The Thirst by Jo Nesbo

The Thirst: A New Harry Hole Novel by Jo Nesbǿ; translated from the Norwegian by Neil Smith --- 462 pages

The eleventh in Nesbǿ's series of police thrillers featuring his obsessive, alcoholic, self-destructive detective Harry Hole, is another tightly wrought tale of obsession and vengeance.

Harry has a new life now with the woman he loves; a new job as an instructor at the police college, training young police officers; he's climbed out of the wreckage he'd made of his life and found a fragile, precarious happiness. 

But unfortunately, a serial murderer has begun targeting women who use an online dating service called Tinder to meet men. But the killer has more in mind than just murder; he's using his victims to attract attention. And Harry begins to suspect it's his attention the killer is seeking. 

Nesbǿ is one of the best known and most popular writers of Nordic Noir. 

Click HERE to read the review in Publishers Weekly.

Click HERE to watch an interview with Nesbǿ on Youtube.

Click HERE to read an interview with Nesbǿ from the UK Independent.

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo - 397 pages

The Redeemer is sixth in Nesbo’s superior Harry Hole series, set in the capital of Norway. This time, Harry has to stop a contract killer and sort out bad apples within the hierarchy of the Salvation Army as well as his own Oslo Police District. Harry is a perfectly flawed hero, and personal demons rule in this tale of…retribution? revenge? Or redemption? Read this one with cup of hot tea or an Irish coffee – it’s cold out there.

Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbø

Blood on Snow: A Novel by JoNesbø; translated from the Norwegian by Neil Smith --- 208 pages

In this novella by the author of the Harry Hole police thrillers, Nesbø takes as his unlikely hero a "fixer" named Olaf. Olaf became a "fixer" (a contract killer) because, he tells us, he failed miserably as a getaway driver, a pimp and a drug dealer. But he's very good at killing people, mostly because he can work alone and at his own pace. 

But now he's been ordered to fix his mobster boss's beautiful, unfaithful wife. Olaf is leery of doing this job, because it will mean he has a hold over his boss. That will make the boss anxious; and who's to say he won't decide to relieve that anxiety by getting rid of Olaf?

Olaf is the narrator of the story, so we see things from his point of view --- which may or may not be entirely reliable. Reportedly the book has already been optioned as a vehicle for Leonardo DiCaprio, and the strong visual elements and escalating tension seem ready made for film. (Although DiCaprio would not be my choice for the lead.)

If you haven't read Nesbø before, this would be an intriguing introduction to his brand of  Nordic Noir. It's short enough to read in one sitting, and compulsive enough to make that likely. I certainly couldn't put it down.

Click HERE to read a review from The Guardian.

Click HERE to listen to a review on NPR.

Click HERE to read an opposing viewpoint from the New York Times.

Click HERE to read a review from the Boston Globe.