The Conqueror

Description

Jonas Wergeland has been convicted of the murder of his wife, Margrete. What brought Norway's darling to this end? A professor has been set the task of charting a biography of the once celebrated, now notorious, television personality. But the sheer volume of material on his subject is so daunting that the professor finds himself completely at a loss as to how to proceed...until the evening when a mysterious stranger knocks on his door and offers to tell him stories that will help him unravel the strands of Wergeland's life.

Jan Kjaerstad was born in Oslo in 1953. He read theology at the University of Oslo and made his debut as a writer in 1980 with a short story collection, The Earth Turns Quietly. He is also the author of essays, a children's book and editor of the literary magazine Vinduet.

'An enormously accomplished and compelling novel by one of Scandinavia's outstanding contemporary writers. Barbara J. Haveland and Arcadia Books have performed a great service by giving us Kjaerstad in English at last' - Paul Auster'I read the Norwegian writer Jan Kjaerstad's energetic blast of a novel, The Seducer, in one. It's irresistible and playful' - Ali Smith, TLS'Jan Kjaerstad is a brave writer. The Seducer succeeds at being a great work of fiction, and a terrific read' - Anna Paterson, Independent