Select one of the keywords
Police: A Harry Hole Novel    by Jo Nesbo Amazon.com order for
Police
by Jo Nesbo
Order:  USA  Can
Knopf, 2013 (2013)
Hardcover, CD, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Tim Davis

This latest novel from Jo Nesbo, the tenth in the popular series featuring Harry Hole (pronounced HOH-leh), unfolds with an apparent serial killer on the loose. And—making the police department in Oslo most concerned - the killer's targets are policemen whose mutilated bodies are found at the scenes of earlier murder investigations.

Avoiding the scrutiny of the chief of police, a small team of investigators works under the radar, hoping to stop the killer (or are there multiple killers?) before more people become victims. The team, however, with crime rate and body count rising, soon realizes that it cannot manage without the special skills of one person who is no longer a police officer: Harry Hole. So, in spite of his past problems, a reluctant Harry agrees to offer his assistance.

Readers may be surprised to discover that they will need to have completed about a third of the novel before Harry makes his first significant appearance. Then, at about the halfway point in Police, the plot really kicks into high gear, and Harry - aware of the paradoxes involved - reaches two important conclusions: (1) the investigators are looking for 'someone who loves more than he hates'; and (2) the killer(s) may have special connections with (or within) the police department.

Then readers will wonder: Is Harry correct this time? Yes, he has a track record of never (well, almost never) being wrong in past cases (e.g., consider his track record and reputation in Norway, Australia, Thailand, and Hong Kong when he solved other serious crimes). This time, though, especially since Harry most likely will go down with the killer(s) if he solves the case, the Nordic master among criminal investigators may have met his match.

Finally, readers can be assured of this: Police is a first-class crime novel that Harry Hole fans will not want to miss. Enjoy!

Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.

Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews