The Bat by Jo Nesbø
Published by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
Publication Date July 2nd 2013
Source: Library
Genres: Thriller
Goodreads
Before Harry took on the neo-Nazi gangs of Oslo, before he met Rakel, before The Snowman tried to take everything he held dear, he went to Australia. Harry Hole is sent to Sydney to investigate the murder of Inger Holter, a young Norwegian girl, who was working in a bar. Initially sidelined as an outsider, Harry becomes central to the Australian police investigation when they start to notice a number of unsolved rape and murder cases around the country. The victims were usually young blondes. Inger had a number of admirers, each with his own share of secrets, but there is no obvious suspect, and the pattern of the other crimes seems impossible to crack. Then a circus performer is brutally murdered followed by yet another young woman. Harry is in a race against time to stop highly intelligent killer, who is bent on total destruction.
Fond Of
Jo Nesbo writes in a calculated manner. He is slow and steady handing out details like breadcrumbs and if one isn’t paying attention could slip by unnoticed.
Besides Harry, an eclectic cast of characters clowns, aborigines, and strippers — oh my! With such a diverse grouping, it held one’s attention. An example being the Aboriginal folk stories that intermingled throughout.
There were many twists, especially at the end, that caught me blind-sighted. Nesbo laid clues in passing coming across as an antidote to a story later for their importance picked up later. It was a clever thought process.
Not Fond Of
I wish I had read this on Kindle. Several characters mentioned in the beginning came back to play a major role. Thus, it would have been nice to refresh my memory with just a tap. The Bat had a calculated plot. It was a little slow in parts and read more like a general fiction novel instead of a mystery. Harry Hole, has some holes in him. His character is still in development and starting to take form. While Harry’s story is still coming to life we’re given snippets of his life. This allows the reader to begin an acquaintance with interest.
Final Thoughts
The Bat wasn’t a book I couldn’t put down but had an enticing story and expect this to be a very interesting series.
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