Minette Walters finds inspiration in Norwegian triple-murder

[pengolodh_sc at yahoo.no]

Since there seem to be a number of fans of Minette Walters on this 
list, I thought this article might prove interesting to you.

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BRITISH QUEEN OF MYSTERY-NOVELS:
Writes Novel based on the Orderud-case
10. apr 2001 06:55

British mystery-writer Minette Walters uses the Orderud-case as basis 
for an upcoming novel. For more than a year she has had every least 
development of the case translated and sent to her. 

- I am deeply and endlessly fascinated. The Orderud-case is what I 
consider my type of story. It is an absolutely extraordinary story 
that completely surpasses a writers imagination, says Walters to 
Norwegian paper Dagens Næringsliv.

Gains inspiration
The successful British novelist, who has been translated to 32 
languages, says that she often gains inspiration from real cases, but 
that the books nevertheless are not blueprints of the cases. Her 
detailed knowledge of the Orderud-case will also not be directly 
reproduced in the new novel. 

- I do not use the stories such as they are, but rather as a basis 
for fiction. I think it should be a Norwegian who writes the 
documentary book on this case, she says. 

Still, she refers to the Orderud-intrigue as «total inspiration».

Psychological side 
- What fascinates me is that you have all the elements together: From 
the man with contacts in the underworld to the diplomat-couple who 
find a car-bomb, and the overhanging criminal-intrigue. Also the 
psychological side of the case is interesting, from the authoritarian 
parents to their son who was relatively poorly treated, says Walters

The Orderud-case has not been referred to in any degree in British 
papers, and it was a coincidental quick visit to Norway last autumn 
that laid the basis for the mystery-queen's interest. 

- Everybody around me was so full of this case, and they all had 
their theories. Since then I have brought myself up to speed on this 
case, says Walters.

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The Orderud-case, also known as "The Triple-Murder", has has bogged 
down Norwegian press for more than a year.  Here is a bit more about 
the case.

Anne Orderud Paust was the personal secretary of then Minister of 
Defence Dag Jostein Fjærvoll, while her husband Per Paust was a 
diplomat, when on July 16th 1998, a dynamite-bomb was discovered 
under her car. On August 12th that year, somebody attempted to put 
fire on their apartment-building - a leak propane-tank had been 
placed their, gas was splattered over the floor of the entrance-hall 
and somebody had tried to put fire to it, unsuccessfully. At that 
time it also became known that somebody had tried to assault Per 
Paust in 1996. The police-investigation concluded that the 
assassination-attempts were not related to the couple's work.

The two moved to New York later that summer, Per Paust substituting 
as Norwegian Consul General in New York. January 1999 they returned 
to Norway. On May 6th that year, Per Paust died from natural causes. 
On May 23rd, the bodies of Anne Orderud Paust and her parents Anne 
Marie Orderud and Kristian Orderud were discovered at the in-law 
house at Orderud-farm, all three shot several times.

The murder made big headlines in Norway, as something like this is 
very uncommon. The investigation was high-profile, and Headlines 
again exploded as police arrested Anne Orderud's brother Per Orderud, 
his 18 year younger wife Veronica Orderud, her sister, former nude-
model Kristin Kirkemo and Kristin's former boyfriend Lars Grønnerød, 
a known criminal, convicted on several charges related to auto-theft, 
drug-possession with the intent to sell and fencing (receipt of 
stolen property).

The current theory is that the murder arouse from a family-feud, 
founded on Anne Maria and Kristian Orderud refusing to let Per 
Orderud inherit the family-farm, instead letting it go to Anne 
Orderud Paust.  At the time, Per Orderud had been running the farm 
for a number of years, his parents having moved to another house on 
the property.  [There is in Norway a tradition what when a farm is 
taken over by a new owner because the previous owners are to old to 
run it, he lets the previous owners stay "på kår" (literal 
translation:  "on terms"), meaning they get accommodation and life-
support from the new owner – this will be included as a term in the 
contract.  It is particularly common when a family-farm is taken over 
by a younger member of the family.]

As I type this, it is only a short while till the start of the trial. 
There is however still trouble with finding qualified jurors, and the 
counsel of one defendant tries to have the assistant counsel of one 
of the other defendants thrown from the case. The charges are as 
follows:

"The autumn of 1998 Veronica and Per Kristian Orderud turned to 
Kristin Kirkemo Haukeland and Lars Grønnerød with a request for the 
acquisition of firearms. 
 
Per Kristian Orderud then proceeded to give Lars Grønnerød money for 
this acquisition. 
On December 22nd 1998 Kristin Kirkemo Haukeland used parts of this 
sum to buy two pistols calibre .22 with ammunition from an individual 
in Molde. 

The Christmas-party

During a visit at Orderud farm December 23rd same year, she handed 
the guns and ammunition over to Veronica and Per Kristian Orderud. 

Per and Veronica Orderud. 

On the same evening and or the following night Veronica and Per 
Kristian Orderud, Kristin Kirkemo Haukeland and Lars Grønnerød 
planned in greater detail how the murders of Kristian Magnus Orderud, 
Marie Orderud and Anne Orderud Paust should be carried out. Veronica 
and Per Kristian Orderud were at this occasion also given 
instructions in the use of the weapons. 

Change of Weapons

The night before April 3rd on Orderud farm, Per Kristian Orderud 
received a revolver calibre .38 with ammunition in exchange for one 
of the pistols that Kristin Kirkemo Haukeland had provided. The 
change of weapons took place on the initiative of Per Kristian 
Orderud. Following premeditation, the murders were carried out as 
follows:

The Triple-murder

A. The night before Saturday May 22nd 1999 in the in-law-house at 
Orderud farm, Kristian Magnus Orderud was shot in his chest and neck 
with a revolver calibre .38 and a pistol calibre .22, killing him. 

B. The night before Saturday May 22nd 1999 in the in-law-house at 
Orderud farm, Marie Orderud was shot in her chest, neck and abdomen 
with a revolver calibre .38 and a pistol calibre .22, killing her. 

C. The night before Saturday May 22nd 1999 in the in-law-house at 
Orderud farm, Anne Orderud Paust was shot in her throat, neck, chest 
and back with a revolver calibre .38 and a pistol calibre .22, 
killing her."

Best regards
Christian Stubø