Kjersti Scheen (17 August 1943 â 8 January 2026) was a Norwegian journalist, illustrator, novelist, crime fiction writer and children's writer. A book illustrator from the mid 1960s, she made her literary debut with the children's picture book in 1976. She later wrote novels for adults about women with traumatic childhoods, as well as a series of crime novels with Margaret Moss as the principal character.
Scheen was born in Oslo on 17 August 1943. Her parents were illustrator Abraham Bøchman Scheen and Marit Rønning. She was married to potter Kyrre Grepp from 1967 to 1971, and from 1983 to . Scheen died on 8 January 2026, at the age of 82.
Scheen studied at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry from 1960 to 1964. She worked as a freelance illustrator from 1963 to 1970, when she was appointed journalist and illustrator for the newspaper . From 1980 she was a full-time independent writer and illustrator. Scheen made her literary debut in 1976 with the children's book . This earned her the picture book prize from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality.
She wrote three humorous easy-to-read books for children, (1988), (1989), and (1990). Later children's booksâÂÂwhich she wrote throughout her literary careerâÂÂwere (1998), (2000), (2002), (2004), (2005), (2006), (2007), and (2012).
Her first book for adults was the novel (1986), followed by the novels (1990) and (1991). These books all had female protagonists with traumatic childhood experiences. In 1992, she wrote her first novel for young adults, . This was followed by the novels (1992), (1993), where issues like anorexia were highlighted, and (1993). also earned her the literature prize from the Ministry of Culture.
Her novel Teppefall from 1994 was the first in a series of crime novels featuring ex-actress "Margaret Moss" as the main character. Subsequent crime novels in the series Moss included (1996), (1998), (2000), and (2003).
Scheen was awarded the Gyldendal's Endowment, a Norwegian literary prize, in 1994 (shared with Bjørn Aamodt). Her books have been translated into several languages. She was a board member of from 1977 to 1981, and of the Norwegian Writers for Children from 1989 to 1993.