CBTB’S BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO JO Nesbø
Where to Start with My Favorite Crime Writer’s Work!
It will come as a surprise to absolutely no one that, here at CBTB, I am always looking for a reason to talk about my favorite crime writer: Jo Nesbø. Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian crime writer whose work I first fell in love with years ago (back in the pre-CBTB days!) on my very first trip to Norway. In the years since, my love of his work has inspired me to start this book blog, learn more about the Nordic Noir genre, and it even helped inform my choice to start working in publishing. (So yes, it’s safe to say I’m a huge fan of his!) Back in March 2017, I created this “Beginner’s Guide to Jo Nesbø” to help readers begin their own journeys with Nesbø’s work. Five years later (in March 2022, to be precise!), I’m still obsessed with Jo Nesbø—and, at long last, I’m revamping this blog post with all the latest information on Nesbø’s work!
My goal is for this blog post to be your one-stop shopping list and guide through Nesbø’s body of work. Here you’ll find a rundown of Nesbø’s bestselling detective series (including answers to frequently-asked questions I’ve received about the series over the years!), plus an overview of his standalone novels (and my recommendations for which standalones of his to prioritize!). As always, if you have any questions whatsoever about Nesbø that I haven’t addressed here, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I am truly always happy to help, and nothing makes me happier than seeing readers get hooked on Jo Nesbø novels! Happy reading!
NESBø’S SERIES
Jo Nesbø writes both series and standalone novels, but his series books are definitely what he is best known for. If you’re a total newcomer to his work, I recommending starting with his series to get a series to get a sense of just what has made his writing so popular! Nesbø's Harry Hole series is one of the essential series within the Scandinavian crime fiction genre—and it's my personal favorite. No matter how widely I read within crime fiction, nothing tops this series for me.
The Harry Hole series is primarily set in Oslo, Norway, and it follows a troubled detective (Harry!) who finds himself hunting down all manner of criminals—and confronting his personal demons at the same time. Nesbø's series is unparalleled for its addictive plotting, gritty atmosphere, and vivid, engaging characters. Above all the fantastic elements to love about this series, #1 is main character Harry himself. He's a burdened, troubled man who is also inherently good: he never stops trying to keep his inner demons at bay, and he's utterly committed to helping others when he's able to. If you love the “damaged detective” trope and are always looking for a new crime fiction protagonist to fall in love with, Harry is your next obsession.
As of March 2022, there are 12 installments in the Harry Hole series. (And word on the street is, another one will be coming!!!)
Where to start reading the Harry Hole series:
OPTION 1 - IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT READING A WHOLE SERIES:
Begin with my personal favorite series installment, THE SNOWMAN. This is the perfect way to see if this series is for you, before you commit to reading it all the way through. You can read THE SNOWMAN as a standalone—you might have a few questions about characters' backstories, but overall, there really won't be an issue! If you love THE SNOWMAN, I recommend going back and starting the series from Book 3, THE REDBREAST - you'll want to experience the character development that occurs over the course of the books. Important note: THE SNOWMAN was made into a movie… and it was terrible. There’s really no need to watch that movie, but if you must, please watch it after reading the book!
OPTION 2 - IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO READ THE SERIES ALL THE WAY THROUGH:
Begin with Book 3, THE REDBREAST. I repeat, begin with Book 3. I know the temptation is strong to start with Book 1, but trust me on this. Nesbø is my most favorite author, and even I have to admit, Books 1 (THE BAT) and 2 (COCKROACHES) just do not do the rest of the series justice. Book 3 (THE REDBREAST) is what hooked me on this series. In particular, its ending gives readers a sense of the addictive, tense, suspenseful plotting that Nesbø masters as the series progresses.
** If you really feel that you must read from the beginning, please just take Books 1 and 2 with a grain of salt! Don't get me wrong: they're in no way bad reads. But they aren't exceptional, and the rest of Nesbø's series truly is.**
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Can you read these books as standalones?
To expand on my previous mention of THE SNOWMAN - you can read these books as standalones. Each book deals with a different investigation, so it is possible to jump into the series wherever you'd like. That being said, I definitely recommend reading the books in order (starting with Book 3, like I mentioned before!) - while each book has its own case for Harry to investigate, there is a lot of character development across the series that you won't want to miss out on! There are also recurring references to past criminals Harry has hunted down that might confuse you if you jump around within the series.
What’s the order of the Harry Hole series?
The Harry Hole series order is as follows:
Which book in the series is your favorite?
My personal favorite installment in the series is Book 7, THE SNOWMAN, closely followed by Book 5, THE DEVIL’S STAR!
NESBø'S STANDALONE NOVELS & SHORT STORIES
Jo Nesbø might be best known for his Harry Hole series, but he has written a number of really excellent standalone crime novels as well! These books are quite different from Nesbø’s series (and they’re all quite different from one another, too), but they’re well worth adding to your to-read pile. Here you'll find a brief synopsis of each, plus my thoughts on which to prioritize in your reading list.
HEADHUNTERS (2011): Readers meet Roger Brown, a corporate headhunter who happens to dabble in art theft. His career can't support he and his wife's luxurious lifestyle, so when Roger meets a potential candidate for a CEO position he's filling, and that man happens to mention a very expensive painting that he owns, Roger decides to put his hobby to use. But when he breaks into the candidate's apartment, he discovers he's bitten off much more than he can chew. This book is darkly funny, a caper story that belongs in the movies—and actually has been turned into a film!
My thoughts: not my personal favorite of Nesbo's standalones, but a quick, off-beat read laced with darkness.
THE SON (2014): A story of far-reaching corruption. Sonny Lofthus is a mysterious young man. He's been in prison for nearly half his life, and he's complacent about it. This might be due to his drug addiction: even in prison, he somehow manages to have an uninterrupted supply of heroin. Oh, and he's serving time for other people's crimes. But as long as he gets his drugs, he's happy to play the criminal. But when Sonny learns a shocking secret about his father, a man who took his own life after being exposed as a corrupt cop, Sonny executes a brilliant escape from prison—and begins hunting down those who have kept him imprisoned all these years.
My thoughts: for some reason, I didn’t used to love THE SON. (If I’m being honest, I suspect it’s because I first read that book while going through a bad breakup where I really wasn’t in the headspace to enjoy anything!) I then re-read it in 2020 and had a totally different experience with it. Upon my re-read, I fell completely in love with this dark, gritty revenge thriller. I love this book’s character development, the unexpected love story at its core, and its gripping revenge thriller plot. After my re-read, I’ve been recommending THE SON to anyone who wants to try one of Nesbø’s standalones! This is a great standalone to start with.
BLOOD ON SNOW (2015): A dark, lyrical standalone novel. Olav is a "fixer" for one of Oslo's most powerful and ruthless crime bosses. Olav is the best at what he does, but he's also a complicated man. He has a huge capacity for love—almost as big as his talent for murder. When Olav begins to try and separate himself from his gruesome profession, he discovers that his boss won't let him go so easily.
My thoughts: I absolutely loved this book, and its companion, MIDNIGHT SUN. This book is unlike Nesbø's previous works—it still touches on very Nesbo themes, but does so in a totally different way. This book is emotional and delicate and truly a beautiful, if also violent, read.
MIDNIGHT SUN (2016): A companion read to BLOOD ON SNOW. MIDNIGHT SUN introduces readers to Ulf, a former "fixer" for a crime boss called The Fisherman. Ulf has left his employer, and is now running north to escape his boss' reaches. Ulf comes upon a strange community up north, where the locals embrace him and invite him into their lives. As he waits in fear for his boss' men to track him down, he discovers redemption in this small community.
My thoughts: I loved this book almost as much as BLOOD ON SNOW. I just love that these stories show a more delicate side of Nesbø as a writer. You do NOT have to read BLOOD ON SNOW before this one - but I do recommend it, as BLOOD ON SNOW is my favorite of the two!
MACBETH (2018): In 2018, Nesbø contributed to the Hogarth Shakespeare Library with an adaptation of Macbeth! In Nesbø’s retelling of this iconic tragedy, the story of Macbeth plays out against the backdrop of a run-down industrial town and a police force trying to rid it of its seemingly insurmountable drug problem.
My thoughts: Nesbø’s take on MACBETH is just as dark, gritty, and moody as you would expect from the king of Nordic Noir. I absolutely loved this gripping story—with all the thematic overlap between the original Macbeth play and Nesbø’s own work, this was truly the perfect story for Nesbø to adapt.
THE KINGDOM (2020): In this slow-burn crime story, Nesbø takes readers to a remote village in the mountains of Norway, where the dark secrets of two brothers are catching up to them. Brothers Roy and Carl have spent their adult lives trying to outrun the terrible darkness in their pasts. Roy has stayed in the town where the two grew up, determined to live a quiet existence; Carl, on the other hand, fled the town as soon as he could and never looked back—until now. When Carl comes home with grand plans to build a hotel and spa to turn the town into a tourist destination, the secrets the brothers have been keeping for years begin to surface.
My thoughts: This is one of my personal favorite Nesbø books. I absolutely loved the slow-burn, simmering tension of THE KINGDOM. Nesbø’s character development has always been one of my favorite aspects of his work, and his gift for characterization is on full display in THE KINGDOM. This story has its own almost Shakespearean tragedy quality to it as it peels back the tragic details of Roy and Carl’s childhood. This is one of my personal favorites, but just to set appropriate expectations: if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller this one likely won’t be for you (it’s dense and slow-burning!).
THE JEALOUSY MAN - Short Stories (2021): Nesbø’s first short story collection delivers an eclectic assortment of crime, suspense, and even speculative stories that explore themes including jealousy, power, love, and deceit. My favorite stories in this collection are The Jealousy Man (a detective with a nose for jealousy finds himself investigating a man suspected of murdering his twin) and London (two ill-fated strangers meet on a flight and feel an instant connection - is it love, or something more sinister?).
My thoughts: As someone obsessed with Nesbø’s work, I loved spending time in his short stories, and thoroughly enjoyed the way these stories push the envelope and show us a different side of Nesbø’s writing talents. For readers who are less familiar with Nesbø’s work and are trying to get a feel for what his style typically is, I probably wouldn’t recommend starting here, simply because many of these stories are so different from his full-length novels!
That's a wrap on my beginner's guide to Jo Nesbo! Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. I can't recommend Nesbo's book highly enough, and I hope this guide will inspire you to check out his books for yourself!
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