1222 by Anne Holt; Translated by Marlaine Delargy; A Hanne Wilhelmsen Novel, Book 8; Unabridged MP3 Audio Book; Narrator Kate Reading

From Norway’s #1 bestselling crime writer comes a suspenseful locked-room mystery, the US debut of a new series, set in an isolated hotel where guests stranded during a monumental snowstorm begin turning up dead.

A train on its way to the northern reaches of Norway careens off the track during a massive blizzard, 1,222 meters above sea level. The passengers abandon the train for a nearby, century-old hotel that is practically empty except for the staff. With plenty of food and shelter from the storm, the passengers think they are safe—until one of them turns up dead. With no sign of rescue and the storm continuing to rage, retired police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen is asked to investigate. Paralyzed by a bullet lodged in her spine, Hanne has no wish to return to police work. Bitter and antisocial, she is slowly coaxed back to her old habits as curiosity and a natural talent for observation compel her to take an interest in the passengers and their secrets. When another body turns up, Hanne realizes that time is running out and she must act fast before panic takes over. Trapped in her wheelchair, trapped by the storm, and now trapped with a killer, Hanne has to fit the pieces of the puzzle together before they strike again.

Anne Holt’s books have sold more than five million copies in Europe, and her books are #1 bestsellers in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland. Now she is poised to gain a huge American following with this captivating new mystery that pays homage to Agatha Christie and her classic book, And Then There Were None.

“Anne Holt is the godmother of modern Norwegian crime fiction.”—Jo Nesbø, New York Times bestselling author

“Anne Holt is a thriller writer of the highest order. With the claustrophobic and breathless suspense in 1222 she, again, proves her extraordinary abilities.”—Liza Marklund, New York Times bestselling author

“1222 is a splendidly chilly read this icy December.”—Guardian (London)

It’s easy to see why Anne Holt, former minister of justice in Norway, and currently its bestselling female crime writer, is rapturously received in the rest of Europe…The buildup of tension is slow but superbly effective. Holt’s vivid depiction of claustrophobia, petty squabbles, and mob hysteria is just as convincing as her evocation of the storm outside.”—Guardian (London)

“Holt deftly marshals her perplexing narrative…There is a great deal of mileage still left in the well-worn tropes that Holt has channeled. The clichés are resolutely seen off by the sheer energy and vitality of her writing…The large cast of potential victims is handled with prodigious skill—as is the uncompromising, short-fused heroine. As for the plot itself, it moves with the speed of the ill-fated train—but, unlike the train, Anne Holt’s storytelling never comes off the rails.”—Independent (London)

“Retired police detective Hanne Wilhelmsen makes her US debut in Holt’s intriguing reimagining of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None…The prickly Hanne is worth getting to know.”—Publishers Weekly

“Bestselling Norwegian author Holt channels her inner Agatha Christie to deliver a frigidly good whodunit as she introduces the first of a new mystery series.”—Library Journal

“Step aside, Stieg Larsson. Holt is the queen of Scandinavian crime thrillers…Captures the Agatha Christie spirit of the good, old-fashioned murder mystery.”—Red Magazine (UK)

“A fascinating, extremely modern homage to the classic detective novel.”—Der Spiegel (Germany)

“A pleasure from start to finish…A dazzling and classic crime story and a brilliant thriller.”—Bokavisen (Norway)

“Holt updates the classic locked-room mystery with such bravado that on the last page the reader can only give a deep sigh of contentment.”—Aamulehti (Finland)

“A masterpiece of the genre, a real nonstop read.”—Skånska Dagbladet(Sweden)

ANNE HOLT has worked as a journalist and news anchor and spent two years working for the Oslo Police Department before founding her own law firm and serving as Norway’s Minister for Justice for part of 1996 and 1997. Her first book was published in 1993, and her work has been translated into twenty-five languages. She lives in Oslo with her family.

Kate Reading has been a freelance narrator for over twenty years. She received an Audie Award for Bellwether by Connie Willis; an Audie nomination for The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, recorded with her husband, Michael Kramer; and an Audie nomination for Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell. She has also received numerous Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine, which has named her Narrator of the Year and, for two years running, Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy for her narration of Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series. As Jennifer Mendenhall, she has worked as a stage actor in the Washington, D.C., area and has been a member of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company since 1987. Her work onstage has been recognized by the Helen Hayes Awards Society, the Washington Theatre Lobby Awards, and the Carbonell Awards in Florida. She and her husband live in Hyattsville, Maryland, with their two children.