The Redbreast, by Jo Nesbo

Posted on January 30, 2008
Filed Under Crime Books, Jo Nesbo, Norwegian Writer |

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo won the Glass Key prize for the best Nordic crime novel when it was first published, and was subsequently voted Norway’s best crime novel. Jo Nesbo ( Nesbø in Norwegian) is a young, wonderfully gifted storyteller that increasingly is being noticed among crime book readers in the US and UK. (The Redbreast was actually published prior to The Devil’s Star in Norwegian while the order was reversed when published in English, and we recommended you read this one first.)

The Redbreast has two parallel story lines, one starting during World War II, with Norwegians fighting for the Germans in Russia. The other story line is present, and takes place among neo-Nazis in Oslo One of them is on trial for a vicious, unprovoked attack with a baseball bat on a Vietnamese restaurant owner, but is freed on a technicality.

The Redbreast, by Jo NesboInspector Harry Hole, alone again after having caused an embarrassment in the line of duty, has been promoted to inspector and is lumbered with surveillance duties. He is assigned the task of monitoring neo-Nazi activities; a fairly mundane task until a report of a rare and unusual gun being fired sparks his interest. A rare, high-caliber rifle, favored by assassins, has been smuggled into the country.

Then a former soldier is found with his throat cut. Harry suspects a connection. In an investigation that takes him to South Africa and Vienna, Harry finds himself perpetually one step behind the killer. And more and more the two story lines are drawn together - what is happening today has roots in the old, almost forgotten history of World War II in Norway.

The Redbreast in some way resembles Henning Mankell’s early Wallander novel, The White Lioness. Both feature leading men who are cops, both have a South African connection, and both involve racism, assassination, and weapons that are the tools of professional assassins.

The Redbreast is well written, very exciting, and has humor as well. Jon Nesbo is able to make us understand some of the troubling aspects of Nazism in Norway, and does a great job of weaving together past and present. Nesbo’s hero, Harry Hole, is very real and an interesting character. The Redbreast is an entertaining but an also illuminating crime book from a very talented author.

For more reviews of Jo Nesbo’s books, see ScandinavianBooks Jo Nesbo-page!

– Peter


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