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Wow... it seems incredible, but each book I have read recently becomes my latest Favourite author/novel. This is a little ridculous, but true. Why is that?
Well I can make this claim because I have read this book from Jo Nesbø.
Nesbo has departed from the Harry Hole series in this superbly written first person story.Those averse to novels written in the first person will find it hard going, but if you can cope with that, it is an excellent book and if you haven't read Nesbø before, I can assure you that you will again.
Offering an insight to the world of economics and business recruitment. (no doubt Nesbø drew upon his former profession as a source for this book), this is not the usual murder mystery but a little bit of a love story, or at least besotted love, part art history/theft story and mostly psychological thriller, as the reader is manipulated into different directions by the twists and turns of this story.
The characters, particularly the protaganist Roger Brown, were utterly believable, and his background and mindset, so carefully woven in to the story. However the crowning glory of this book was the fact that you could never anticipate the ending, no matter what.
Roger Brown, albeit a man of short stature, (which is the bane of his existence), is the epitome of business success with a perfect track record of recruitment, but has a dark secret that even his stunningly beautiful wife, ( who appears to be equally besotted with him) is unaware. Does she have secrets too? Why is her heart so sad? Enter another man who intervenes in their lives in a most unexpected but equally manipulative way with deadly consequences.
The police are not present in this story, and this is in contrast to Nesbø's other Harry Hole's stories. You are Roger Brown and experience all that he experiences, even the black humour and dire situation he finds himself in when trying to elude his pursuer. This scene, which I won't detail as it will spoil it, is so completely original and hilarious at the same time and cemented my admiration for this writer. Who else could inject black humour in to the totally serious psychological thriller, but Nesbø?
Becoming a motion picture I hope will only add interest to Nesbø's work, and this work in particular. Released in Oslo 2011.
The good: Enthralling, riveting, edge of your chair thriller, which CANNOT be put down, and this, always a hackneyed phrase, is more than accurate, in this instance. I had to finish this book in one session. Final plot twist, and all those before it as well.
The bad: One particular scene, where the protaganist eludes his pursuer in the most unlikely of places.Hilarious, yet bad..
The ugly: Description of a liasion gone wrong, with a female women who was not Roger's wife.
This really has to be read...... only wish I could write like this....what a talent....
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Even though I think Nesbø is a fantastic writer, I didn´t like this one nearly as much as his Harry Hole stories. One reason was that I didn´t like the main character much, but I am also willing to admit that I do prefer series so I mainly saw this one as a detour - while we were waiting for Harry ;)
ReplyDeleteDprte H.
I think a lot of people seem to have this opinon Dorthe, but seeing as I had only read two of Nesbø's book prior to this, I wasnt' that attached to Harry yet.
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