BOOK: The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo, 618 pages
Book 3 of 8 in the Harry Hole series

Criminal Plots Challenge: book blurbed by an author; Mystery and Suspense Challenge

I picked this book for the Criminal Plots Challenge. One of the categories was to read a book by a new to you author who has blurbed on a book you've liked.  I read The Man on the Balcony, and Jo Nesbo wrote a blurb on that cover. And now I've found a new series to follow - Harry Hole.

Jo Nesbo is a Norwegian author, and Harry Hole is the down-on-his-luck detective. A struggling alcoholic who gets moved around the Oslo police department because of events that happen to Harry. The cover hints at an espionage/world war 2 type of story, but it's much more a detective story. There are lots of characters, but it doesn't take too long to like Harry a lot, and root for him. This was a long book (over 600 pages) which means it took a long time to set up the story and realize what exactly the mystery was. I was a bit confused with the past and present stories, and all the Norwegian names, but I often have that issue, and just read through it.  Once I hit the half way part though, I couldn't put it down.

Loved the setting, loved the characters, even the ones I hated. My library doesn't have the first two book, both of which are referred to - something that happened with Harry in Australia, and something that happened in Thailand. I'll keep reading this series as one of the characters and his duplicity have not been discovered yet - looks like a long-term story arc for Harry.

 also reviewed: kerry at mysteries in paradise; susan at you can never have too many books;