Killing Moon by Jo Nesbø

 

(hb; 2022: thirteenth book in the Harry Hole series. Translated from the Norwegian by Seán Kinsella)

From the inside flap

“Two young women are missing, and the only connection is a party they both attended, hosted by a notorious real-estate magnate. When one of the women is found murdered, the police discover an unusual signature left by the killer, giving them reason to suspect he will strike again.

“They’re facing a killer unlike any other. And exposing the killer calls for a detective like no other. But the legendary Harry Hole is gone—fired from the force, drinking himself to oblivion in Los Angeles. It seems that nothing can entice him back to Oslo. Until the woman who saved Harry’s life is put in grave danger, and he has no choice but to return to the city that haunts him and track down the murderer.

“Catching him will push Harry to the limit. He’ll need to bring together a misfit team of former operatives to prevent another killing. But as the evidence mounts, it becomes clear that there is more to the case than meets the eye.”

 

Review

Killing Moon, like Nesbø’s previous Harry Hole novels, is a near-impossible-to-set-down thriller, with effectively foreshadowed twists and shocks, and an ending that introduces a new (possible) deadly player in Hole’s life, a dark-hearted somebody who may pop up in future Hole books—not the first time Nesbø has done this.

Many of Hole’s Oslo-based (ex-)lovers, friends, and frenemies are, again, essential characters in Killing’s wild-ride storyline, spiced with plenty of red herrings (some easily spotted, others not). Part of the attraction of Nesbø’s Hole series is the author’s willingness to irrevocably turn his characters’ worlds upside down and the bordering-on-quirky inclusion of science-based elements as well as a love of music (especially rock ‘n’ roll, particularly David Bowie, Keith Richards, and even, in Katrine Bratt’s case, death metal [hello, early-in-their-career Carcass!]).

This is one of my favorite reads this year, one worth seeking out. Looking forward to the next Hole thriller.