Shooting an American secret service agent
during a joint operation, however understandably, would not normally be a good
career move for DS Harry Hole of the Oslo police; but as part of the smoothing
over of the incident he finds himself now a DI seconded to the Norwegian intelligence
service.
There he is assigned to monitoring neo-Nazi activity
and filtering information referred from the regional police. Neither excites
him until he reads of the discovery of unusual spent ammunition cartridges
which, to him, point to the importation of a deadly rifle and a potential assassination
threat.
While Hole follows his enquiries, the reader
gets to follow an old man, unwell but on a mission, and with bitter memories of
his time in World War II, when his country rapidly capitulated to Nazi Germany
and when his countrymen split three ways: those who stood by in silence, those
who resisted, and those who collaborated and joined the German army to fight
the Russians.
Harry sees a link between the rifle, through
the neo-Nazis, to the old wounds of Norway under Quisling, but it’s tenuous and
obstacles appear within the forces of law and order – is this legitimate prioritisation
or something more sinister?
The old soldier’s back story and Harry’s
investigation unfold in tandem, pleasingly complex with blind alleys and red
herrings, building tension as the truth dawns and time becomes of the essence.
This is my first Jo Nesbo / Harry Hole
thriller and I was impressed with every aspect. Well written (and translated),
well plotted with slowly developing reveals, unobtrusive glimpses of Hole’s
personal life, and an interesting historical context. It is long (600+ pages)
but reads less than that and is never dull.
I will be back for more.
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