OSLO: Visions of corpses and the scent of blood haunt Norway each year at Easter, when people in this tranquil country traditionally curl up with a thrilling crime novel at their cabin retreats.

In what is undeniably an odd tradition – and a far cry from the cheerful image of the Easter bunny hopping across fields to deliver chocolate eggs – the Easter holiday in Norway is a time for crime.

Bookstore displays are full of detective novels, television and radio stations run crime serials and newspapers publish special literary supplements, all catering to Norwegians’ thirst for thrills.

Even the backs of milk cartons offer mysteries that need solving.

“Along with chocolate bars and oranges, the crime novel has its special place in Norwegians’ backpacks as they head off for their Easter holiday,” said journalist Nils Nordberg, a specialist on the subject.

In order to be properly devoured, the Easter crime novel should be read in the glow of a cozy fireplace at a secluded cabin that one can only get to by donning a pair of skis.

“The setting is ideal. You’re in the mountains, far from everything. Outside, it’s snowing and windy. What could be better than a few chills running down your spine,” said Nordberg.

Getting goose bumps is a natural part of Easter, said Birgitte Lund, a 35-year-old advertising executive.

“When I was nine and we went to our family chalet I wasn’t allowed to watch television, except for the half-hour of children’s programming and the special crime serials shown on public service,” she said.

But why does Norway, where bloodbaths, it must be said, are rare, choose Easter to delve into crime solving?

According to one widely accepted theory, the tradition began in 1923 as the result of a marketing coup.—AFP