Jógvan Isaksen

Sweet is Summer Night in the Faroe Islands

Genre: Crime Novel
Publisher: Mentunargrunnur Studentafelagsins
Year: 1990
Pages: 190
ISBN: 978-99918-790-6-2
English translation available

A gripping crime novel that uncovers dark secrets from the Second World War beneath the surface of the Faroe Islands.

In the late 1980s, freelance journalist Hannis Martinsson becomes suspicious when two of his friends die under mysterious circumstances. Convinced that their deaths were no accident, he begins an investigation that leads him into a dangerous web of deception stretching far beyond the Faroes.

As Martinsson follows a trail of clues, he uncovers a decades-old secret linked to the Second World War and a group of men determined to recover a hidden treasure at any cost. With the help of his girlfriend, police officer Duruta and a circle of trusted friends, he must race against time to expose the truth before it disappears forever.

Combining historical intrigue, suspense, and a vividly rendered Faroese setting, Sweet Is a Summer Night in the Faroe Islands marks the first appearance of Hannis Martinsson, the journalist-detective who would become one of Faroese crime fiction's most beloved protagonists.

Jógvan Isaksen (b. 1950) is the Faroe Islands' leading crime writer and the creator of the Hannis Martinsson series. Holding a master's degree in Nordic Literature, he has taught Faroese language and literature at the University of Copenhagen since 1986. Alongside his academic work, he has published numerous books on Faroese literature. His crime novels have made him a household name.

Awards and nominations: Faroese National Literature Prize (M.A. Jacobsen) 1994; Faroese Culture Prize Honorary Award 2006; Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel 2024

Rights holder: Jógvan Isaksen

Rights sold: Iceland, Norway, Denmark, UK, Germany