Stein Riverton was born Kristoffer Elvestad Svensen in a small Norwegian town near the Swedish border in 1884. After being caught embezzling money as a young office boy, he changed his name to Sven Elvestad and moved to Kristiania (Oslo) to start a new life as a journalist. He became notable for his stunts as a reporter, including spending a day in a circus lion’s cage. He was also the first foreign reporter to interview Adolf Hitler.

Under the pen name Stein Riverton, he wrote a series of crime novels featuring the retired police detective Asbjørn Krag. Published in 1909, Jernvognen (The Iron Chariot) is regarded as his masterpiece. He died in 1934.

The Riverton Prize, awarded annually to the best Norwegian crime story, is named after him.