Storytel Awards growing strongly - here are the Nordic winners

STOCKHOLM, April 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Storytel Awards is the Nordic region's largest audiobook award, and the local competitions are now closed in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. Around 130,000 Nordic audiobook listeners voted for their favourites – more than double compared to last year – and the winners are... 

In addition to a record-high number of public votes for Storytel Awards in all four countries where the gala is arranged locally, this year's big news is that a winner, for the first time in the history of the prize, managed to win an award in two countries. Swedish crime author Emelie Schepp received two awards: one in Sweden and one in Iceland. Emelie Schepp won the prize for best crime novel in both countries, but with different books: Nio Liv (Nine Lives) in Sweden and Prio ett (Illvirki) (Top Priority (Evil)) in Iceland. Both audiobooks are part of the series about Jana Berzelius. 

In the autumn, Storytel Awards will also be held in the Netherlands, and the ambition is for the awards to be launched in more countries as the audiobook phenomenon grows. 

"It feels great to be able to shine a spotlight on the creative minds behind some of the strong stories that influence, change, and entertain us every day," says Jonas Tellander, founder and CEO of Storytel.

"This is a way for Storytel to celebrate them, and I am incredibly pleased that so many readers throughout the Nordic region have shared who their favourites are by actually going in and actively vote for them." 

Here are the winners by category:

Finland (announced on March 25)

Novel Title: Suon villi laulu (Where the Crawdads Sing)
Author: Delia Owens 
Narrator: Sanna Majuri 

Crime
Title: Kun kuningas kuolee (When the King Dies)
Author: Elina Backman
Narrator: Sanna Majuri

Non Fiction & Biographies
Title: Mercedes Bentso – Totuus ja tunnustus (Truth and Confession)
Author & narrator: Linda-Maria Roine 

Children & Young Adults 
Title: Heinähattu ja Vilttitossu loman tarpeessa (Hayflower and Quiltshoe Need a Vacation) 
Author: Sinikka Nopola & Tiina Nopola
Narrator: Vuokko Hovatta 

Iceland (announced on March 26)

Novel
Title: Sextíu kíló af sólskini (Sixty kilos of Sunshine)
Author & narrator: Hallgrím Helgason

Crime 
Title: Illvirki (Top Priority (Evil))
Author: Emelie ScheppNarrator: Kristján Franklín Magnús