Cockroaches - Jo Nesbo

I've been a fan of  Norwegian author Jo Nesbo's Detective Harry Hole series from the first North American release. But, sometimes, the order of publication in North America does not match the original release/writing date.

Last year saw the N.A. release of the first book The Bat. It was great to read the first book and discover the 'origins' of Harry. (my review) And the second Harry Hole book, Cockroaches, is newly released.

The Norwegian ambassador in Thailand has been found dead in a known brothel. It's definitely murder, but that won't play well in the papers. Just back from his surprising success in helping the Aussies solve a case, Harry finds himself volunteered to head to Thailand to help the local force close the case.

Fans of Nesbo know what a conflicted soul Harry is. It's revealing to read the first books in this series and see the origins of the character as Nesbo fleshes him out. As well, there are glimpses into Harry's life that help to explain his addictive and self destructive tendencies.

But, Harry's sense of justice and unerring desire to ferret out the truth seems to override everything else - often to his own detriment. What the higher ups want is this embarrassing event quietly put to bed. That's not what Harry wants.
 
Nesbo paints a disturbing portrait of Thailand with his settings and characters. Nesbo inserts social commentary into his books that is always thought provoking. In Cockroaches, it's hard to find a player who isn't corrupt or has nothing to hide.

Nesbo's writing keeps the reader feeling unsettled and unsure of what will happen next. I hate predictable plots and Nesbo kept me guessing. (He usually does)

I've read some negative reviews of these earlier books. I think it's important to remember that the character is still evolving in these first books. Speaking for myself, (and having enjoyed all of the later Hole books), I've really enjoyed these early glimpses into a crime series I really enjoy. Definitely recommended.

Police - Jo Nesbo

Jo Nesbo left us wondering at the end of the ninth book (Phantom) in his Detective Harry Hole series if there would be a tenth book. There is indeed - Police. I think it's the best one yet.

Quite frankly, it's one of the best detective stories I've read in a long time. Nesbo's plotting is spectacular. I really had no idea where the book was going to go. Suspects abound and deceit, lies and corruption are the order of the day from everyone - criminals and cops.

A mysterious unnamed man in a coma being guarded around the clock in the hospital. Who is he? Why is he so important?  Police officers are being killed on the scenes of old unsolved crimes - ones that they were involved in. necessarily solved. How is someone getting the drop on a police officer? And Harry's old unit? Disbanded. Where is Harry?

Oh, Nesbo is so clever with his storytelling! I was hooked from the first page to the very last (and very happy that there were 500 delicious pages to enjoy!)  The plot is serpentine with another and then another twist slowly added, entangling the reader.

Harry Hole is one of the most tortured, conflicted, complicated protagonists in crime fiction. Police finds him in a different place, both physically and mentally. But is it a better place? Hole continues to fight demons both within and without, walking a fine line between chasing criminals and becoming one.

Police is a brilliantly dark read.  And just when  the story is winding down and you thought you could take a deep breath -  Nesbo snatches it away again in the final pages with another gut wrenching ending that will have fans counting down the days 'til the next entry in this fantastic series. Read an excerpt of Police.

I have Jo Nesbo and Harry Hole on my must read list. Nesbo combines fantastic characters, great plotting, lots of action and suspense and yes, social commentary into addictive reads. Although you could pick up Police and dive into the series, I think new readers of this series need to start with an earlier book to fully appreciate Harry. You can find Jo Nesbo on Facebook.

The Fire Witness - Lars Kepler

I discovered the Swedish husband and wife writing team of Lars Kepler with the first book in their Inspector Joona Linna series - The Hypnotist. (my review) I loved it and it only got better with the second book - The Nightmare. (my review) I've been eagerly awaiting the North American release of the third book - The Fire Witness. And up front, I have to tell you it was a five star read for me.

Inspector Joona Linna is on suspension, pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation. Linna doesn't play by the rules, he goes for results by whatever means he sees fit.

"It is a serious charge, but this is not the first time Joona has run up against the authorities. It seems to be his nature....But what they can't ignore is that in the almost fifteen years Joona's been on the job, he's solved more challenging cases than any other Scandinavian officer."

And the cases Kepler come up with for Linna are challenging - not just for him but for the reader as well. I read a lot of crime fiction and this series keeps me guessing right 'til the end.

In the Fire Witness, Linna is called to 'observe' a particularly nasty case. A young girl has been found brutally murdered in her group home. Her body has been arranged with her hands covering her eyes. None of the other girls saw anyone or anything. Or did they? These are girls with a myriad of problems and getting a straight answer out of them seems impossible. And of course Joona can't stand by and just be an observer - he sees much more at crime scenes than his colleagues - clues and connections that others don't. The case begins there and Kepler builds layer upon layer into the case, including a would be psychic who may actually be the real thing. (Gentle readers be warned - Kepler pulls no punches with descriptions)

I've used the word creepy before to describe Kepler's books and I would use it to again to describe The Fire Witness. The settings, the plot, the characters and their actions are all unsettling, keeping readers on their toes.

The secondary plot line deals with Joona Linna's past. It has been alluded to in the past two books and at last we get to know what has happened to him. Not what I expected or imagined at all. (again, I love that I can't predict where Kepler is going to go next) The ending - oh, what an ending. I will be waiting on the edge of my seat for the North American release of the fourth book - The Sandman.

Definitely recommended. Kepler just gets better and better. Fans of Jo Nesbo and Jussi Adler-Olsen would enjoy this series.  Read an excerpt of The Fire Witness. You can find Lars Kepler on Facebook.

The Andalucian Friend - Alexander Soderberg

The Andalucian Friend is Alexander Soderberg 's debut novel.

Sophie Brinkmann is a widowed nurse, living a quiet life with her fourteen year old son Albert. She's a good nurse, often spending extra time with some of her patients. Hector Guzman is one of those. There's an attraction between the two and they continue meeting up after Hector is released from hospital. But, there is much more to Hector than meets the eye. He and his father head up a Spanish (Andalusia) crime family. They're in a drug war with a German criminal organization. That's enough of the plot to get you started. And I couldn't even begin to explain the rest - it gets quite involved with many characters and plot lines.

Don't get me wrong - I like intricate, complicated plots that challenge. But, I've had this book on the go for a few weeks - I pick it up, I put it down. For me it was overly busy and dense and just didn't grab me like I wanted it to.  I was curious as to the ending, so I did finish it. But I just felt tired by the time I tuned the last page, not satisfied.

Sophie as a lead protagonist wasn't plausible for me. I never 'bought' her relationship with Hector, her acceptance of the criminal filled world she's entered or the ending - completely over the top and even more unbelievable. The supporting cast of criminals were pretty stereotypical -  think bad guys on a crime show. Who, although grievously wounded, soldier on. Car chases, things going kaboom and a drug addicted cop.

I've since discovered that Soderberg did work as a scriptwriter and script editor before penning this first book in a planned trilogy. And that made sense - while I was reading I had thought 'this feels like a Guy Ritchie move'. In fact, the author says that "the idea for The Andalucian Friend began as a TV plot." I think this would have made a great action film, but it didn't translate well to book form for this reader. Film rights have been sold.

Read an excerpt of The Andalucian Friend.

Lifetime - Liza Marklund

Liza Marklund's latest book Lifetime is the seventh book featuring newspaper reporter Annika Bengtzon.

Stockholm, Sweden. Police Officer Nina Hoffman is on patrol when a shots fired call comes in. Nina and her partner race to the scene - only to find that the victim is another cop - and his wife Julia is lying beside him, covered in blood. Worse still - their four year old son is missing. Julia swears there was someone else in the apartment. Nina is sure her friend and former co worker could not do such a thing. Or could she....? Annika knows both women  - she did a story on them years before. The high profile case is a story worth investigating.

This is the third book I've read by Marklund and I've enjoyed every one. Annika is a complicated protagonist - she's headstrong, impulsive and plunges headlong into her stories. She trusts her instincts and hunches and follows them regardless. But her personal life is in a shambles - she herself is suspected of a crime and her marriage is falling apart. Although I've heard some other readers remark that this secondary storyline muddies the waters of the main plot, I disagree. I quite like seeing the two sides of Annika's life personal and professional.  Both story lines held my interest equally.

Annika's investigation leads to more questions and links to the past, with the path to answers and resolution anything but straight. Marklund keeps us guessing about Julia until the very end. And the end was a lovely 'gotcha'. Marklund brings the setting to life as well, with descriptions that underline the gritty tone of the mystery.

This is an excellent series with a character I quite like. Definitely recommended. I'll be watching for the next in the series. You can find Liza Marklund on Facebook .

The Stonecutter - Camilla Lackberg

I do a rotating display at the library on genres and authors. This last month I featured Scandinavian authors. I've read many of the authors I featured, but Camilla Lackberg was new to me.

The Stonecutter is the third book in her series set in Fjall­backa, Sweden that features Detective Patrik Hedstrom.

A local fisherman hauling in his nets draws up an unexpected and grisly catch - the body of a young girl. When Patrik is called to the scene, he is horrified to realize he knows the girl. Further investigation reveals that the drowning was no accident.

The present day chapters dealing with Patrik's investigation are alternated with chapters detailing a story beginning in 1923, set in the same village. The two narratives seemed to have no connection to each other whatsoever in the beginning, but I was fascinated by the older story as well. More and more of the past is revealed with every chapter and I started to get an inkling of where the two narratives might meet. I quite enjoyed having the story slowly but deliciously pieced together. Lackberg has done an excellent job with her plotting - it's intriguing and inventive.

Although Patrik is the lead protagonist, there are other recurring characters that are just as well drawn and developed.  Patrik's girlfriend Erica has just given birth to their first child and is having great difficulty coping. His colleagues at the station run the gamut - from keen to lazy to dangerous. The townsfolk are a mixed bunch - all with secrets it seems. I enjoy a series that lets us 'know' the characters and see their lives evolve from book to book.

Lackberg's mystery is excellent, but I also appreciated the depth with which she explored the psyches of all involved - both police and suspects. The theme of relationships is explored in many forms - especially that of parent/child. These explorations were the most frightening parts of the book. There are sub plots never fully wrapped up as well, which was okay - the ending has only left me eager to read the next in the series - The Gallows Bird. A great read and a new addition to my list of must read mystery authors.

Read an excerpt of The Stonecutter.