Warning. This review contains some spoilers if you have not read the other Harry Hole books but does not reveal the ending to this book.
Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo is the latest instalment in the Harry Hole series (book 13). We join Harry at the start of this book in LA having left Norway and the police force in the last book. Needless to say he will be back in Norway pretty early on.
The case that leads him back to Norway is a double killing of two women whose connection to each other is that they were both at the same party. Millionaire Markus Roed invited them both to his house for a party and now both women are dead. Roed hires Harry to prove him innocent. Harry is keen to get to the truth and has his own reasons for needing the money.
The police in Norway must solve the case without Harry and his expertise. Several forces join together to solve the crime with Harry existing on the peripheries offering tip offs where he can through unofficial channels. Some characters are open to this, others try to shut Hole out. Tensions flare.
I recommend that you read the blurb of this book before you start reading it. It gives a strong hint as to the content of some of the book and only those prepared to read ahead should do so. This book is not for the squeamish. The bodies are not intact when they are found and yes, as the blurb implies there is a bit of casual cannibalism. If it helps, the more unsavoury aspects of this book are actually essential to the plot. It’s not as gratuitous as it first appears. But the book should really come with a warning. I read a particularly unpleasant section late at night and had an actual nightmare. I’ve never had any dreams relating to previous books even though some of those have their moments too. This one does step up the graphic details. It shouldn’t necessarily put you off but be aware. I wouldn’t have finished this book for anyone but Jo Nesbo. But the worst of it passes relatively quickly.
This book is not a guess who the killer is book. We know from very early on. Harry and the police have to catch up with the reader. And when I say we know who the killer is I mean that we see some of the chapters through their eyes. Which is not actually the same as knowing who they are. Our killer is surprisingly nice at times and well organised and efficient. They’re not nasty or cruel. Just a man with a plan. In a strange way you can disagree entirely with what they’re doing but also in a weird way warm to them a little.
This tale is a twisty one. There will be lots of directions you think this is going throughout and lots of ways that Harry thinks it is going. As ever Nesbo keeps us guessing right until the very end. Even when we think we know what’s going on.
This book has a host of different characters. Some regulars returning for another book. Some new faces. It’s a great mix of picking up working plot lines to expand on existing characters and of letting them branch into something new.
The women in Harry’s life are ever present. From a woman who reminds him of his mother. A one time lover. A relatively new lover. And of course, the deep pain and loss of Harry’s wife. The pain of that loss reverberates through the book and we pick up with Harry still in a very dark place over it.
A touching part of the book is Harry starting to form a relationship with his son Gert. In a book that starts with Harry in such a dark place his time getting to know his son brings light and hope to the story. There is an undeniable connection between the two of them. From the physical connection of Gert having Harry’s blue eyes to a bond that seems to form so naturally. It’s something very uplifting to see amongst the violence and the chaos of Harry’s life.
Now, I really like Jo Nesbo’s books. He’s an excellent writer and I particularly enjoy the Harry Hole books. Things have gone very badly for Harry and the further we’ve all been reading the worse it seems to get. When it seems Harry has nothing else to lose there turns out to be something else. So where does this book sit in relation to the others? I must be perfectly honest here and say that it’s not his best. I’m wincing as I say it because I have the greatest of respect for Jo Nesbo and have enjoyed his books for many years. But this one is far fetched in comparison to his usual plots. The beginning starts well. I was not enjoying it so much through the middle section as things were left hanging strangely but if you persevere it does all come back together. It just felt less like an enjoyable and exciting read and more of a slog than usual. Though the end few chapters really do pick up the pace again and I enjoyed them more. The general vibe is that the book is weird. Well researched and structured but weird.
It will be interesting to see where Nesbo takes Harry Hole in the long term. Apparently he has always had a plan for Harry which he wrote almost twenty years ago. He is sticking to his plan. He knows how the story will end. We can only speculate as to how far along that plan he is now that we’ve hit book 13. Hopefully Harry has a few adventures left in him yet.
It is worth reading this book if you’re a Harry Hole fan. If you have not yet read a Harry Hole book or a Jo Nesbo this is not the place to start. Stick with it in the mid section and don’t read it too late at night! Definitely not one for younger readers. Brace yourself for a peculiar plot and you’ll find it is still enjoyable in places. It’s still well written and will take you to some surprising places.
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