The Thirst
Jo Nesbø
640 pages
Random House
Published Jan 1st, 2017
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The Thirst is the eleventh book in this brilliant series about tortured Oslo detective Harry Hole. Each time I read one, I wonder what took me so long. I’ve had this paperback on the shelf for seven years, but it was such a long wait after the previous one, that I couldn’t remember who all the characters were, and decided to re-read Police first, then found it so dark that I needed a break, then other books and reviews got in the way… Two years later, I finally made time for it – and as ever, wondered why I left it so long!
Having retired from the Crime Squad, Harry is now working as a lecturer at the police college, is managing to stay sober, and remains happily married to Rakel. Then young women start being killed by a monster with iron teeth, and Harry is asked to assist in the investigation – but has he finally met his match in a killer with a thirst for human blood?
These books are gory and gritty but so brilliantly plotted – the twists just keep coming. I do not recommend trying this one as a stand-alone – you don’t necessarily have to go back to book one, (The Bat) but Harry’s history and relationships are so complex that you need to know who’s who and what he’s been through to appreciate his sometimes obnoxious personality; I think The Snowman (book 7) is where the series really takes off so is a good place to start. After the last book, we know that no one is safe, and even though Nesbo’s misdirection and machinations are familiar, I still never see them coming. I will need another break before tackling the next one (Knife) but not two years!
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