Books
William Wisting books in order
Looking for Jørn Lier Horst’s William Wisting books in publication order? Look no further!
Jørn Lier Horst worked as a police officer and head of investigations before becoming a full-time writer and has established himself as one of the most successful authors to come out of Scandinavia. His books have sold over two million copies in his native Norway alone and he’s published in twenty-six languages.
The Wisting TV series, produced by the team behind Wallander and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was a hit BBC series in 2019 with a second series due to air soon.
If you’re at a loss as for where to start, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Here are all of Jørn Lier Horst’s William Wisting books in order.
Jørn Lier Horst’s William Wisting books in publication order:
Closed for Winter by Jørn Lier Horst
2. Closed for Winter (2013)
William Wisting has encountered grotesque murders before. Nonetheless, he finds the savagely beaten corpse in a holiday cottage on the Vestfold coast particularly disturbing. His daughter Line, finally coming out of a dangerous relationship, finds another body in a boat close by. There will be more, and a dangerous journey into Euro-crime for Wisting before the case comes to its breath-taking conclusion.
The Hunting Dogs by Jørn Lier Horst
3. The Hunting Dogs (2014)
Seventeen years ago, William Wisting led one of Norway’s most notorious murder investigations into the killing of young Cecilia Linde. The discovery that evidence was falsified and the wrong man convicted, results in his suspension. With the media baying for blood, only Wisting’s journalist daughter, Line, is on his side. Worse, the real murderer must still be out there…
The Caveman by Jørn Lier Horst
4. The Caveman (2015)
Only three houses away from Wisting’s, a man has been sitting dead in front of his TV for four months. There is no indication anything criminal has taken place. His death doesn’t hit the headlines, but something about the case that catches the attention of William Wisting’s journalist daughter, Line.
Ordeal by Jørn Lier Horst
5. Ordeal (2016)
When the notorious Frank Mandt dies, his granddaughter, Sofie Lund, inherits his house and the mysterious safe in the basement. Line Wisting is with her when the safe is opened and what they discover leads Line’s father, Chief Inspector William Wisting, along a trail of murder and narcotics to an ordeal that will separate the innocent from the damned.
When it Grows Dark by Jørn Lier Horst
6. When It Grows Dark (2017)
Christmas is approaching and ambitious young police officer William Wisting has just become the father of twins. Edged off a robbery investigation by more experienced officers, he is soon on a less prestigious case: In a dilapidated barn stands a forgotten, bullet-riddled car. How long has it been there and what happened to the driver?
The Night Man by Jørn Lier Horst
7. The Night Man (2022)
Gruesome happenings in the quiet town of Larvik. Only one man is capable of solving them: Chief Inspector William Wisting. Before long, more bodies are found. Media frenzy sweeps the locals into panic. And when Wisting’s investigation leads him to a deadly underground crime ring, he fears the whole town may be in danger. But at the heart of it is the gang’s elusive leader: The Night Man. Who Wisting must find if he wants to stop the murders.
Snow Fall by Jørn Lier Horst
8. Snow Fall (2023)
When the body of an Australian backpacker is found in Spain, an online group of amateur true crime sleuths springs up around the world, attempting to solve the mystery of her death. Foremost on the message boards is Astri, a young Norwegian woman whose feverish pursuit takes her closer than anyone else to solving the case.
But just as she prepares to publicly unravel the mystery, she goes offline. No one in the group has heard from her since. When William Wisting is sent to investigate, he is plunged deep into a fascinating world of unorthodox investigators, whose connections are as vague and varied as their abilities. But in a dangerous case where nothing is as it seems, these online detectives may be the best hope he has for solving the mystery – before another victim falls..
The Traitor by Jørn Lier Horst
9. The Traitor (November 2024)
Following weeks of heavy rain, the earth comes crumbling down on one of Larvik’s residential areas, burying a handful of houses.
Detective William Wisting is quick to join the rescue operation. Luckily, by sunrise the next day, it becomes clear that the landslide has claimed no victims. And yet, just twenty-four hours later, a body is found – and the victim was killed before the landslide.
As Wisting opens an investigation into the mysterious murder, he soon discovers this death might have dangerous ties to a series of ongoing cases. And the clues start leading Wisting not towards an enemy on the outside – but to a traitor in his own unit…
Plus…
The Cold Case Quartet
Jørn Lier Horst wrote 4 new Wisting books from 2018 to 2021 in which Wisting explores different approaches to solving old cases.
The Katharina Code by Jørn Lier Horst
1. The Katharina Code (2018)
Katharina went missing twenty-four years ago. Each year on the anniversary of her disappearance Chief Inspector William Wisting visits her husband, the man he could never help.
He re-reads her files, searching for the answer he could never find. The code he could never solve. Until now.
This year is going to be different. Another woman is missing. And so is Katharina’s husband. Wisting has to find him, but is he rescuing a dear friend, or playing a deadly game?
The Cabin by Jørn Lier Horst
2. The Cabin (2019)
15 years ago, Simon Meier walked out of his house and was never seen again. With no leads, the case quickly ran cold. Until now.
Because one day ago, politician Bernard Clausen died. And in his cabin on the Norwegian coast, police make a shocking discovery. Boxes of bank notes, worth millions of dollars. Collecting dust.
Chief Inspector William Wisting thinks it could link to Meier’s disappearance. But solving both cases will mean working with an old adversary, and delving into a dark underworld – which leads closer to home than he could have imagined…
The Inner Darkness by Jorn Lier Horst
3. The Inner Darkness (2020)
Five years ago, serial killer Tom Kerr was imprisoned. Today, he’s out to reveal the resting place of his final victim. However, Detective Wisting is taking no chances. Kerr is chained and handcuffed. The police have dogs and guns.
But minutes after entering the forest, Wisting’s officers lie broken and bleeding. And Kerr has vanished into the woods. Too late, Wisting realises their error. What’s worse, Kerr had an accomplice who was never caught.
Now two murderers are on the loose – and Wisting has just hours to find them…
A Question of Guilt by Jorn Lier Horst
4. A Question of Guilt (2021)
In 1999, seventeen-year-old Tone Vaterland was killed on her way home from work.Desperate for a conviction the police deemed the investigation an open-and-shut case and sent her spurned boyfriend, Danny Momrak, down for murder. But twenty years later William Wisting receives a puzzling letter. It suggests the wrong man was convicted for Tone’s death. And the real murderer is still out there.
Wisting is quickly thrown into a terrifying race against time where he must find the sender, decipher this mysterious letter and catch the real killer – before they strike again.
There you have it – all Jørn Lier Horst’s William Wisting books in order! How many have you read? Let us know in the comments below…
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Love this series but I believe there are earlier books which haven’t been translated, which is a shame.