August 31, 2011

Review - "The Devil's Star" by Jo Nesbø

Genre: Mystery/Crime

A serial killer taunts Harry Hole in Nesbø's searing third crime novel to feature the Oslo police detective to be made available in the U.S. (after Nemesis). 

Still suffering from alcohol-fueled demons and obsessed with hunting for evidence against a clearly dirty cop, Hole grudgingly agrees to help look into the murder of a woman whose finger has been amputated and a red diamond stuck under her eyelid. More bodies follow, with the murderer leaving identical five-pointed diamonds (the titular devil's star) at each crime scene. At first the killings appear to be random, but Hole soon discovers an ominous pattern.

"Harry had felt the gnawing ache for alcohol from the momenthe woke up that morning. First as an instinctive physical craving, then as a panic-stricken fear because he had put a distance between himself and his medicine by not taking his hip flask or any money with him to work. Now the ache was entering a new phase in which it was both a wholly physical pain and a feeling of blank terror that he would be torn to pieces..." 


My evaluation

Jo Nesbø writes as always good mystery novels, and his Harry Hole character is one of my favourites, even with - or perhaps because of - his many flaws. Nesbø brilliantly incorporates threads from earlier novels, including Hole's often tumultuous relationship with his lover, Rakel, without ever losing the current story's rhythm. 

This third novel is also very well written, with surprising twists and turns. When you think you have a good idea of what's happening, something complete different turns up. You never know what to expect, just as an exciting mystery/crime story should be!    

Jo Nesbø is my favourite Norwegian author at the moment, and has been for a few years now :-)


My rating

 
of 5 (with a tiny "+" behind the stars)



Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 747 KB
Print Length: 544 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0099546760
Publisher: Vintage Digital (November 10, 2009)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0035OC80I

 

Pic of the day: A Buddha figure from Burma

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