The Leopard, by Jo Nesbo

I don't usually write about novels from the same author twice in a row, but I read two Nesbo novels one after the other, and I didn't quite enjoy the second one as much as the first, so I decided to share it with you right away. In The Leopard, Inspector Harry Hole is back with a vengeance, trying to solve several murders that he believes have been committed by the same person. A serial killer, in other words. The story is delightfully complex (and if you like long stories, you'll like this one) and once again, it's hard to guess who's done it…. The story even seems to be solved at some stage, with the culprit arrested, but of course, since this happens at roughly 80% of the book, it cannot be that simple. The Leopard is another very gloomy novel. I liked it, but I have to say that I do not connect with Hole. He is an anti-hero and really annoys me. No sympathy there. I read somewhere that Nesbo said he would kill Hole. I won't cry. I find his personal story too much, and it detracts a little from the story. Another (small) thing I have noticed, especially with this book, is that Nesbo doesn't know how to finish his books. The Leopard goes on and on once everything is clear – I would prefer to be left in the dark as to what the characters will do after solving the mystery. It could very well be described at the start of the next novel in the series. I simply skimmed over the last three chapters. I did enjoy, though, the parts of the book that take place in Hong Kong, where I live (and will be leaving until the end of this month – I am moving to Melbourne, Australia, in October).