Excellent thriller
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As a fan of scandinavian crime writers, I discovered Nesbo after Mankell, and some others and was not disappointed. Everything in the book scores right on target. Excellent plot with very interesting flashback into a very little known aspect of the second world war in Scandinavia ( little known to me anyway !), very credible characters all around, with a tiny reservation on the main detective , not massively endearing, but ok, and a deliberately frustrating ending, I guess carried on into the following volume now out.
A thriller I would recommend to anyone looking for quality 'gripping' factor.
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The Hole truth
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I must concur with most of the other reviewers - a superb detective story and a charismatic new detective to rival, if not surpass, Kurt Wallender. Where Nesbo scores over Mankell is the tightly plotted story line and plausible psychological motivation despite the complicated and dramatic theme. There are plenty of ironic twists and sharp dialogue as the grumpy (what else) and intuitive Harry Hole follows up a hunch about a deadly sniping rifle smuggled into the country that leads him via a trail of dead bodies to an amazing serial killer and a deadly vengeance whose origins date back to WW2 on the Eastern Front. There is a fair bit of scene switching from the trenches to the modern setting but the killer's identity is fairly well hidden. The reader also gets a fascinating insight into the Norwegian political conscience about their divided loyalty during the war. The detection is a tantalising chase and the action is compelling right to the end. Well written and translated and nesbo leaves a loose end that will surely propel Hole into another story soon. I've already bought the follow up Devil's Star and look forward to more sleepless nights.
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Superb
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Being a dreadfully slow reader I have to say that any novel with more than 300 pages usually puts me right off. But to use the old cliché, this book is a real page turner, and during my recent vacation I could barely put it down. I loved the character of Harry Mole, his less than perfect life and his useless car. The plot twists and turns and comes together wonderfully. Perhaps the only criticism is the sheer number of plot convolutions making the novel a bit reminiscent of those three-part TV dramas. It could have done with a pronunciation guide for all those Norwegian names too - it's not Harry Mole as in annoying furry animal responsible for earth mounds in cricket pitches!
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Excellent
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This is such a good book, couldn't put it down and is a great thriller. Should really appeal to thriller lovers and serious fiction readers alike. The story is fantastic has has a huge amount of depth. Top stuff.
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Stunningly good
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Although this book was written before The Devil's Star they have been released in non-chronological order here. Curiously, although one knows part of what has already happened in this book, it detracts nothing from this reader's enjoyment.
The book is a very satisfying mystery but what makes it much richer is the historical back-story combined with its relevance to current Norweigan society. Ii also reads very well - due, no doubt, to the translator who has managed to convey a certain "Norweigan-ness" through a clever use of idiom and straight translation.
Aside from the mystery and wider setting of the book there are some great characters and several highly involving sub-plots (for want of a better phrase).
I haven't enjoyed a book so much for a very long time.
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