Book Review: The Bat by Jo Nesbo (Harry Hole #1)

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Even before I had gotten to the first and my first Jo Nesbo I was kind of sure in my bones that I am going to like it. I have heard people rave about this particular author and since Stieg Larsson we have been flooded by so may Scandinavian authors each better than the last one and Nordic noir achieving a special status in its own right. Some part of me was a bit apprehensive, and not just with  this particular series but with thrillers generally, because can't take gory stuff or too much psychological chill because I don't have the constitution for that, but am I glad I took this up!

Anyway lets get back to the book in hand or in my case, the mobile phone, The Bat, the first Harry Hole (pronounced Holy) novel, by the Norwegian author Jo Nesbo.

The Bat is set in Australia, Sydney to be specific, where we meet Harry Hole the Norwegian police officer who has been sent here to investigate the murder of a young Norwegian celebrity Inger Holter. Harry befriends one of the members of the Australian Police force Andrew Keningston and one of the witnesses of the case Brigitta Enquist, both of whom are unfortunately murdered. Gradually Harry's past is revealed to us as well as quite a bit of history and myth of the smallest continent of the world. With all this happening and things getting really difficult to pin down on anyone person Harry is able to zero in on the fact that a psychopath is at work across the entire country. Who is this person and whether or not s/he gets nabbed makes for the book which stands at a very readable 369 pages.

So, should you read this? Is this worth your time and money? Yes and yes. This is a crime thriller that checks all the right boxes. It has plenty of action. Harry gets into quite a few fights to give you the feels of an American thriller. There are chases, gunplay, victims and gangs. To keep things interesting there is a romantic subplot that has been done nicely. Harry carries the burden of his past and is emotionally scared, Brigitta looks like a sliver of hope to him but is murdered pushing Harry towards the bottle. The only thing is that this is nothing like others from Nordic noir genre.

The book is probably not the very Jo Nesbo but still is a readable book and I have high hopes from the next in the series. 

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