Guri Idsø Viken - Selected Title Author

What is your book about?

Crash is based on real events surrounding the largest fraud case in Norwegian history—an affair that, strangely enough, also laid the foundation for the establishment of the Norwegian Labour Party.

In 1885, Arendal is Norway’s undisputed wealthiest city, thanks to shipping and timber. Bank director, shipowner, and industrial baron Axel Herlofson owns the businesses people work for and the houses they live in, and controls their money through his bank. He is well-liked by both the elite and the working class, known for taking good care of his workers—or so they think. What they don’t know is that Herlofson has been using their money as his personal piggybank while harboring a self-destructive penchant for young men and opium. The only ones who know about his secrets are the French owner of a dress salon in town and a young accountant, Thomas Berntzen. But when they both get too close, the cracks start to show, and an entire city teeters on the brink of collapse.

What inspired you to write this book?

I had read a lot about the Arendal crash and found it shocking that such a significant event remains relatively unknown in Norway. The financial collapse wiped out billions of kroner in today’s value from Southern Norway, and historians have compared its impact to the burning of Finnmark during World War II and even the Black Death. At the same time, I saw a goldmine of material for a novel in this story—it sits right at the turning point between the old and new world, between a rigid class system and the rise of the working class.

I was also deeply fascinated by Axel Herlofson as a character. He had every advantage in life and yet lost everything, so I knew there had to be something going on with him. When I discovered that he was likely queer, that was like hitting the jackpot. A writer’s jackpot!

Who is the intended audience for this book?

I believe the book has a broad audience—ranging from history buffs to those who love immersing themselves in another era through literature, as well as readers drawn to dramatic love stories. I’ve gotten many grateful messages from (business)men, which tells me the book resonates with them—a response I truly appreciate. At the same time, many women have connected with my depictions of the early women’s movement and labor uprisings.

What sets your book apart from other books within the same genre?

Arendal during the age of sailing ships was a unique world in itself—so different from the rest of Norway and so closely tied to Europe and the global economy. I’ve done extensive research, ensuring that details about food, clothing, culture, and social customs are historically accurate. But I’ve also made sure to delve deeply into my characters—physically, sexually, and emotionally. You’ll find ladies of the upper-class masturbating, women bleeding, and powerful men submitting to male lovers. It’s a combination that I believe will resonate with an international audience.

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