German and english review
First things first: I received this book through NetGalley.

Das wird meine letzte Buchbewertung dieses Jahr. Ich bin so froh, dass ich das Buch heute fertig lesen konnte und damit, abgesehen von dem Hörbuch das ich gerade gehe, vollkommen frei und ohne angefangene Bücher ins neue Jahr starte. So mag ich das.

Inhalt: Der Osloer Kriminalbeamte Harry Hole wird auf einen Posten beim Staatsschutz versetzt. Eines Tages erhält seine neue Dienststelle Informationen über eine südafrikanische Spezialwaffe, die nach Norwegen importiert wurde. Harry Hole nimmt sich der Sache an und findet bald heraus, dass der Käufer ein alter Mann sein muss. Alle Spuren weisen in die Vergangenheit, auf eine Gruppe von Kollaborateuren, die während des Zweiten Weltkriegs an der Seite der Nationalsozialisten gekämpft haben. Offenbar haben diese Kräfte ein Attentat auf den norwegischen Thronfolger geplant. Es gibt viele potentielle Täter, alte und neue Nazis, und Harry Hole muss sich in einen tiefen und beängstigend brodelnden Sumpf begeben, um diesen Fall zu lösen.

Das ist jetzt das dritte Harry Hole Buch in einer ziemlich kurzen Zeit für mich. Ich liebe diese Reihe, Harry ist mir unheimlich ans Herz gewachsen obwohl er auch weiterhin eine absolute Katastrophe ist und ich ihn öfter gerne mal schütteln würde, doch anders würde ich ihn garnicht haben wollen.

Der Schreibstil in dem Buch hat mir extrem gut gefallen, mit den zwei verschiedenen Zeitleisten, einmal im Hier und Jetzt (1999/2000) und dann einmal in der Vergangenheit (ab 1944). Anfangs hat es mich ein bisschen verwirrt aber mit der Zeit hat sich das auch gegeben und es war einfach nur total spannend gemacht und hat super funktioniert.

Bis zum Ende hin hat das Buch wirklich die Spannung gehalten und hat durchweg Wendungen eingebracht, die die Geschichte wirklich bis zum Schluss interessant gemacht haben.

ABER

SPOILER!!!!!!
ernsthaft, ich halte es zwar vage aber SPOILER!!!!!

Wie in den beiden anderen Büchern, habe ich auch in diesem Buch einen weiblichen Charakter präsentiert bekommen, den ich gleich ins Herz geschlossen habe und der mir weggenommen wurde. Das ist der Grund warum ich dem Buch einen Stern abgezogen habe, weil es jetzt wirklich zum dritten Mal passiert ist und weil es mich echt wütend macht. Was mich auch gestört hat, ist dass der Fall nicht mal richtig aufgeklärt worden ist, dass einer der damit zu tun hat immer noch frei rumläuft und sogar eine Beförderung erhalten hat. Ich hoffe es wird im nächsten Teil dann aufgeklärt wird und der jenige seine Strafe bekommt.

***

My last book review for this year. I'm so happy that I had the time to finish this book today and that I get to start the new year with a clean slate, the only book I'm currently in the middle of is the audiobook I'm listening to, apart from that no unfinished books are left. That's how I like it.

Summary: A report of a rare and unusual gun - a type favoured by assassins - being smuggled into the country sparks Detective Harry Hole's interest. Then a former WW2 Nazi sympathiser is found with his throat cut. Next, Harry's former partner is murdered. Why had she been trying to reach Harry on the night she was killed?

As Harry's investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the killer is hell-bent on serving his own justice. And while the link between the cases remains a mystery, one thing is certain: he must be stopped.

This is now the third Harry Hole book in a row that I have read in a short span of time. I love this series, Harry is really important to me at this point, even though he remains to be a total mess and I want to shake him more times than not, I really wouldn't want him to be any other way.

I really liked the writing in this book, with the two different timelines, one in the present (1999/2000) and one in the past (starting from 1944). I have to admit that it was a bit confusing in the beginning but with time, I got into it more and more and I think it made the book so much more interesting and it worked perfectly.

The book kept the suspense up until the very end, with all the twists and turns throughout the story, the whole thing was gripping until the end.

BUT
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!
seriously, I keep it vague but SPOILERS!!!!!!!!

Just like in the books before, I get presented a female character that I love right away and that I get her taken away from me. That's the only reason I took one star away from the rating, cause this isn't the first time but the third time and it's really starting to piss me off. I also didn't like that the case didn't get fully solved, that there is still one of the people involved who is free and who even got a promotion. I really hope this will get solved in the next book and that this guy will get his punishment.

This is the story about Harry finding the love of his life.

Also, struggling with a loss of a loved one. 

And the suspicion of an assassination plan with the sale of a powerful rifle with 100% kill rate.

Interesting story. He has a female partner Ellen that he like, but doesn't like him that way. He is a way to deal with loss, he is lost into the bottle.

Not really a model of a man. But he is still trying to do good work.

The boss think he might be on to something and let him pursue the rifle angle.

Also, he is going to lose something. He met a very bad guy, that he would not get until a few books later. There is some loose end that need to be deal with later.

In the meantime, he need to find out who and where the assassination plan is going to happen, so he could stop it.

Nice read. The jumping into the past bit is a bit long.  But that is trying to explain why the rational behind the bad guy. 

Nice read. 

There might be spoilers in the comments because this is one of those books you'll want to talk about with friends.

I have it on good authority (*waves at Thomas*) that Harry Hole's last name doesn't rhyme with "goal". But who are we kidding. We're gonna laugh and snicker every time I mention Harry Hole in this review so go ahead and get it out of your systems. Harry Hole... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Sorry to anybody I may have offended by being a dumb American. Speaking of being a dumb American, some of you might remember that, last time on E. Reviews, I said Herman Koch was Norwegian, but homedude is actually Dutch. Well, I did my research this time and I'm pretty sure that Jo Nesbø is... not Dutch. Pretty sure he's Australian.

(I just pissed off a fuckload of people lol)

Anyballs, before we get started with this review, I'mma drop some knowledge on you. Did you know that holding your ALT key and typing 0248 will get you that nifty O with the slash through it? Here, look...

*holds ALT and types 0248*

SELF DESTRUCT INITIATED.

Well, fuck...

Okay. Balls. Um. On with the review, I guess.

There's a damn good reason Jo Nesbø's The Redbreast was chosen by the Gods of Literature for translation into English (Not Americanese, but actual English, as witnessed by the 'single quotation mark' and not the "double". Also, there's a bunch of U's in places there shouldn't be: honour, colour; and a few S's instead of Z's: realise and such. Have I upset enough people yet?). Yes, there are two books before this one in the Harry Hole series and they have since been translated as well, but The Redbreast was the first to be translated. No, I have not read the first two books, and from what I've heard you don't have to start with them. A little birdie told me (*waves at Tigus*) that I should start with The Redbreast, because it begins a loose trilogy. And that's what I did. I did not feel like I had missed anything. It felt like I was reading a first in a series. So how do I know that there's a good reason The Redbreast was translated. Well, because it rocks. That's why.

The Redbreast has multiple timelines and a large cast, so if that kind of thing dries up your nu-nu, maybe pass on this book. But if that sort of shizzle turns your underdrawers into a splash pad, well I suggest you read this motherfucker. I dig all that shit. Hopping back and forth between past and present? Mm-hm. Jumping to a different POV almost every chapter? Oh yeah, baby. Plot twists? Somebody get me a towel.

I will say that, close to the end, maybe the last fifty pages or so, I was as confused as a panda with a mirror. (Am I white? Am I black? Am I asian? Does it matter? What is life? I'm hungry, yo. Where the leaves at?) But everything became clear. I'm not going to spoil anything for you because the explanation for how the twist works is ingenious. If you read this book (or if you already have) we'll talk in the comments. Now you know why I started the review off the way I did.

The last ten pages are grade-A thriller material. A race to the finish that had me hanging off the bed in my anxiety. But, overall, this entire book is a lot of fun. I'd definitely recommend this one to anybody who loves a well-told story.

In summation: Harry Hole is a damn fun character to run around after. I can't wait to jump into more of his adventures. Oh, and in case you're wondering, I gave this four instead of five because I'm leaving room for improvement. Not quite fanboying, but I can see myself leaning in that direction.

Final Judgment: This book is the bomb.

Shit, I forgot about the SELF DEST-

Hehehe... I'm so fucking cheesy. Later, guys and gals.

I'm so bloody confused right now. Gotta cook dinner, but I'll be done with this one tonight. I need to know who or what a) I missed or b) wasn't shown to begin with.