This is a dark twisty Nordic Noir. Harry Hole returns to track down a serial killer. However, this time, he isn’t a member of the police, instead he is a member of the public with an alcohol problem.

Nesbit is good at producing well developed characters and this is no exception. It’s eerie reading the thoughts of the killer as the story moves along. The identity of the killer was not obvious or predictable either.

I will say that the book was long and a bit more psychological than I like and for this reason, it isn’t my favourite Harry Hole book, but it was still a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo is the 13th book in the Harry Hole detective series. This is my first time reading one of the books from the series. And if this book is indicative of Jo Nesbo’s writing and brilliance I will be reading the whole series! Harry Hole is on the edge ready to end his life when his purpose for living renews to save a friend from imminent danger. Harry is hired as a PI on a murder investigation for the man suspected of murder. Only thing is Harry has a DEADline to solve the case and time is quickly running out! This one will have you guessing until the very end!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Canada for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you like binge-watching Scandinavian crime dramas you'll definitely love this book. It's the same formula, a troubled detective and multiple murders, with a twist.
It's a bit hard for me to rate this book as it's so out of my normal realm of reading. This is my first attempt on Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series and the Nordic Noir genre. I would say I enjoyed this book while reading and always eager to find out what's on the next page. The pace is a bit slow sometimes, and some parts just felt repetitive. But overall very interesting read and for sure a page-turner.
I probably would've enjoyed the book a lot more if I've read the previous ones in the Harry Hole series, not saying the book can't be enjoyed as a standalone, but I would have had a better understanding of all the characters.
It's a long book, with a lot of details, which is something I don't specifically like. So even though I liked this one I probably won't pick up another one of his others books.

Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo is a dark and twisted novel that delighted me to my core. Wait, do I want to be saying that out loud? Let me fix it by saying that it was nice to have Harry Hole back. I meant what I said, no pun intended. Fans of this thirteen book series will be happy that their favourite crime solver is back. Yes, he may be weathered, worn, and a little used, but there is no doubt that he is back and in his finest forms. Right off the bat, I am going to say that this might be in the top 5 of the Harry Hole series, so that should set you up if you want to read it or not.

What some people will not like is that it is a little long, and the talented Jo Nesbo focuses on some of the side characters more so than harry, but I think that is what makes this book work so well. It was a nice reprieve from all the constant drama that Harry naturally brings, but when he does appear on the page, there is that drama again that sucks you back into Mr. Nesbo's wonderful world. Lastly, some people may not like the serial killer's motives and style, but to those people, I say good day because that is where we will certantanly disagree.

If you are a massive fan of crazy serial killers, with even crazier personalities, then this book will be for you. Mr. Nesbo does not spare any detail of rape, murder, and gay bars. Thus bringing the characters to life. If you have the chance to pick up this book on May 30th 2023, please do so, and enjoy it as much as I did, you will not be disappointed. Unless you don't like reading, or serial killers, or books, or crime novels, okay you get my point, I am just happy Harry is back and Mr. Nesbo knocked it out of the park with another stellar novel to add to his pletorha of already written novels.

Happy Reading!
Chris Humphrey

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. I have always enjoyed books from this series (Harry Hole - pronunced "Hoolay" apparently) and by this author. This book is no exception. It was a good mystery and definitely kept me guessing. I found that the author was great at dropping small hints that would lead me in one direction, making me think I knew who the killer was, but ultimately, I was nowhere near the truth. Lots of "red herrings" and misdirection. The way the killer killed his victims or even the way he "lured' them in was very unique...I've never read a book that had something like this as the "murder weapon". Or at least what facilitated each murder (no spoilers here!). There were at least two characters that I suspected midway through but neither turned out to be what I thought in the end. So, well done in that regard. The only issue I had with this book was that there were a few too many characters overall. It was hard to keep track of their purpose and role sometimes. From Harry's "team" that were investigating the murders to just the background characters. There was one character that didn't seem to have any other purpose than to mislead the reader into thinking they were a potential suspect. In the end, when I realized who the killer was, it made that character's role even more inexplicable to me. I found that some of the "key players" in this one to be slightly under utilized and not well-rounded in terms of their character development. Don't get me wrong, I don't think each of them needed to be more 3 dimensional than they were, but without a bit more to go on, they were sort of just "there". Overall though, I definitely enjoyed the book and it gives us even more insight into the main character of Harry and we see more of what drives him etc. I like this character and this author and I'll look forward to the next one as always!

Killing Moon is the 13th Harry Hole mystery by Jo Nesbo. For those unfamiliar with the Harry Hole series the novel contains spoilers to previous thrillers.

Killing Moon finds Harry Hole drinking very early in the morning in a Laurel Canyon bar. He is befriended by Lucille who used to be a movie star. Lucille owes almost a million dollars to some very bad people.

This will be the motivation for Harry Hole to return to Norway and work for a millionaire named Roed who is a suspect in the disappearance of two women and wants to prove his innocence to the tabloids.

Because of Lucille’s debt, Hole charges Roed almost a million dollars plus expenses. Unfortunately the very bad people only give him ten days before something bad happens to Lucille and, later, himself. Now a self-controlled alcoholic, Harry Hole recruits a dying retired colleague, a crooked cop, and a drug dealing taxi driver to be his associates.

Series regular, Katherine Bratt, is the police investigator. Journalist Mona Dee, another Jo Nesbo regular, keeps getting scooped by another newspaper and this gets her angrier and angrier. This kind of serves as secondary plot.

The serial killer is standard mystery novel fare even if he has a couple of original traits like using a parasite to attract or kill his victims. He or she is just interesting enough to keep the reader going but not much more than that. Jo Nesbo cleverly misdirects the reader into thinking he has revealed the identity of the serial killer about halfway through. There is also a secondary plot that serves as a red herring as to the identity of the killer.

Jo Nesbo tells the story from these multiple points of view. The switches are well handled.

The climax is okay. Getting there is a little confusing.

Killing Moon is a decent Harry Hole mystery. This, and because it contains spoilers to previous thrillers, means I would not introduce a new reader to the series with this thriller.

Harry Hole is no longer with the police and has moved to LA with the plan to drink himself to death. However, when a new friend and fellow drinker, Lucille, has got herself deeply into debt with the wrong people and Harry attempts to intervene, he is given ten days to get the money or he and Lucille won’t have to wait for alcohol to kill then.

Fortuitously, at least for Harry and Lucille, at the same time, in Oslo, a real estate magnate is suspected of the grisly murders of two women and has been told that Harry is the best person to prove his innocence and is willing to pay enough to cover Lucille’s debts. Harry puts together a rather diverse team including a corrupt cop, a taxi driver and a dying Psychologist and they set to. But with little evidence and so much at stake, Harry may be facing the one case he can’t solve.

Killer Moon is the 13th in the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo and it is one twisty completely addictive page turner. The story alternates between the killer and Harry and the plot is well-constructed. The characters are well-drawn and interesting and, despite its length, the story captured my attention from first page to last. The killer’s method for murder is, to say the least, incredible, the stuff of bad horror flicks and not for the weak of heart or stomach yet, somehow, Nesbo makes the reader accept it. Overall, a very entertaining read with plenty of red herrings and.with a satisfying end that hints at a future case for Harry and I am so here for it.

I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review

Being my first Harry Hole book I now want to read the earlier Harry Hole mysteries! It took me a minute to understand the author’s style of writing ( bouncing back and forth between characters and different settings) but after I figured out Nesbo’s style I was better able to follow the storyline! Lots of twists and turns and many characters had me holding my breath anticipating the conclusion. Would definitely recommend this book.

Killing Moon is the 13th, book in the Harry Hole series by Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo, and, as usual, is dark, twisted and a veritable nail-biter.

It beings in Los Angeles. Suffering from the personal tragedies of the previous novels, including the murder of his wife, retired Norwegian homicide investigator, Harry Hole, finds himself in a hole of his own making. An alcoholic who would make Charles Bukowski jealous, he’s trying, mostly unsuccessfully to limit his binging.

At his favourite watering hole he comes across another barfly, a has-been actress with troubles of her own, and, in order to save her life, Hole finds himself back in Norway working as a private investigator to prove that a multi-millionaire is not the murderer of two women who’ve gone missing after attending a lavish cocaine-filled party at his house.

Hole has less than a week to clear the millionaire’s name, collect his handsome paycheque and bail out his actress friend. But it won’t be easy. The two women are found in the woods, their bodies mutilated and the police have no clues. Hole is easily misled and frequently barks up the wrong tree. The killer is always a step ahead and everyone seems baffled.

Hole has to call on his old friends like Katarine Bratt, Mona Daa and Truls to name a few. His unorthodox methods, of course, annoy the established police, but as usual they end up endebted to him.

Nesbo, a master of misdirection, throws out his usual red herrings. Several times when you think you’ve figured it out, he throws another twist at you and the differing points of view, especially at the end, will throw the reader for a loop.

The killing method, the M.O. of the killer is a little bit far fetched in my opinion. You’d have to roll your eyes a little bit at the science behind what the killer is doing and at times you’ll likely skim over some of the unlikely science.

But, as they say, the end justifies the means and the transition between different settings that make the ending work is very well done.

You don’t have to read any of the previous novels to enjoy this, but, as with any other series, you will get a lot more out of this is you are familiar with Harry Hole.

Oh the twists and turns in this novel. It had me turning the pages as quickly as I could. Harry Hole is feeling sorry for himself and is determined to kill himself slowly in whatever bottle of hard stuff is around. During one of his many drinking escapades he meets Lucille. Lucille ends up being the reason he picks himself up and sets out to help her pay back her debts to the mob.
A well known Real Estate magnate is suspected of being a serial killer after two girls are found dead. The chief of police doesn't want to work with Harry and the real estate magnate hires him to prove his innocence. After Lucille is taken hostage, Harry decides that some good money would help her out and maybe even help himself. During a whirlwind investigation, (they only have 10 days) Harry indeed finds the killer and like the proverbial Knight in Shining Armour, saves Lucille as well.
The story kept me interested and wondering what other kinds of antics good old Harry Hole could get himself into. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to any mystery lover.

I just reviewed Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo. #NetGalley
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2.5 Stars. I have read several of the Harry Hole series. Jo Nesbo has gained fame and critical acclaim with these books that can be categorized as Nordic Noir. The books have been popular bestsellers. I usually enjoy Nordic crime fiction, but these books have been hit or miss for me. The Killing Moon was definitely outside my comfort zone. I have been entertained by some dark and gruesome crime stories, but there were many unpleasant and disturbing themes, including torture, mutilation, murder, pedophilia, and rape. In addition to this mix, parasites and cannibalism were thrown in. This would have been an easier read had there been some lighthearted moments or humourous banter inserted to provide a moment to pause, but it was relentless in adding one disconcerting passage after another. The crimes were preposterous, and the motive far-fetched.

I felt a lot of hard work went into a well-constructed plot, but I would have felt more engaged if the parasites and cannibalism had been omitted. It would have made a less sickening but much shorter book.

Harry Hole is in Los Angeles, hanging out in bars, determined to drink himself to death. He meets an older actress who owes almost a million dollars to a Mexican mob. They will kill her unless she comes up with the money to pay the money for accumulated gambling debts. Harry decides to return to Oslo to solve the case of two women who have been killed and mutilated in a brutal manner. A wealthy businessman offers him unlimited funds to investigate the murders in which he is a suspect. Harry plans to use most of his payment to help the actress, but he doesn't have much time, and the police have been unable to close the case.

Several more ghastly deaths occur, and the heads have been removed from two of the women's bodies. Harry chooses three very unlikely helpers. During the investigation, there are many surprising twists and misdirections. Each time Harry believes he has found the guilty party, he has to rethink his conclusions and proceed in a different direction. Can he solve the crimes in time to obtain his promised fee and save the actress, now captive of the Mexican mob? Why has an unknown suspect been committing these unusual murders? Can he be identified and stopped?

I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early digital copy. The Killing Moon is due to be published May 30 and is recommended for all the many Harry Hole fans.

Love me some Harry Hole.
Love all his character flaws and the journey so far.
Great police procedural and drama thrown in.
It's lengthy but it did not take me long to breeze through it. It kept me on the edge and wanting to see the conclusion.

Harry Hole book #13

When the suspect in the disappearance of two girls later found murdered is a well-known real estate magnate in Oslo what does one do if you know the authority have only you in mind....you send for Harry to clear your name. Back home in Oslo after spending time in Los Angeles, Harry now a private citizen assembles his own team to help find a serial killer and get those involved their due.

This book takes a while to read almost 500 pages of police procedural and a lot of drama. It is a classic Harry: drunk, socially awkward detective who somehow solves ultra-violent crimes for the sake of giving peace to the families of the victims. I wasn’t expecting high literature with this one but I enjoyed it as a form of escapism. The pleasure lies in the journey not where it leads us. The charm here is that Harry turns out to be wrong at times and when he is right luck is on his side. Delivering chills and spills is really what this story is all about...yes far-fetched is a plot that includes parasites invading humans in order to manipulate them...Apart from some twists and turns thrown our ways the beat is the old same, very formulaic. ....and it goes on...”Killing Moon” is every savage cliché of crime fiction...but it is fun to read.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this 13th novel in the Harry Hole series. Publication date May 30, 2023.
Hole has left Oslo, Norway and is now in Hollywood, California. After the deaths of his wife and his friend, he has sunk into a very deep depression and has every intention of drinking himself to death. He meets another heavy drinker, a former actress who is indebted to the Mexican Mafia for a failed movie project. Back in Oslo, a wealthy businessman has been implicated in the disappearance and murders of 2 women. He hires Hole to prove that he is innocent. In order to save his actress friend from the Mafia, Hole agrees to investigate these murders for $1 million, enough money to get his friend out of debt. He flies back to Oslo and gathers some past friends to collaborate.
There are several subplots and each circle around to the main killings, a few red herrings along the way. As this was my first Harry Hole book, I was concerned that I would be lost with the characters, their relationships and their personal lives. That did not happen. All my questions were answered throughout the book. Therefore, from the idea of character development and plot, this book could be a stand-alone. However the writing is so sharp, the dialogue is so realistic and the story so well crafted that I believe there would be additional benefit to starting this well-known series from the beginning. The chapters are short and there are many shifts from scene to scene that keep the action going and ratchet up the suspense. There are some graphic scenes that are a little hard to read, so be forewarned. The ending leaves us open for the next book.

Even though Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole police detective series has run for 13 novels now and has been adapted into one 2017 film, I must admit that I’ve never heard of these books and their protagonist — although its author has made bestseller lists. Thus, I must say that it was a delight to encounter this main character for the first time. Harry Hole (who ironically isn’t far off from the spelling of my name if you take the “Zach” out of the first name and drop a “u” from my surname) is the type of likable unlikable character. He drinks too much, is something of a womanizer, and employs questionable legal tactics involving his investigations into serial killers. Despite all of this, he is brilliant — he’s usually a step or two ahead of the killer in some respects, even if he doesn’t have a suspect in mind yet (if that doesn’t sound too paradoxical). Make no mistake: you’re not coming to the Harry Hole series expecting high literature, even if its author is infatuated with Shakespeare and underground alternative bands of the 1980s and ’90s. (What’s the title of this book again? Seems kind of reminiscent of a certain Echo and the Bunnymen song, if you were to ask me.) This is a series that you can enjoy as a form of escapism. I think I’m confident in making that assessment, even though I’ve only read the most recent novel in this series which has a lot of books behind it.

Killing Moon opens in Los Angeles, where our hero is trying to drink himself to death due to one too many skeletons in the closet. He befriends an elderly woman as a drinking buddy, but it turns out that she owes loan sharks from Mexico nearly one million dollars. She’s kidnapped and Harry is forced to take on a case as a private detective in his native Norway to pay for the ransom. Oh, and he only has 10 days to solve the case, or his lady friend and Harry, too, will meet their demises. Once back in Oslo, Harry determines that the case — which involves trying to clear the name of a wealthy businessman who is suspected of murdering two women that went to one of his parties — might involve the work of a serial killer. So, Harry is working against the clock, not only to save his friend’s life (and his own) but also to prevent further people from being murdered by the killer at large.

The thing I can say about Killing Moon is that it is a long book. Part of the pleasure lies in the journey, not necessarily the destination. I don’t want to sound critical at all, because part of the “charm” of this book is the fact that Harry turns out to be wrong a few times, and when he does get it right, it’s usually due to a combination of luck and coincidence, which can be viewed by surly readers as cop-outs. Still, the novel is entertaining as we watch Harry and a rogue team he has assembled — a former colleague dying of cancer, a cab driver, and a disgraced police detective among them — try to outwit and outsmart the person who has taken unusual trophies from his victims: their eyes and their brains. There might be not much more of a point in parsing what this book is about because, as stated before, the work’s sole job is to deliver chills and spills, if not be outright fun (if you can call a book series about investigating serial killers to be fun). This is the kind of thing that is perfect for beach weather — which, surprise, surprise, we’ll be entering as a season not long after this book is published.

You might be asking yourself the question: do I have to read the previous 12 books in this series first before diving into this one? Not particularly, is the answer I’d give. I managed to generally follow along and make sense of things as they related to what had happened to Harry before, but the downside is that there are spoilers to the other novels that preceded this one. So (and not to spoil things that this book already spoils), if you don’t want to find out what has happened to Hole’s wife, for instance, without having read the book that deals with what happens to her first, then, well, you may want to backtrack and start reading the series in order. Overall, though, I found this to be a hugely enjoyable novel that stands well on its own. Sure, the whodunnit part of the read is a little farfetched as is the unconventional “murder weapon” of sorts (I won’t say anything about this to not give away anything, as much as I might be tempted to). However, one can overlook these things in the name of fun.

And, yes, the book takes a while to read — but that only means there’s much more to enjoy here than you’d get in a conventional novel. As far as these things go, this is an A1, top-notch novel that is pure adrenaline. No, wait! It’s a white-knuckle rollercoaster ride. Wait a minute! It’s a high-octane thriller that doesn’t know when to relent. Wait, it’s — . Well, you get the picture. Killing Moon is a highly enjoyable read that doesn’t ask you to think too much about it and I must say that the Scandinavian setting is exotic. The book earns bonus points from me for dealing with alcoholism and attempted recovery in a way that isn’t pandering but also unflinching. In any event, at the end of the day, I can say one thing: I think I now have 12 more books to read on my ever-growing To Be Read pile. I’m glad that I got to experience this one, and you will be too if you’re into this sort of thing. It’s highly recommended entertainment.

Jo Nesbo does it again, putting out his 13th novel in the rogue police investigator Harry Hole series. This book could act as a stand-alone if one is not familiar with the series. Only wish some of the earlier books in the series were available and translated into English!

In Oslo, two girls have disappeared and been found murdered. One of the suspects is a well-known real estate magnate, and investigator 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 chief of police. The real-estate magnate under suspicion, on the other hand, wants to hire Harry as a private investigator to clear his name. Harry declines, but that's before the drug cartel takes Lucille hostage. If Harry clears the real estate magnate, he will award Harry a bonus big enough to cover Lucille's debt. So Harry puts together his own kind of investigative 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.

I just reviewed Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo. #NetGalley
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Harry Hole is back in the page turning Killing Moon much to many people's delight.

Harry has given up on life and is determined to drink himself to death but as luck has it in order to save the woman's life who saved his, Harry must return to Oslo.

Red herrings, familiar characters, twists and turns and an ending that had me gasping out loud.

Harry I have missed you and am so glad you came back with a vengeance and kept me up late at night as I followed along with you desperately trying to solve the case.

I don't want to give away the plot so that's all I am saying except grab your copy. clear your schedule and buckle up.

Jo Nesbo and Harry Hole never disappoint and I will think about Killing Moon for a long time to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Random House for a page turning read that left me wanting more Harry Hole.

Harry Hole, with all of his flaws and struggles, shows that his desire & skills to find the truth has not waned. A serial killer driven by past haunts and current desires is wrecking havoc in Oslo, leaving a trail of bodies with bizarre clues. Harry, no longer with the police force, pursues the case as a private investigator gathering a team of allies to work together. The story had a few twists, leading you to believe any one of a few people could be the killer at large. Connecting several characters from across the book series, Nesbo weaves Harry's history into present day consequences, providing a full backdrop to the current mystery, with some clues for the next mystery to follow. Now I need to go back and read some other books in the series that I have missed!

I have just finished reading Killing Moon by Author Jo Nesbo

This is the 13th book in the Harry Hole Series. I have read all the previous books.

This story starts off in Los Angeles, and Harry is in a rough state. He is helping out an older film star Lucille, who has gotten into a bit of a difficult situation with some bad characters.

It then moves on to Oslo where two girls have been murdered.

I must say that I had a rather difficult time keeping focused on this book. I am wondering if I have just become tired of the character and series.

I can not say that it was a bad book, but for me it just was not one of my favourites in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley the Author and Penguin Random House Canada for my advanced copy to read and review.

#netgalley

An excellent Harry Hole novel. It has so many twists and turns that keep you guessing up until the end. As usual it is quite the gruesome take