Reading order · 15 books · 2011 to 2026 · Set in Larvik
William Wisting Books in Order
Chief Inspector William Wisting is a patient, thorough detective in Larvik, on the south coast of Norway, written by a former police investigator. His daughter Line is an investigative journalist, and their work often crosses. Quiet, realistic procedurals.
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Series facts
- Books
- 15
- Published
- 2011 to 2026
- First book
- Dregs
- Latest out
- The Lake (2025)
- Next
- The Last Case (2026, forthcoming)
- Setting
- Set in Larvik
The reading order
Every William Wisting book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
15 books · Set in Larvik
- 1Dregs2011With William WistingSevered left feet, still in their trainers, keep washing up on the beaches near Larvik, and Wisting investigates.Buy on Amazon
- 2Closed for Winter2013With William WistingWisting investigates a break-in at a summer cabin on the coast, where a body is found, and a string of burglaries along the shore.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Hunting Dogs2014With William WistingWisting is suspended when it emerges that evidence in a famous kidnapping case he solved seventeen years ago was faked, and Line sets out to help clear his name.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Caveman2015With William WistingA man is found dead in his armchair, four months after he died, just down the road from Line’s house.Buy on Amazon
- 5Ordeal2016With William WistingWisting has spent months failing to solve the disappearance of a taxi driver, and a new discovery points to a man already in prison for another murder.Buy on Amazon
- 6When It Grows Dark2017With William WistingIn 1983, a young William Wisting investigates a stolen car, and is drawn into his first serious case.Buy on Amazon
- 7The Katharina Code2018With William WistingEvery year on the anniversary of his wife’s disappearance, Wisting visits Martin Haugen, whose wife Katharina vanished twenty-four years ago, leaving behind only a coded note.Buy on Amazon
- 8The Cabin2019With William WistingWhen a former government minister dies, millions in cash are found hidden in his holiday cabin, and Wisting is asked to investigate in secret.Buy on Amazon
- 9The Inner Darkness2020With William WistingA convicted killer offers to show the police where another of his victims is buried, and then escapes during the search.Buy on Amazon
- 10A Question of Guilt2021With William WistingWisting receives anonymous letters bearing the case numbers of old crimes, pointing to the murder of a young woman, a case closed long ago.Buy on Amazon
- 11The Night Man2022With William WistingA young woman’s head is found on a stake in Larvik’s town square.Buy on Amazon
- 12Snow Fall2023With William WistingAn Australian backpacker’s death in Spain draws a group of amateur online sleuths, and when a young Norwegian member goes silent after claiming a breakthrough, Wisting is sent to investigate.Buy on Amazon
- 13The Traitor2024With William WistingA landslide buries houses in Larvik and no one is thought to have died, until a body is found of a victim killed before the slide, and the clues point to a traitor within Wisting’s unit.Buy on Amazon
- 14The Lake2025With William WistingFarris Lake is drained for dam repairs, revealing the remains of a young man missing for eight years and the belongings of a girl who vanished four years later.Buy on Amazon
- 15The Last Case2026With William Wisting · ForthcomingLine Wisting looks into the hidden past of Adrian Stiller of the Cold Case Unit, while Wisting investigates the suspicious death of his former boss.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in English publication order, starting with Dregs. The Cold Case Quartet, beginning with The Katharina Code, is a good place to start too.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | William Wisting | Nils Hammer | Espen Mortensen | Line Wisting | Amalie | Adrian Stiller |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dregs | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ||
| 2 Closed for Winter | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ||
| 3 The Hunting Dogs | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ||
| 4 The Caveman | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 5 Ordeal | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 6 When It Grows Dark | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 7 The Katharina Code | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor |
| 8 The Cabin | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor |
| 9 The Inner Darkness | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor |
| 10 A Question of Guilt | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor |
| 11 The Night Man | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 12 Snow Fall | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 13 The Traitor | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 14 The Lake | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 15 The Last Case | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
Characters in the William Wisting books
6 characters from Jørn Lier Horst’s chart, with the number of William Wisting books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| William WistingChief Inspector in Larvik | 15 | Dregs 2011 |
| Nils HammerDetective and Wisting’s colleague | 15 | Dregs 2011 |
| Espen MortensenCrime scene technician | 15 | Dregs 2011 |
| Line WistingWilliam’s daughter, a journalist | 14 | Dregs 2011 |
| AmalieLine’s daughter | 12 | The Caveman 2015 |
| Adrian StillerCold case investigator from Kripos | 4 | The Katharina Code 2018 |