1 March 2011

Crime Fiction Alphabet: H is for Harry Hole

No, the image to the right is not Harry Hole, it is his creator Jo Nesbo.
I don't think Harry Hole has a TV image yet, but perhaps someone can correct me.

You haven't met Harry Hole yet? Well, if you like gritty  Norwegian crime fiction then you need to make his acquaintance soon.

THE REDBREAST, my rating 4.5   
First published in Norwegian 2000. Translate into English 2006. Norwegian's history stretches its tentacles into the year 2000. This features Norwegian detective Harry Hole recently promoted to Inspector to hide the true story of how he came to shoot an American security agent during a  visit to Oslo by the American President.
A crime novel that is more a thriller than a mystery. A complex story.
Harry is tracing the importation into Norway of a rare weapon, when reports come in that it has been fired. A veteran  ex-soldier is found with his throat cut, and Harry keeps coming up with the same set of names.   

THE DEVIL'S STAR   my rating 4.8
 Set in Oslo. Detective Harry Hole is an alcoholic who has been absent from work for the last 4 weeks.
He is highly valued by his boss who has covered up for him and marked his absence as annual leave. But now it is crunch time. He has been assigned to a case with an adversary whom he is convinced was responsible for the death of a colleague. Harry has no choice now - he must return to work or quit. The new case involves what appear to be serial killings where the murderer is leaving clues related to a five-pointed star - the devil's star. Highly recommended.

Check some of my other reviews
NEMESIS
THE REDEEMER
THE SNOWMAN

I have yet to read THE LEOPARD which I have on my Kindle.

The list of titles - courtesy EuroCrime - showing the order you should read them in.

Detective Harry Hole, Oslo, Norway
• The Bat Man20121
The Redbreast20063
Nemesis20084
The Devil's Star20055
The Redeemer20096
The Snowman20107
The Leopard20118

This post is a contribution to this week's Crime Fiction Alphabet - letter H

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kerrie - What a great choice for the letter "H." Hole is a unique detective and I like that series a lot. I'm glad you highlighted him.

Bernadette said...

There is no book 2?

Susan said...

What a lovely way to do letter H, Kerrie! You know of my mad affair with Harry, so I rushed to your post as soon as I saw his name. You were the one to get me reading him :-) so reading your reviews was remembering how I met my detective crush! lol I've got The Snowman next here beside me to read, I'm saving it for a treat - really, I'm saving it because once it's read, it's a long wait for the next one.

Kerrie said...

I think the list just shows titles now available in English Bernadette, The Bat Man appears to go back to the beginning.

Enjoy Susan!

Dorte H said...

Wonderful choice for H!

NB: I have read The Bat Man - okay, but not of the same high quality as Nesbø´s later books. I have never read the second, though, as it is out of print and I won´t pay through the nose for a secondhand copy.

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