Ever since the Stieg Larsson series, it seems that everyone is reading Scandinavian thrillers and mysteries. Swedish and Norwegian writers are especially popular. In my opinion, the best of the lot is Jo Nesbo who writes about a Norwegian detective with the unusual name of Harry Hole.
I may not have enjoyed "The Leopard" as much as Nesbo's "The Snowman" or "The Redbreast," but it is still a cracking good read. As all of Nesbo's books, it is a page turner that will keep you reading long into the night. The "hero" of the series is Harry Hole, an alcoholic drug using detective, who is in bad shape as "The Leopard" opens. Despite his dark and troubled persona, he is wildly attractive to women, perhaps they fancy saving Harry from his self-destructive habits.
At any rate, in this story which opens in Hong Kong, his attractive colleague Kaja convinces Harry to return to Norway where his father is in hospital dying and to help the crime squad solve a vicious series of murders. The killer is picking off, one by one, a group of skiers and wilderness lovers who were on holiday in an isolated mountain area, north of Oslo. Complicating matters are the usual interoffice rivalry and politics, which are interfering with the finding of the killer.
Harry is every boss's nightmare, as he ignores any and all authority and essentially solves his cases alone or with one or two partners whom he trusts, though never completely. The story moves from Hong Kong to Norway, to Africa and back to Europe.
Jo Nesbo is an intelligent and imaginative writer. His books are lengthy with many red herrings and twists to keep the reader interested. When the last page is finished, you will find yourself looking forward to Harry's next dangerous escapade. If you haven't read any of Nesbo's books, I would recommend you begin with "The Snowman."
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