Let’s get it out of the way.

“You said Harry.”

“Yeah! And then you said Hole!’

“Huh huh huh huh huh huh huh”

“Yeah. Heh heh. Yeah. Hole.”

“Huh huh. Harry Hole.”

I knew you were thinking the same thing. What an AWFUL name for a character! This is a translation from Norweigian, so the pronounciation is something like “Hoo-leh.” Still, it’s not pretty in English.

OK. Now that we have THAT out of the way, on to the review.

I’d heard that Nesbo’s writing was comparable to Stieg Larsson, author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. A couple of people had recommended his novels to me, so I started with the first in the Harry Hole series. It’s everything I had expected it to be, and therefore, was quite enjoyable.

Though a bit predictable in parts, this crime novel is exciting to read. The characters are memorable and as a reader you are expertly led down a few paths of deception as to who is committing the rapes and murders of young women in Australia. Although I figured out the killer prior to the big reveal, and also predicted a few of the other big shockers in the novel, it’s a solid whodunit with a not-so-happy ending, leaving the door open for many more installments. I believe there are at least 10 in the series, and I’m not sure if there are plans to make more. I have the next two in my possession, and I will definitely be checking those out soon.

I read this book on my spring break vacation to Florida, all-told it probably took me three hours to finish. Particularly when I was getting toward the end and wanted to see how it wrapped up. Quick pace, but blink and you’ll miss something important. Thumbs up from me.