Eva Fretheim

Photo credit: Anna-Julia Granberg

In Residence: January - March 2027

Eva Fretheim is a journalist and author based in Moss, Norway. She holds a master's degree in journalism from OsloMet and made her literary debut with the novel Pink Cotton Candy. In 2022, she entered the crime fiction genre with Queenland, which earned her the Maurits Hansen Award – New Blood. Her second novel, The Bird King (2024), received widespread critical acclaim and was awarded both the Riverton Prize and the Glass Key Award. The Paper Dolls, the third instalment in her crime series featuring police investigator Vigdis Malmstrøm, was published in early 2025 to rave reviews.

During her residency at Artica Svalbard, Fretheim will begin work on a new crime novel set in Svalbard, exploring themes of climate change and rapid societal transformation. The project builds on research undertaken during her master's degree, which focused on climate journalism and storytelling, and included two reporting trips to the archipelago. Drawing on this material alongside new research conducted during her stay, Fretheim will investigate how environmental and social change shape both place and narrative.

Nature, climate, light, and darkness have been recurring themes throughout Fretheim’s writing. In Svalbard, she aims to deepen this exploration through a story rooted in the unique landscapes, communities, and contemporary realities of the High Arctic.

Websites: Winje Agency / Tinden