Police

It's an exciting first foray into the world of Norwegian detective Harry Hole. Unfortunately we're 10 books in already. Nonetheless it hardly suffers for my late arrival. I suspect the first half would have been even more compelling had I read the previous 9, but it was still a fantastically gruesome thrill ride.

Police officers are being killed at the scenes of crimes they failed to solve. The murders are graphic and continue unabated. The police have no leads and the media frenzy is only growing with each death. We're are sent down dark alleys, introduced to a host of possible suspects, all of whom are most certainly guilty of crimes, of murder.

Nesbo does a great job working within the limitations of the written word. Words hide as much as they reveal and Nesbo is a sure hand at twisting them to create incredible tension on the page. He sets down so many threads but keeps a tight rein on all of them.

Translator Don Bartlett should be feted as well for maintaining the tone throughout and the reading is enjoyable throughout.

“Even when they switched off the floodlights the light seemed to hang in the air for a while. But then, gradually, it became quieter. And darker. And even quieter. Until the silence filled all the hollows in the terrain, and the darkness crept out from the forest.”