Nemesis, by Jo Nesbo
Hooray, the new Jo Nesbo has arrived.
On the wagon and living with a new girlfriend, Inspector Harry Hole is on the verge of making his chaotic life work. If only it wasn’t for his obsession with finding his partner’s killer. If only his girlfriend wasn’t away fighting a custody battle. If only it wasn’t for the return of an obsessive old flame. If only it wasn’t for personal nemesis, Inspector Tom Waaler. And then there’s the day job. It’s enough to drive anyone to drink.
During a bank robbery a hostage is executed. The robber cum murderer leaves behind no clues, despite being on film the whole time. Meanwhile Harry goes out with the Old Flame and wakes up at home, in a mess and remembering nothing of the previous 12 hours. The OF is found dead the same morning, having apparently committed suicide. Confused, Harry keeps schtum but then a series of taunting e-mails start arriving. On his own and on the edge, Harry must keep his act together long enough to find both killers before either they or Waaler finish him off.
Nemesis is almost top-notch Nesbo and although it is the most recently published, the action actually takes place between The Red Breast and The Devil’s Star. Enjoyment is inevitably marred by knowing what happens to the central characters in a later episode. This is irritating. However Jo Nesbo is the new master of European crime and I enjoyed Nemesis so much I almost forgive Harvill Secker for publishing the series in the wrong order. Highly recommended.
-
The Bookgeeks Interview
Mark Oldfield
Mark Oldfield has worked in criminological research for over 20 years. He has a PhD in Criminology from the University of Kent and has carried out research in the areas of risk assessment and prediction and as well as evaluative research on policing, prisons and probation. He has also taught in various Universities on research, crime and criminal justice.
2 Comments on Nemesis, by Jo Nesbo
This out-of-synch English publishing of key Eurocrime titles is bang out of order and – unless there are rights issues or similar that aren’t apparent to the naked eye that force the issue – someone somewhere ought to do something about it!
For me, the primary appeal of this type of fiction is the way that the main detective’s character – and hence the way that they approach solving the crime – evolves over the course of a series of books. Inspectors Wallender (in the mighty Henning Mankell’s books) and Erlendur (in Arnaldur Indriðason’s books) are very different people in the later books to when they first appear in print. Similarly, the way that Ian Rankin ages Rebus in real time and develops his relationship with his colleague Siobhan Clarke and his nemesis Big Ger Cafferty means that reading these books in anything other than chronolgical order is a most unsatisfactory experience.
So I would echo Simon P’s comments – read the terrific Nesbo books in the order that they were written. Harry Hole (presumably the name sounds less gimmicky to Norwegian readers) could end up as a truly great character – but please publishers, let’s see him and other characters from crime series evolve in the way that their creator envisaged.
I have to agree with the above comments regarding these books being published over here out of sequence. If I hadn’t found out about this on sites like this one I’d have had a very frustrating reading experience. Now I know better, I can make sure I read them in the order that was intended.
Jules
Let us know your thoughts below