VÅLDETS Ö – ISLE OF VILE
By Hjorth & Thorsson
WHEN A WOMAN is found dead in a stable, Helga Þóra Jónsdóttir of Iceland’s Violent Crimes Unit is put on the case. She learns that the victim had a ten-year-old son, but when she arrives at the boy’s home, he is nowhere to be found. The clues lead her deep into Iceland’s treacherous volcanic terrain, where she must seek help from Bjarki Guðmundsson – a respected yet reclusive motorcycle officer, known for his resemblance to the mythical Grettir from the Icelandic sagas.
AS THE INVESTIGATION unfolds, Helga realises she is hunting a serial killer, and Bjarki becomes an unofficial member of the team. Their combined strengths – Helga’s sharp intellect and human expertise, and Bjarki’s physical prowess and fearless instinct – make them a formidable duo.
THE FIRST NOVEL in this brand new series culminates in a dramatic chase across Iceland’s famous highlands, setting the stage for the next books, where Helga’s team expands, the criminal cases continue to push the police force to its limits, loyalties are tested, family tensions escalate, and the relationship between the two protagonists deepens.
THE HELGA & BJARKI SERIES is a gripping Nordic noir – a blend of dark, atmospheric thriller and police procedural. Set in present-day Iceland, it merges the stark beauty and isolation of the Icelandic landscape with intricate suspenseful cases, dramatic relationships, and deep psychological exploration.
AT THE HEART of the series is an unexpected yet captivating partnership between two dynamic protagonists: Helga, an ambitious and justice-driven former social worker turned violent crimes detective, and Bjarki, a reclusive motorcycle cop and search-and-rescue specialist. The Icelandic setting is not just a backdrop – it is a central character in the series. The country’s vast, untamed landscapes, from volcanic highlands to remote fishing villages, mirror the emotional and physical isolation of the characters. Each instalment in the series explores a different aspect of Iceland, from the bustling streets of Reykjavík to the dangerous beauty of the wilderness, giving the story a strong and distinctive sense of place.
ABOUT THE BOOK
To be published by Norstedts, Sweden 2026
RIGHTS SOLD
Bulgaria, ERA
Denmark, Politiken
Finland, Otava
Germany, Rowohlt
Iceland, Forlagið
The Netherlands, HarperCollins NL
Norway, Aschehoug
Slovakia, IKAR
Serbia, Dokaz
Sweden, Norstedts
REVIEWS
Isle of Vile is everything you can ask for in classic Nordic noir, but in a very untraditional way – the best of both worlds combined. Hjorth & Thorsson is a new author duo who mixes Swedish and Icelandic crime traditions while adding a special dark nerve that stays with the reader for a long time. It took just a few pages for me to see that this manuscript was something really outstanding. Isle of Vile has a page-turning pace which leaves the reader almost breathless, and a fierce drive that makes you stay on the pages until the end. It’s classic Nordic noir at its best!
– Adam Dahlin (Literary Director), Norstedts
Michael Hjorth has of one of the most brilliant criminal minds on the Nordic scene, and I am eager to follow his dark plots anytime, anywhere. Add Bjarni Thorsson’s Iceland to the mix, with its vast, dangerous and unbelievably beautiful landscape, its mythology and edge, and I think the risks of success are immense for this series. Helga and Bjarki are the strongest duo of protagonists I have encountered in a very long time, and I am so thrilled and proud that Aschehoug will be their Norwegian publisher. We’re in for a ride!
– Annette Orre (Editor-in-Chief), Aschehoug
Rowohlt Verlag has published Michael Hjorth for many years and I am a big fan – and I absolutely adore the Iceland crime series he started together with Bjarni Thorsson! I was so thrilled by the pitch of this fantastic series. I love the Icelandic setting and the atmosphere, the plot, the twists, the pace, and above all, the characters, especially Helga and Bjarki! The series has every potential to be a huge success in Germany.
– Nina Grabe (Acquiring Editor), Rowohlt Verlag
When I heard about the new project from Michael Hjorth and Bjarni Thorsson, I couldn’t have been more excited: this new series meets everything that fans of Nordic thrillers are currently looking for. At Otava, we have successfully published the Bergman series by Michael Hjorth and Hans Rosenfeldt for years. The series has been a huge bestseller in Finland, and we know the incredible skill Michael Hjorth has in writing the world’s best Scandinavian thrillers. Now that he is joining forces with Bjarni Thorsson, I can’t help but think that everything to come will be something unique. The magical Icelandic setting combined with the expertise of two top-notch storytellers could not be a more perfect combination for the greatest upcoming success in Nordic thrillers. We can’t wait to launch the series in Finnish.
– Antti Kasper (Publishing Director), Otava
When I first heard about this new project, I dropped everything to get a hold of reading materials. I immediately fell for the pitch, since I am a great fan of crime stories set in Iceland and a big fan of the Sebastian Bergman series. The promise of this new series – the gritty environment combined with the characters of Helga and Bjarki who are confronted with intriguing and bone chilling crimes – makes this already an unputdownable read for the Dutch and Flemish readers, who are very fond of Nordic noir stories. We envision a big, broad readership for the books and look forward to the impact that the series will make in this language territory!
– Soraya Vink (Senior Commissioning Editor Crime/Suspense), HarperCollins Holland
We at Forlagið couldn’t be more thrilled to be the publishers of The Helga & Bjarki Series by Michael Hjorth and Bjarni Thorsson, both extremely talented storytellers. I was immediately captivated by the strong duo of protagonists and the explosive mix of Swedish and Icelandic crime writing tradition, which makes for a compulsive read. I can’t wait to bring this brilliantly constructed, fast paced and highly enjoyable series to the Icelandic readers next year.
– Holmfridur (Úa) Matthíasdóttir (Publisher), Forlagið
ERA has published to great success the Sebastian Bergman novels by Michael Hjorth and Hans Rosenfeldt. And now with the forthcoming Helga & Bjarki Series we are thrilled to experience the blend of Swedish and Icelandic literary tradition, masterfully created by talented duo Michael Hjorth and Bjarni Thorsson. The enchanting and mystic Icelandic scenery, the twists and turns of the story, but most of all the troubled and charming characters Helga and Bjarki will definitely win even more fans of Nordic crime.
– Tsvetelina Decheva (Publishing Director), ERA
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