The name Jo Nesbø is everywhere at the moment. A new novel (Blood Ties) has just been published, his standalone stories The Night House and The Jealousy Man have just been announced as being adapted for the screen, and his multi-million selling Harry Hole book series is being adapted by Netflix.
If you’re keen to delve into the world of Nesbø, here’s Nordic Watchlist’s pick of his top five books to get you started.
1.The Kingdom (2020)
Originally a standalone novel, before the recent release of a sequel (Blood Ties), The Kingdom is the perfect introduction to the deepest recesses of the human soul that Nesbø captures so well on the page. Set in a small, remote, Norwegian town, two brothers set about creating an ambitious new business plan. As in all Nesbø books, however, things are never as simple as they first seem. Multiple murders, family trauma, and a deeply flawed central character make this a fascinating look at the darker recesses of the human mind.
2. The Night House (2023)
With Halloween fast approaching The Night House, another standalone novel, is one to read with the lights on. A story arc over three main acts, The Night House takes readers on an atmospheric trip through trauma, repressed memory, and a shifting viewpoint that invites the reader to contemplate what true horror is. Nesbø also questions what it means to be a writer and for whom writers write, is it a cathartic process, or does rewriting suppressed memories conceal some deeper horror? Fans of Koontz’s Odd Thomas series or Stephen King will love Nesbø ‘s take on the horror genre.
3.The Snowman (2007)
Many people will have first discovered Jo Nesbø and his most famous creation, detective Harry Hole, from the 2017 big-screen adaptation of The Snowman. The film didn’t go down well, with either fans or those new to the books, and it’s easy to see why as the film veers away from the source material. The book itself, book seven in the Harry Hole series, is a brutal read – a serial killer decapitating women and using their heads for snowmen is never an easy idea – but Nesbø’s skill is much more than painting a gorefest. The Snowman shows the turmoil in Harry’s head, combining his own inner demons with the professional horrors he faces to solve this gruesome crime.
4. Knife (2019)
Book 12 in the Harry Hole series is another uncomfortable read but in a different way to previous books in the series. Yes, there are gruesome murders for Oslo’s most famous fictional detective to solve but this time the toll taken is deeply personal. Harry is alone in the world after the woman he loves has left him, an ex-convict he put behind bars is out for revenge and Harry finds himself broken and in the darkest place he’s ever been. Nesbø’s ability to get inside a person’s head and portray their innermost fears and dread on the page is a masterpiece of not only writing but psychology as well.
5. The Son (2014)
Another standalone novel, The Son, is possibly Nesbø’s most complex novel to read. Multiple interwoven threads, plot twists as sharp as a mountain pass road, and trademark darkness don’t make this an easy read but it’s a read that is worth persevering with. An escaped prisoner sets out to avenge his father’s death but there’s more to this prisoner than first meets the eye. In prison for someone else’s crime, Sonny knows more than he should and when he learns the truth about his father he’s out for revenge. With both the police and the criminal underworld after him, who will reach him first?
What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear your recommendations too – comment below.
