76. The Redeemer
The Redeemer by Jo NesboHarry Hole, Book 6
Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett
Pages: 457
Ages: 18+
Finished: Apr. 12, 2009
First Published: 2005 (Norway), Mar, 10 2009 UK/Can
Genre: crime fiction, mystery
Rating: 4.5/5
Reason for Reading: Received a Review Copy from Random House Canada.
First sentence:
She was fourteen years old and sure that if she shut her eyes tight and concentrated she could see the stars through the roof.
Comments: One evening during Christmas a Salvation Army man is shot (assassination style) at his collection post. As the police try to find whether this murder is aimed at the Salvation Army as a whole the man's brother is shot at and barely escapes with his life. Now it becomes a family thing and the police want to know which brother was the real target or are they both wanted dead? But when a seemingly unrelated woman's brutal death soon follows the police are stumped as to whether there is any connection. There is an unknown hit man on the loose and the bodies are piling up when another man related to the case kills himself.
An absolutely brilliant piece of crime fiction! Starting out slowly with the first hit and lots of character introductions and generous characterizations filled with background the reader gets to know the people involved. This is a thinking man's mystery, no car chases or helpless females running through the woods with a serial killer chasing after them. No, most of the detection is done inside Harry Hole's head as he pieces the bits of evidence together and his team goes out into the field to bring him answers to his questions. An amazingly intricate plot, I had no idea how this was going to end. Once I had my mind on whodunit a wide curve would set my mind reeling in a different direction and I was completely shocked by the solution. Of course, I found myself set up with a misconception right from the beginning too. True brilliance. Somewhat slower of a read than the slash and dash thrillers I usually read but oh so much more rewarding with it's intelligent plot and real, flawed characters. I'm anxious to go back and read the other's in this series I've not read yet and I so hope the publishers go back and have #1 and #2 in this series translated to English as soon as possible. Highly recommended!
Hi Nicola - I just got The Redbreast in the mail yesterday for $1.99! :) Is there an obvious progression within the books? Can you tell that they are out of order?
ReplyDeleteWell, The Redbreast is the first one available in English (#3) so you have nowhere else to start at the moment unless you read Norwegian. But, yeah, the two I've read, especially this one, The Redeemer, you can tell there is a whole history between the characters and previous cases are mentioned so do read them in order.
ReplyDeleteSo for you, start with #3 (The Redbreast) and go from there. My thinking is they will publilsh #7 next before they go back and do #1 and #2. Frustrating, but while there is always a new one I can't see them going back until there is a lull in new releases. (just imho)
For me, I'll be reading #5 next, since it's in between the two I've read and will tie up some hanging threads for me. Then I'll go back to #3. Not the ideal way, but when you get them as arcs (hence free) you can't complain!
LOL! No, I don't read Norwegian. :) Okay, so currently #3 is our #1. (That's what I thought from an old conversation.) Well, when they do translate the original 1 and 2, then those will be like prequels to us. :) And, I agree - no complaints about FREE ARCs. :)
ReplyDeleteAhhh, it's past 9:00 - I've gotta get off this computer!
Wow! This one does sound like a good read. I haven't read a good crime mystery in awhile so I may have to keep a look-out for this one.
ReplyDelete