Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author (Jo Nesbo!) for an ARC of this book.

I love Jo Nesbo. I love the Harry Hole novels. What an incredible treat to get this book as an ARC. To start, the Harry Hole series is one of my very favorite series of the last 20 years. If you haven't read this series before, I think you could jump in and be fine. BUT . . . . the brilliance of these books isn't just the stand-alone mysteries; it's the world and character building. No detail exists in a vacuum in these books and so many plot developments have their roots way back in previous entries.

Now, onto this book. Is it my favorite Harry Hole novel? No. But it's still really good AND I think it was a necessary transition book after the events of the last entry, Knife. That book sort of felt like an end of one looooong cycle to me. The events in that entry are traumatic and shake Harry to the very core. This next book, then, had to work in a different way and provide a transformative space for Harry. It starts with him in LA (which was really cool) where he's--surprise--drinking himself to death and, in the process, ends up staring down the barrel of a gun in the defense of some older bar fly he barely knows. This catapults him back to Oslo to take a job for a uber wealthy guy who's been accused of murder. Harry needs the cool million, not for himself but to save the 70-something year old woman back in LA who has herself in a tough spot with some nasty loan sharks.

The mystery in this one is . . . creative. Nesbo so often taps into interesting and fascinating topics that serve as a basis for his novels. In this one--and I'm not sure about the science of this--a killer has cultivated a human parasite that they control and then implant into their victims. There's no lack of squeamish topics here, including mutilation, cannibalism, and sexual molestation. But if you don't want dark, then you are definitely in the wrong place. The translation, at times, seems to be overly wordy and there were a number of red herrings (as usual). But, also as usual, the ending moves at a rapid-fire pace; you can't turn the pages quickly enough. And, again as usual, you might end up re-reading the pages you sped through so rapidly once you figure out what's actually going on.

Nesbo is masterful in his pacing and his ability to pull pieces into place. There's even a sweet ending for a couple of the characters that was peripheral but used to balance the atrocity of other characters. Nesbo always makes you question good and bad and how we can justify--or not--monstrous acts. Some characters, like Truls, continue to evolve in this novel, we say goodbye to another long-time character, and there is continued growth for Harry's (especially as he confronts a situation he never thought he'd face: a baby). And the last page ends with a possible set up for the next entry in the series!

Jo Nesbo, please keep writing Harry. And readers: don't miss this entry in the Harry Hole series.

So happy for a new Harry Hole book! It has been a little bit since the last one, but there is enough references to the last one that you are back up to speed again quickly.

If you are a Jo Nesbo fan you just know, it will be a great story and it was. Harry again finds himself in one predicament after another but he always finds his way. A stellar cast of old and new characters populate the novel. Harry is on the trail of a killer and back in Oslo where he belongs.

Thank you to Jo Nesbo, Netgalley, and the publisher for an ARC of a highly anticipated new book! I could not put it down, it was a weekend read for me.

Jo Nesbo is one of my favorite authors. I've always looked forward to his new releases with an expectation of a well-written and engaging book with a touch of mystifying and implausible gore. This book is no exception. Harry Hole is a great character, one that has had many ups and downs, and is terribly human. His failed relationships, alcohol abuse and grumbly personality make him all the more real. This book hones in on that and on Harry's expertise when it comes to solving murders. This book gets down and gritty as Harry cobbles together a group of quirky characters to help him solve a series of murders. If you can get past some of the horrifying detailed descriptions of murder and dead bodies, this is a must-read. A great read and highly recommend.

This is the thirteenth novel in the crime series featuring brilliant but troubled Oslo police investigator Harry Hole. He has ostensibly retired and is now in Los Angeles, but needs money to help someone who reminds him of his mother, whom he felt he let down when she was alive. Saving this woman offers Harry a chance for redemption of a sort, so he agrees to return to Oslo from Los Angeles (where he randomly went to drink himself to death), to work on finding a gruesome serial killer in exchange for a large sum of money. The person who is paying Harry is a wealthy real estate magnate who is the main suspect, but who wants to clear his name. Harry agrees with the proviso that if he finds the man guilty, he will charge him.

Harry constructs a ragtag team of old friends to augment his own considerable powers of analysis and intuition, but a number of red herrings throw off the group. He also works closely with his former colleague heading the official investigation, Katrine Bratt.

In alternate chapters we become acquainted with the very twisted mind of the killer. As Jo Nesbo has shown in previous books, he is able to conjure up incredibly bizarre, frightening scenarios that readers might not want to contemplate by reading the book before bedtime.

But skillfully contrived twists and turns will have you turning the pages anyway right up though the end, with a final suggestion that there is more to come.

Evaluation: Nesbo is adept at portraying existential pain, and Harry Hole - brilliant and unconventional, is a walking embodiment of pain. He has internal demons that beset him constantly and the only distraction he knows is to pursue *external*demons, who go about in the world and take away the lives of those not ready to give them up. One senses that Harry would not be so reluctant if *his* time came, and yet this compulsive, obsessed, hard-boiled, self-destructive loner is irresistibly endearing. Aside from the gripping story lines and deeply-realized characterizations, Harry Hole is someone you want to nurture, beware of, hang out with, benefit from, and be around to find out what he’s going to do next.

Fans of Harry Hole will not be disappointed!

Book Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕟
Author: Jo Nebso
Pub date: May 30, 2023
Publisher: Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor
Genre: 𝔐𝔶𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔶 & 𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯𝔰

Harry Hole, homicide detective, was kicked off the police force in Norway after his best friend and wife died. He’s trying to kill himself slowly with the drink in California. Harry gets involved in a bar friend’s debt and needs funds ASAP. He has a limited amount of time or his friend and himself will be killed.

Harry is called back to Norway, not on official police business but by a rich business man who offers Harry the funds he needs, to solve what looks to be a serial killer. With two young women missing and his and his friends life on the line he’s working as fast as he can. Harry puts together a group of his friends and colleagues to help him. Memories, mystery, twists and turns are abundant in this tale.

This is the thirteenth Harry Hole mystery and it delivers in typical fashion. There are a few subplots/timelines to add to this storyline.

I’ve read a few books in this series, although there was much information that I had not known. I thought this was an easy read with many plots and characters to keep you in the edge. There is graphic descriptions of the murders and how things are done. If you don’t like very realistic images then skip through because this is a very informative and intelligent writer.

Thank you @netgalley @jonesbo_author @knopf publishers for an electronic book ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) in exchange for an honest review.

#jonesbo #harryhole #mystery #thrillers #mysteryandthrillers
#literaryfiction #fiction #NetGalley
#reviewer #bookstagram #bookreview #bookreviewer #kindlebook #ebook #arc

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available May 30,2023!

These are my personal thoughts.

So this was an interesting read. Scandinavian Noir. Harry Hole is fired from the Oslo police department and drinking himself to oblivion in LA. Back in Oslo there is a serial killer on the lose killing women and leaving a distinct signature behind.

I love Scandavian Noir crime novels. They never ever disappoint and neither did this one. It was gritty, hard punching and brilliantly atmospheric. Excellent edition to this series.

So happy for a new entry in the Harry Hole series and this one does not disappoint. I admit I had to read a summary of Knife (2019) to refresh my memory for Killing Moon. It begins with Harry in LA, obviously getting himself into a bit of trouble there, before heading back to Oslo. All the regulars are back and we get more interaction between Harry and the adorable Gert, his son with Katrine. Killing Moon is definitely not for the squeamish, in so many ways (parasites!). The climax has you ping ponging between three sets of characters and even if you've worked out who the killer is, I think you'll still find the ending satisfying.

I've been following the Harry Hole novels by Jo Nesbo for quite awhile. I haven't read all of them, but I've read many. Harry is a great detective who has solved several big serial killer cases and is quite famous in Oslo for his successes. He has a serious flaw in that he is an alcoholic and doesn't bend to authority well.

The Description:
Harry has gone to Los Angeles to drink himself to death, in the wake of his life back in Oslo falling to pieces. He’s nearly managed to, but Harry has been helping an older film actress, Lucille, to get away from the grips of a drug cartel to which she owes one million dollars, and in return she’s given him shelter, company and a tailored suit.

In Oslo, two girls have disappeared and been found murdered and one of the suspects is a well-known real estate magnate. Katrine Bratt wants to bring in the country’s foremost serial killings expert, but the idea of collaborating with Harry Hole is out of the question for the chiefs of police. The real-estate magnate under suspicion on the other hand wants to hire Harry as a private investigator to clear his name from the case. Harry declines, but that’s before the drug cartel takes Lucille hostage. If Harry achieves the task, the real estate magnate will award him a bonus enough to cover Lucille’s debt. He puts together a team consisting of a cocaine-dealing childhood friend, a corrupt police officer and a cancer-stricken psychologist. The drug cartel has given them ten days. The clock is ticking, and a blood moon has been forecast over Oslo.

My thoughts:
This book had a good plot and it was an interesting investigation. However, I found the parasite situation pretty far-fetched. It was also just gross. This wasn't my favorite Harry Hole book, but it was still good and I'm glad I read it. There were several red herrings that threw the investigation in the wrong direction and I didn't guess who the murderer really was until it became obvious near the end. Harry may have some new options in the future. I hope to find out what direction he turns next.

Thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on May 30, 2023.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for sharing Jo Nesbo’s newest Harry Hole novel. I feel like I’ve been waiting for it for so long. Sadly though, this installment didn’t live up to my expectations. My overall assessment is that this book may have been the “jumped the shark” book in the series. The plot was so over the top, and the shifts in the character’s narratives seemed contrived to make it all extra confusing. And there was an inserted extra story line that was really tangential and seemed only inserted to make yet another red herring when there were already other ones. I’m sure I’ll read future books in the series that come, just this one didn’t do it for me.

Oh shades of Hannibal Lecter and Silence of the Lambs! I think this book goes way beyond this popular one with a character so devious and vile that I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. Harry Hole may have demons of his own to deal with, but that doesn’t stop him from going after one of the most maleficent creatures to ever live in the pages of a book. And if the scientific jargon having to do with parasites is true, we’ll you may never trust your feelings again.

Definitely place this one on your to read shelf and the wait is not long. Publication date is scheduled for May 30!

Another excellent, convoluted mystery by Jo Nesbo! A murderer is on the loose, young women are being targeted and killed in horrorific ways, and in some cases, drugs and sex are involved. There is a suspect and he is despicable, but is he guilty? The police are at a dead end, can find no more clues, no evidence and suggest our hero Harry Hole. Harry is in the US, fighting to save the life of a friend who is in some dire straits when he gets the call, not from the police, but from the lawyer of the suspect, to come and clear his name! Harry agrees for his own reasons but advises that if the evidence leads back to his client, then he will bring him down. Thus begins a topsy turvy trail of a murder mystery, with more bodies, very disturbing story leads, some romance, some old storylines closing and a shocking yet satisfying ending. Our hero holds onto his angst for another day and still manages to save the girl, on both continents!

I have been hooked on the Harry Hole series ever since I read the first book, The Bat. He’s been, for me, one of the most fascinating characters in crime fiction. But with the events at the end of the last book, Knife, I thought the series was over. But I’m very happy to report that the 13th book in the series, Killing Moon, is a strong continuation of one of the best mystery series ever written.

At the beginning of the book, Harry is drinking himself to death as a result of what transpired in Knife. He becomes acquainted with Lucille, an elderly actress trying to make a new movie with financing from shady characters, She’s kidnapped and Harry ends up accepting an investigating job back in Norway which will raise the money needed to pay off Lucille’s debt.

Back in Norway, Harry I’d faced with tracking down a serial killer, the type of killing which made his reputation. As usual, Nesbo creates a chilling scenario that’s not for the faint of heart reader. He expertly ratchets up the suspense, and events careen towards their conclusion. I was hooked from the start, and had a hard time putting the book down.

Unlike other books in a series, this one would be difficult to follow in terms of backstory, as all the supporting characters have played significant roles in the prior books. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent addition to what I consider one of the finest crime series to have ever seen print.

My gratitude goes out to Knopf and Netgalley for providing an ARC of Killing Moon.

Another heart pounding Harry Hole thriller from Jo Nesbo. This is the 13th in the series and Nesbo has not lost his touch! At the end of the last book we thought all was lost and the end for Harry, and the series, was imminent. It would seem to be the case at the beginning of this one. After losing his love and his job we find Harry drinking himself to death in LA, ala Leaving Las Vegas, out of pure guilt. And then the worst serial killer Norway has ever seen is on the lose, and only Harry can be trusted to catch them. This is a fast-paced, grizzly, race against the clock thriller, that will keep you turning pages well into the night. Nesbo is not for the faint of heart, but definitely worth the ride. Thanks NetGalley for this ARC opportunity.

This is the thirteenth installment in the Harry Hole series. I read the first two, but not the ones in between. For the mystery itself, you do not need to read the other books, but it would be helpful to understand the backstory and relationships between the characters. It's a solid detective mystery, but a bit graphic if that bothers you.

This is the 13th Harry Hole, and instead of looking like a hale and hearty Michael Fassbender, book version Harry has been fired and is trying to drink himself to death in Los Angeles. Before he can succeed, an escalating serial killer case back in Norway needs his expertise and the lead investigator is someone Harry can’t turn down — she saved his life.

This is hard to read as a standalone (and it’s long — 496 pages). I’ve read 4 of the 13, but without reading these in order (since characters do continue and change), you just get a declining, drunk, sad Harry in the 13th volume who has to be coaxed back to Oslo. At least in California, he had sunny skies. You really need to understand the arc of the relationships for the parts unrelated to the police procedural. I was drawn to the procedural part and, as usual, Nesbø has a solid story. Follow the story of Katrine — it’s somewhat lighter and satisfying than Harry’s. I’m not sure I’ll be ready for a 14th installment unless I find time to read the previous 6,000 pages in order. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 (from the obsessed Harry fans).

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, Anchor/ Borzoi Publishing and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Nesbø never describes any character’s eye color until the very end when Katrine is gazing into Harry’s blue irises.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Impressed that Harry knew the pink-tinged flower was a cabbage.

Harry Hole is as irascible and unapologetic as ever when he returns to Oslo after having attempted to drink himself into oblivion in LA. His former savior Katrine asks his help with a troubling couple of murders that shows early signs of possibly being a serial killer case but needs him to be discreet and low key in his investigation; neither of which are working descriptions of Harry. Harry, in turn, agrees to work for and help prove the innocence of the main suspect, in return for enough money to help a friend in LA clear a debt to a drug cartel.
While Harry is as unconventional and highly intriguing in his methodical sleuthing as ever, the story goes dark quickly with disgustingly detailed and virulent descriptions of the killer's past times and murder style. I found myself quickly flipping past overwhelmingly violent, revolting and truly gruesome passages, time and again.
While Harry's drinking is not for the faint at heart itself, these killer descriptive pages are just too, too.......
Words escape me.
I have liked Harry and his brilliant analytical way about him always...but this one really did a number on me.
And it is a big #3.
Just couldn't go any higher.
Sorry Harry.
Here's to the next chapter.

I liked this one better than Knife. Jo Nesbo’s writing is NOT for the faint of heart, it’s grim and graphic but so well done. This is a nice return for Harry, builds on the prior stories and proves that nothing comes without consequence.

Jo Nesbo knows how to build suspense. After the devastating Knife, I wasn’t sure if there was anything more to say about Harry Hole, but Killing Moon caught my attention from the beginning and didn’t let me go until I had turned the last page. The plot is as fascinating and addictive as usual. I thought I knew who was behind the murders, but I was way off, I hadn’t even suspected, even if all the clues were there. The last part is so suspenseful that I was literally screaming at my Kindle. Harry doesn’t have anything to live for anymore. He’s no longer a cop and he think he’s lost everyone so he’s slowly killing himself with booze. Nesbo gives him such a compelling reason to go back, that it makes sense. The recurring characters that we know and love show how much they have grown and changed, along with Harry. I’ve been a big fan of Harry’s from the beginning (even read the first two) and most of these long-running series end up turning their detectives into superheroes. This doesn’t happen here at all. Addled by alcohol and terribly depressed, he makes plenty of mistakes, but that’s where his team of misfits comes in. He sees what others don’t, but for once he’s listening to other people. It seems like there will be more novels in the future and I can’t wait. I really can’t express in words how much I love these novels, and Killing Moon does not disappoint.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor!

So-one of my favorite characters-detective Harry Hole-is back!!!!!
Number 13 in the series . Our knight errant starts out in Los Angeles in a dingy bar trying to drink himself to death.Without giving up the plot he is by circumstances in LA forced to return to Norway with a ten day deadline to catch a serial killer. Many of the characters from the prior books reappear -all touchingly so- and the plot has enough twists and turns to keep you engaged. Long, complex, but the clues are there to solve the puzzle, if read carefully enough. Me—I was….. completely wrong (in my defense so was Harry till the end)😂😂😂

Harry’s Alive! (Barely)

Killing Moon is book #13 in the Harry Hole series. This installment finds Harry on the verge of drinking himself to death in Los Angeles. When someone he cares for finds themself in danger, Harry shockingly discovers that he wants to live. He makes his way back to Oslo for a case involving missing girls and faces what he ran away from.

Primarily a police procedural, this novel also has a lot of drama, as drama follows Harry wherever he goes. In addition to Harry’s POV, the reader spends copious time in the killer’s mind--which is sick and twisted. His method of luring his victims is disgusting and hard to digest (literally). There are also a few other POVs written in.

This a lengthy novel--almost 500 pages, but it didn't feel long--I could have read more.

13 books in, and this series is still going strong. The side characters have become just as important as Harry, and this book features Katrine Bratt, Truls, Bellman, Mona Daa, and some other favorites. There are a few characters that I used to hate, but I have come to love them.

I wouldn’t recommend jumping into this series at this point. It’s best to start at the beginning to see not only Harry’s growth but the growth of other characters as well.

The killer’s methods seem a little far-fetched. There is also a good amount of science to wade through but nothing too complex. I am notnot sure of the validity of the science, but it was interesting to read.

Similar to most books in this series, the tone is dark. Themes involve drug abuse, sexual abuse, rape, and physical assault.

The ending is bittersweet but leaves open a world of possibilities for Harry. I am interested to see what the future holds for his character.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor in exchange for an honest review.