Wilhelmsen to be translated into English. Along with several other survivors from a train wreck, Hanne, dependent on a wheelchair, is stuck in a rundown hotel 1222 meters above sea level. And when the priest in the group is shot, this former police officer finds herself drawn into a murder mystery.
“1222” is a great example of the Scandinavian crime tradition, which has been discovered by the rest of the world in recent years. The New York Times and The Washington Post have recommended Holt’s series about Hanne Wilhelmsen, which for several years has been a popular feature in Norwegian literature.