Eight stars
There is always a great deal of excitement that comes over me when I see a new publication by Jo Nesbø. His books leave me thinking and wondering when it comes to crime thrillers, especially those of a dark, Scandinavian nature. Nesbø's long-running Harry Hole series has kept me intrigued since I stumbled upon it years ago. Translated from the original Norwegian, the stories provide a dark, yet highly alluring, set of crimes as graphic as they come. With Harry hiding away in Los Angeles, it will take an intense case back in Oslo to convince him to return to the country that has caused him so much pain. Nesbø delivers a great story, sure to keep series fans hooked until all is revealed!
While Harry Hole has travelled to Los Angeles to lick his wounds, there is no end to the drama. Hole wants nothing to do with policing or crime solving, though he finds himself in the middle of a mess, as a personal acquaintance has a massive loan out through some less than ideal means. With this massive bill, Harry finds himself trying to see how he can help, if only to keep them alive.
Back in Norway, two women have gone missing after attending a drug-fuelled party. When the authorities discover one of them murdered and some forensic evidence left on the body, they feel that this might mean there are more bodies to come. While the national police work the case as best they can, they know it will require their best asset, Harry Hole, disgraced and fired for his actions.
Negotiating a special truce for a massive payout, Harry agrees to return to Oslo, on a strict timeline in order to save his acquaintance in LA. Exploring all the leads, Harry is able to make some headway, but realises that this is one serial killer with their own impetus for action. Harry will have to use all his operatives to their full extend and then some, but even then the clock is ticking.
This is not only a conniving killer, but one who is ruthless in their treatment of victims, happy to exact brutal pain and suffering, all in the name of an unknown motive. Harry will have to work efficiently and effectively in order to stop the killings, while also coming to terms with everything that pushed him out of Norway from the start. A thrilling story that puts Jo Nesbø at the top of the genre once more.
Those who are familiar with Jo Nesbø and his writing will understand that he never shies away from the detailed descriptions of anything around him. Not only are these novels Scandinavian noir, but also quite graphic in their depiction of some aspects of criminal activity. Nesbø delivers a dark and thought-provoking piece that takes series fans on quite the adventure. Built on a strong narrative base, the story seeks to expound on the struggles that Harry Hole has with his life and working for the police, tossing him on the other side of the world to drown his sorrows. Not only is there a great deal of character development for Harry, but those around him assist in flavouring the story with their own perspectives. The details surrounding the killer and the murders is also quite telling in shaping what happens throughout the book, leaving readers squeamish at times. Plot development is always key to the story and Nesbø does not shirk in this thirteenth book of the series. The dark nature of Scandinavian crime thrillers is not lost on the reader, nor is the seamlessness of the translation. There are definitely some idioms that show the translated nature of the text, but it was mostly an easy to comprehend piece that did not suffer form any lack of momentum. I am eager to see what happens to Harry Hole and what Jo Nesbø feels is yet to come for his protagonist, especially with some of the revelations that come to the surface herein.
Kudos, Mr. Nesbø, for keeping me on my toes and fully invested until the final pages.
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