Author Jørgen Jæger is Norway’s third best-selling crime writer, with over 1.7 million books sold. A total of 15 books have been published about police investigator Ole Vik and his colleague Cecilie Hopen in the fictional village of Fjellberghavn in Sogn.

Now, the immensely popular book series is becoming a TV crime drama on TV 2, starring Kristofer Hivju in the lead role.

"It is a great honor to play the iconic Ole Vik. Jørgen Jæger has written fantastic books, and we look forward to bringing his universe to the television screen," says Hivju.

The plot of Sogn Murders takes place deep within a fjord in Sogn, in a small fruit-growing village that appears to be paradise on earth. Here, 43-year-old Ole Vik rules the local police station. The merging of police districts threatens the very existence of the small station, but thanks to Ole’s determination, they have “survived” — for now.

The peace of the small community begins to crack when 25-year-old Cecilie Hopen (played by Eili Harboe) from the National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos) catches the scent of a criminal network and must go undercover as a police academy student on placement in the village. It soon becomes clear that it is not easy to pose as a student at a police station facing closure in a remote fjord — especially when a suspicious death occurs in the community. Was it really an accident?

Ole and Cecilie are an unlikely pair, representing “two worlds” and opposite extremes — but when they work together, they become an unstoppable duo.

Eili Harboe plays police investigator Cecilie Hopen. She is excited to portray a character many already know well from the books:

"It’s incredibly exciting to play a character that so many have such a strong relationship with. I hope we can help convey a story that sparks curiosity, and that viewers become invested in the characters," says Harboe.

SOGN MURDERS is produced by Nordisk Film Production for TV 2 Norway in coproduction with ARD Degeto Film in Germany and TV4 in Sweden. With support from the Norwegian Film Institute, Nordisk Film and TV Fond and Zefyr. SOGN MURDERS has also been sold to MTV in Finland and DR in Denmark.

Kristoffer Metcalfe is the series creator and director, with Kathrine Valen Zeiner on the writing team. The producer is Sigurd Mikal Karoliussen.
 
Series creator and director Kristoffer Metcalfe speaks about a strong collaboration with author Jørgen Jæger:

"Our starting point is Jørgen Jæger’s literary universe, and we have received great freedom from Jæger himself to adapt it from book to series. It’s inspiring to build on his strong, human crime stories, which we then weave into our own universe and our own characters," says Metcalfe.

TV 2’s Program Director, Trygve Rønningen, both believes and hopes the new crime drama will have broad appeal:

"Sogn Murders is a series we have high expectations for. With quality actors, a fantastic location that showcases Norwegian nature, and — not least — content based on Jørgen Jæger’s books, we have all the ingredients for a success. The series is a character-driven crime drama with a strong emotional core and an engaging cast of characters that will captivate the audience," says Rønningen.

Original title: Mord i Sogn

Director: Kristoffer Metcalfe

Writer: Kathrine Valen Zeiner

Producer: Sigurd Mikal Karoliussen

Main cast: Kristofer Hivju, Eili Harboe

Partners: ARD Degeto Film (Germany), TV4 (Sweden), Norwegian Film Institute, Nordisk Film and TV Fond and Zefyr. The TV-series has also been sold to MTV (Finland) and DR (Denmark).