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.