Carl Valdemar Jussi Henry Adler-Olsen (born 1950) is a Danish author who, after following several different courses of study and engaging in various professions, embarked on his literary career with two books about Groucho Marx in 1984. His bestsellers include the thriller Alfabethuset (Alphabet House) (1997) and, most recently, Journal 64 (2010).
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Born on 2 August 1950 in Copenhagen, he was the youngest of four children and the only boy. Son of the successful sexologist Henry Olsen, he spent his childhood with his family in several mental hospitals across Denmark. In his late teens, he played in several pop groups as lead guitar. After graduating from the state school in Rødovre, he studied medicine, sociology and film making. In the late 1970s, he worked in various areas of publishing including cartoon-scripting, proof-reading and journalism.[1]
In 1980, he embarked on the compilation of Denmark's first cartoon encyclopedia, Komiklex, which he completed in 1985. He went on to write two books about Groucho Marx (1984–1985). In 1989, he published Fred på tryk, the only widely quoted Danish bibliography on literature dealing with peace and security.
His first successful novel, Alfabethuset (The Alphabet House), followed in 1997. It tells the story of two British pilots on a secret mission who are shot down in Germany during World War II. It was followed in 2002 by Og hun takkede guderne (The Company Basher), a thriller set in Iraq in which an Indonesian specialist in destroying large corporations is persuaded to bring down an oil company.[2]
In 2006, Washington dekretet (The Washington Decree) begins with the assassination of the Democratic front-runner on the eve of an American presidential election.[3]
His first novels in the crime-thriller series about Department Q, Kvinden i buret (The Woman in the Cage) and Fasandræberne (The Pheasant Killers) were published in 2007 and 2008. Both are set in Denmark where they enhanced his popularity, appearing at the top of bestseller lists. Then followed Flaskepost fra P (Message in a Bottle) in 2009,[1] and his latest Department Q book, Journal 64, was published in 2010.
Adler-Olsen's novels have been sold in 25 countries including China, Germany, The Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the US. The Alphabet House has also appeared as a movie.[4]
Works by Jussi Adler-Olsen:
Works in English translation: