by Jo Nesbø
Part of Harry Hole, book 5
First published 2006
Detective Harry Hole returns to active duty in Oslo just as a brutal killer begins terrorizing the city. The murderer leaves pentagram symbols at each crime scene, taunting police with occult imagery that suggests deeper meaning behind the violence. Harry must navigate his own demons while pursuing an adversary who seems to stay one step ahead of the investigation. His alcoholism and troubled past complicate his ability to think clearly, even as the body count rises and public pressure mounts. The case forces Harry to confront not only a cunning serial killer but also his own capacity for self-destruction. As the investigation intensifies, Harry discovers the murders connect to something larger and more personal than he initially realized.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: detective, enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Oslo
Period: 21st-century
528 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Vintage
Content warnings: alcohol-abuse, depression, mental-illness