Crime Fiction Festival Preview: Iceland Noir 2021
November 17 - 20 // Reykjavik, Iceland
Venues: Vinnustofa Kjarvals members’ club | IÐNÓ theatre | in partnership with Storytel, Kjarval & HÍG
I can’t even tell you how excited I am to be writing this blog post right now. After three long years since the last Iceland Noir in 2018, my favorite crime fiction festival is back!!! In less than two months, I’ll be heading to Reykjavik to attend my third Iceland Noir crime fiction festival—and this year, I’m going to be moderating some amazing panels as well as attending as a fan!! Iceland Noir will always have such a special place in my heart. Back in 2016, when Crime by the Book was brand-new and I didn’t really know anyone in the crime fiction community, I booked my first-ever solo international trip and travelled to Reykjavik to attend the Iceland Noir crime festival. I had never met anyone at the festival in real life before, but I was already a huge fan of a number of the authors attending, and thought it would be a fun adventure. Suffice it to say, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. On that trip, I got to meet some of my crime fiction heroes (Sara Blædel, Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, and Ragnar Jónasson in particular!), learn about new authors who went on to become CBTB favorites (this is where I first learned about Thomas Enger’s amazing books!), and meet wonderful book people from all around the world who have remained in my life since then. I will forever be so grateful for that experience back in 2016, and I will also always attend every single Iceland Noir festival that I possibly can! Last year’s festival was cancelled due to the pandemic, but this November, Iceland Noir returns—and it’s going to be better than ever.
So what is Iceland Noir?
Iceland Noir is the first and only festival of crime fiction. It was co-founded in 2013 by Quentin Bates, Ragnar Jónasson & Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. The festival typically takes place every other year in Reykjavik (though of course, the 2020 festival was cancelled), and includes a whole variety of fantastic author events (panels, spotlight interviews, and more) as well as fun special events for festival attendees, too! Check out the full Iceland Noir schedule revealed on the Iceland Noir Twitter!
Who can attend?
Anyone! Tickets for the festival can be purchased online here. You don’t need to speak Icelandic to attend this festival - it’s totally accessible for us English-speakers.
I am quite literally counting down the days until I get on the plane to Reykjavik - and I will of course be bringing the CBTB community along with me! Be sure to follow along with my adventures over on Instagram and Twitter, where I’ll be sharing live updates from the festival. I feel so fortunate to be able to participate in Iceland Noir this year, and can’t wait to share this trip with you all! In the meantime, read on for a bit more information on author appearances I’m excited about at Iceland Noir 2021, as well as an overview of the panels I’ll be moderating. Reykjavik, I will see you SOON! xx Abby
Featured Authors Participating in Iceland Noir 2021
For a rundown of all the amazing authors participating in this festival, visit the Iceland Noir website and Twitter!
Ian Rankin | Anthony Horowitz | Ann Cleeves | Shari Lapena | Sara Blædel | Emelie Schepp | A.J. Finn | Yrsa Sigurdardottir | Ragnar Jonasson | Oskar Gudmundsson | Eva Björg Ægisdóttir
Panels I’m Moderating!
It’s a dream come true to be moderating not one but two amazing panels at Iceland Noir this fall!! I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to speak with all of these amazing authors. I’m counting down the days until these events!
Friday, November 19 at 21:00 - The Viking Panel
Featured Authors: Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Ragnar Jónasson, Oskar Gudmundsson, and Eva Björg Ægisdóttir
About the Panel: I am so, so excited to be able to speak with four very talented Icelandic crime writers at Iceland Noir’s Viking Panel! I’ll be moderating a conversation between two of the biggest names in Icelandic crime fiction (Yrsa and Ragnar) and two of the genre’s rising stars (Oskar and Eva). I’ve already read (and loved!!) almost all of the books available in English by these authors—I’m a huge fan of their work, and can’t wait to speak with them at this panel event!
Saturday, November 20 at 16:00 - Shari Lapena & Crime by the Book In Conversation
About the Panel: I was so honored to be asked to do a spotlight interview with bestselling crime writer Shari Lapena at Iceland Noir as well!! Shari’s psychological suspense novels have been huge bestsellers all around the world, and I am so excited to get the chance to sit down with her and chat about her writing career and her twisty suspense novels. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Shari at previous Iceland Noir festivals, and I’m so thrilled to be able to do this panel event with her. It’s going to be so much fun, and it’s such an honor to be asked to moderate this one!
Interested in attending Iceland Noir 2021?
I’m sure it’s abundantly clear at this point that I would highly encourage anyone who is interested to consider attending Iceland Noir. This is such a special festival filled with lovely bookworms from around the world—it’s an outstanding place to hear from favorite authors, learn about new books, and soak up all the amazing atmosphere that Reykjavik has to offer. If you’re interested in attending Iceland Noir 2021, my vote is a big YES! Tickets for Iceland Noir are available online here. Not able to travel this fall? Make sure you follow along with CBTB on Instagram and Twitter—I’ll be taking you along with me virtually over social media this fall! The countdown to Iceland Noir is officially on, and I simply can’t wait. Hope to see you in Reykjavik!
Nordic Noir fans, listen up: if you’re not already reading the Blix and Ramm series, add it to your to-read pile immediately. Co-written by powerhouse Norwegian crime writers Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst, the Blix and Ramm series merges the best of its authors’ crime writing strengths to deliver a gripping blend of realistic procedural elements and character-driven, emotional suspense. Out last month in e-book and coming soon in paperback, the latest installment, UNHINGED, takes this already-excellent series to the next level. In UNHINGED, protagonists Alexander Blix and Emma Ramm face their most personal case yet when one of their colleagues is targeted in an execution-style killing. UNHINGED pushes this series’ endearing characters to their breaking points in a thrilling plot that is both gripping and deeply heartfelt. I do recommend reading at least this series’ first installment (Death Deserved) before diving into UNHINGED; while the case itself here is stand-alone, much of this story’s impact relies on our connection to its characters, and having a bit of background exposure to them will make readers all the more invested in their fates. Fans of Lars Kepler, Stefan Ahnhem, and Søren Sveistrup won’t want to miss this top-notch Nordic thriller series.