The “jury” for this annual prize consists of everyone working in Norwegian book stores.

"This is a very special prize, since the winner is decided by votes from the foot soldiers of literature. It's a very democratic prize", Renberg said to Norwegian daily Dagbladet.

There were 15 nominees to the prize. Previous winners include, among others, Per Petterson, Anne B. Ragde, Jo Nesbø, Jostein Gaarder, Erik Fosnes Hansen, Åsne Seierstad, Erlend Loe and Karin Fossum.

CHARLOTTE ISABEL HANSEN is Renberg’s third book about Jarle Klepp, and thus a free-standing sequel to THE MAN WHO LOVED YNGVE (2003) and THE ORHEIM COMPANY (2005). The Norwegian print run so far is 45.000 copies.