[2] When asked, “How did the Nazi Occupation of Norway translate into the plot of your novel?” Mr. Petterson responded, “Well, like I said, I do not plan, so that double meaning came up when I needed it.

You see, I hate research.” [2] Out Stealing Horses is the story of Norwegian man Trond Sanders, aged 67, who goes to live quietly in a cottage in a remote part of Norway in 1999.

He meets a neighbour, Lars, whom he recognises from when they were boys, and this leads him to reflect on events that happened when he was a teen.

Trond later finds out that the previous day, Jon had been shooting hares and had forgotten to unload his gun when he came home.

Trond finds out that during the war, his father and Jon’s mother were part of the Resistance, working with others to smuggle people and documents over the border to neutral Sweden.

One time, German soldiers find Jon’s mother rowing a man across the river, and shoot him.

Time magazine's Lev Grossman named it one of the Top 10 Fiction Books of 2007, ranking it at #4, and praising it as a "page-turner".