A “crime wave” began in Eymundsson bookstores across Iceland on Thursday which will be “crime infested” for a few weeks. Capital region police chief Stefán Eiríksson started the event by reading a chapter from his favorite suspense thriller.
During the next few weeks Eymundsson will celebrate crime in literature by offering over 100 book titles, crime novels, horror stories and suspense thrillers, at a special three-for-two discount.
“The purpose of the ‘crime wave’ is to encourage Icelanders to read more, […] a well-read nation benefits all,” Eymundsson CEO Kristinn Vilbergsson said in a statement. “Crime novels appeal to all readers.”
This weekend the Icelandic Crime Writer Association Blóddropinn will present a crime novelist with its first award. The winner will be Iceland’s contribution to the Glass Key Award, granted by the Crime Writers of Scandinavia Association next year.
The nominees for the Blóddropinn Award are:
Fartheginn (“The Passenger”) by Árni Thórarinsson and Páll Kristinn Pálsson, Hid stórfenglega leyndarmál heimsins (“The Magnificent Secret of the World”) by Steinar Braga, Konungsbók (“Book of Kings”) by Arnaldur Indridason, Mordid í Rockville (“The Murder in Rockville”) by Stella Blómkvist, Sá ydar sem syndlaus er (“The One of You Who Is Sin Free”) by Aevar Örn Jósepsson, Sér grefur gröf (“Everyone Digs Their Own Grave”) by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir, Skipid (“The Ship”) by Stefán Máni and Skuldadagar (“Days of Reckoning”) by Jökull Valsson.
The crime novel traces back to US author and poet Edgar Allan Poe in the 19th century, by many considered the first crime novelist.
In Iceland crime novels have long been looked upon as second-class literature, but in recent years have received recognition, particularly because of how well Icelandic crime novels have been received abroad.
Dedicated Icelandic crime writers and the number of published suspense novels in Iceland increase every year.
