~ The Knife, by Jo Nesbo ~
I waited quite a long time to read this book, delayed somewhat by the lockdown, but it was well worth the wait. Having already read the previous eleven Harry Hole books by Nesbo (and his five other standalone crime novels!) I looked forward to more of the same – the 1.92 meter grim, ruthless super-detective, loyal, a loner, a maverick, a rule breaker, hardy and hardened – and was not disappointed.
The story, shockingly, opens with Rakel dead.
And Rakel’s heart was so big, it had pumped blood around his body, thawing him out, making him a real human being again. And her husband. And a father to Oleg, the introverted serious boy that Harry had grown to love as his own son. Harry had been happy. And terrified. Happily unaware of what was going to happen, but unhappily aware that something was bound to, that he wasn’t made to be this happy. And terrified of losing Rakel.
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At first the reader does not entirely believe it, because Rakel has been Harry’s muse and love of his life in all the preceding books; it is impossible to think of her dead. She has been threatened by Harry’s enemies, she has broken up with Harry several times, but dead? Nothing so final. But any hopes the reader may have that this is just a ploy, a red herring, is rapidly put to rest – Rakel really is dead. Her killing – for it is murder, and violent stabbing at that – is being investigated, she has been given a funeral, etc. And Harry is devastated. Just two months before, Rakel had thrown him out once again, and he was hoping she would take him back – the twist of the knife comes when Oleg, Rakel’s son, confides to Harry that his mother had discussed getting back with Harry, just days before her murder.
Harry of course sinks to a new low. He was a raging alcoholic when thrown out by Rakel, but has to haul himself out of that by his bootstraps to avenge her murder. At first the reader is given to think that Rakel’s killer is one Finne, a serial rapist who has served many years in prison and has been recently released, and has every reason to take revenge on Harry, also because Harry had killed this serial rapist’s own son in the course of his duties. There are also other suspects laid across the path for readers – Rakel’s own chief/boss, the owner of the bar, Jealousy, who took it over from Harry, and then, in a wonderful pivot, Harry himself. Harry has blanks in his memory – from being drunk, he assumes, but does not know he was given Rohypnol, the drug which induces amnesia. He finds, as intended, planted evidence of his guilt. As intended, he is devastated anew, tortured by guilt, and all too readily accepts he is capable of such an act.
Harry already knew he wasn’t afraid of any personal punishment. On the contrary, any punishment, especially death, would feel like liberation. […] But Oleg didn’t deserve it.
Oleg didn’t deserve to lose his father, his real, non-biological father at the same time as he had lost his mother. To lose the beautiful story of his life, the story of growing up with two people who loved each other so much […].
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Harry does of course attempt suicide, and like in all good crime fiction stories, the hero rises like a phoenix from the ashes. And comes back for justice and vengeance. The other characters in the novel are also well sketched, lightly sketched as is Nesbo’s style, but believably. The twists and turns of the plot keep the pace moving forward swiftly, and many of our old friends from previous novels – or Harry’s old friends! – also make guest starring reappearances here, satisfyingly. Harry also has more ‘girlfriends’ – Kaja, Alexandra, etc. As Nesbo created this Harry Hole character, he seems – despite being such an alcoholic, so desperate, and so dark – irresistible to women. (In this, and in so many other character facets and traits, Harry Hole is remarkably like Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie, Henning Mankell’s Wallander, and Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike.)
In the end, it is the harmless, plump, sweet dispositioned Bjorn, the Forensic Scientist, and Harry’s old friend, who is behind everything. Bjorn, who cannot believe his luck when Katrine Bratt, the glamourous head of the Crime Squad chooses him, feels everything is right in his life when he and Katrine have a baby. He is even grateful to Harry for guiding Katrine into his arms, perfectly well aware Katrine had previously been attracted to Harry. But Bjorn, who also admires Harry and has been a steady, loyal, patient, true friend to him, is humiliated beyond what he can accept when he realises his baby is not his, but Harry’s. Katrine’s one night stand with Harry and the lasting result is drives him to kill Rakel and plant evidence to make Harry believe Harry himself is responsible for the death of the person he loves most; to torture the man whom he believes is responsible for torturing him. And in Harry, he finds a willing accomplice because Harry is all too ready to believe himself guilty.
It is a wonderful read, fast paced, suspenseful, suitably psychologically dark, action-packed….
Cannot wait for the 13th novel in the Harry Hole series!
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