The Redeemer, by Jo Nesbo

I had been hearing about Jo Nesbo for a while, but it's only recently that I managed to read two of his novels, The Redeemer, and The Leopard. The Leopard will be a separate post. This one is about The Redeemer. I don't know what it is about

Scandinavian writers (Nesbo is Norwegian) but I find the atmosphere of their books quite gloomy. True, it does reflect certain aspects of Scandinavian culture, especially the long winters and the lack of light. It's a well-known fact that the suicide rate increases dramatically in Scandinavia in winter. I just wish the novels would also depict a happier, more beautiful Scandinavia, which I love. In any case, Nesbo is a great writer, apt at describing stuffy atmospheres and at making you feel and live the story in great detail. I enjoyed this book and the complexity of the plot. I can tell Nesbo likes to travel – his books take us to places outside Norway. If you like complex crime stories with dark personal stories for the characters, Nesbo is for you.

In The Redeemer, a Salvation Army soldier is executed by a man at a Christmas concert in Oslo. Inspector Harry Hole is the policeman who leads the search for the killer. As it happens, the murderer has not completed his mission and keeps targeting a man, who may in fact not be what he appears to be. Hole and his colleagues are confused, but the truth – and a few shocking facts – are slowly uncovered. It's hard to guess who's the real culprit. Read the book if you want to find out!