20. Nemesis
Nemesis by Jo NesboTranslated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett
Harry Hole series, Book 4
Pages: 474
Finished: Jan. 30, 2009
First Published: May 6, 2008
Genre: crime, mystery
Rating: 5/5
Reason for Reading: Book was sent to me for review by Random House Canada. Paperback is available this month.
First sentence:
I'm going to die.
Comments: This book is impossible to summarize. The story is incredibly intricate and several cases intertwine with each other. The back of my paperback copy gives a plot outline which really only deals with the second half of the book. Harry Hole is a Norwegian detective and he is called onto a case involving a bank robbery where a hostage is killed in cold blood. Later on he receives a call for a date from an old flame and wakes up the next morning remembering nothing only to find out she was murdered sometime that evening. These two cases take the forefront and many, many things twist and turn before the final outcome. I love a mystery that I cannot guess whodunit before the reveal. I had my guesses but they were wrong.
While the plot and the story is intense the characterization is wonderful. Harry is a flawed man, a recovering alcoholic with a great relationship in progress. He is not exactly everybody's favourite at the station as he has his own way of doing things and often disregards procedure.
Jo Nesbo has, I think, finally crossed the line between mystery and literature. While a great crime novel it is also a beautifully written and deeply profound story of characters. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading more from Nesbo. I just wish they would publish the series in the order it was written. So far they have published the English translations in this order #5, #3, #4 and #6 will published in English later this year. Recommended!
Hey, you were suppose to tell me when you were going to read this so we could read it together. Whats up with that?
ReplyDeleteI told you when we were msn-ing last time that I was reading it. You must have skipped over that part! At the speed you read, it will take you a while to read anyway but it's good. So go for it!
ReplyDeleteWell I will definately be reading it. It sounds really good!
ReplyDeleteThat is quite strange that they aren't publishing it in order. LOL! I would think that would be frustrating for readers! You would think they would get that. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI added the link to the ARC Challenge post.
Hmm. I wonder if they will get to #1 & 2. Maybe I should just jump in with #3, so I don't get too far behind if I like it.
ReplyDeleteI'd say jump in with #3 because there is actually a 7th book written in Norwegian and I would think they'd do that one next so then we'd have 3 through 7.
ReplyDeleteBut hopefully, they do go back to do 1 & 2 as it's frustrating knowing there is a beginning but not being able to read it! And I don't think I'll be learning Norwegian any time soon!