The Redeemer

By: Jo Nesbo, Don Bartlett - translator

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

Brought to you by Penguin.

*DETECTIVE HOLE IS SOON TO BE A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES*

Harry Hole returns in a pulse-pounding thriller like no other.

'This book had my pulse in the red zone from start to finish' Michael Connelly

A freezing December night.

Christmas shoppers have gathered to listen to a Salvation Army carol concert. Then a shot rings out and one of the singers falls to the floor, dead.

A blood-curdling terror.

Detective Harry Hole and his team are called in to investigate but have little to work with - there is no immediate suspect, no weapon and no motive. But when the assassin discovers he's shot the wrong man, Harry finds his troubles have only just begun.

Now the clock is ticking before he kills again.

'Nesbo is in a class of his own' Evening Standard

'Terrific shocks, tension and atmosphere' The Times

'Even when you're positive that the mystery is entirely done and dusted, it invariably turns out that the pragmatic Detective Harry Hole has managed to stay three steps ahead and there's more to uncover' Time Out

© Jo Nesbo 2010 (P) Penguin Audio 2010

Critic reviews

The Redeemer rocks! Jo Nesbø is my new favorite thriller writer and Harry Hole my new hero. This book had my pulse in the red zone from start to finish. (Michael Connelly)

Nesbo's fourth novel [and it] proves to be as brilliant as his other three...grimly realistic...an engrossing mystery

Just a bit far fetched

was as expected for a HH story - the most unbelievable part was his drinking, can authors not write a book ( character ) that is terminally damaged?? HH would be more believable if he like his drink but was not able to be be fully beholden to it.

Brilliant I am hooked on Nesbo

Would you listen to The Redeemer again? Why?

Yes, Sean Barrett gives an excellent eprformance and the story keeps you going until the end.

What did you like best about this story?

Sean Barrett gives an excellent performance. The Harry's character is one to sink your teeth into. YOu have to go back to find out more about his psyche.

Which scene was your favorite?

I can't remember any specific scence but I love the humanity of it all. The Redeemer story is as imprtant as anyones and I guess that is the point. You should always see the person, history to understand the behaviour.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listen to Nesbo books while I walk, run, cylcle, drive or paint an excellent companion

Another Good Jo Nesbo Book

This was my third Nesbo novel and, on balance, I enjoyed it the most. The "Prince" was never quite believable to me but the action was the strength of these first reads. Redeemer is equally action packed and gets 4 stars because of a writing technique that is clever but tittitating. Chapters begin with a seeming continuation of the prior chapter only to be jolted later by discovering that Nesbo has changed character on the reader without the use of a proper noun or other identifying trait to signal the switch.

Corruption is everywhere in this book. We find corruption in the business world and the police department, which is usual, but now we find it in the Salvation Army!!! The ending expands the circle of corruption to an icon of respectability in Nesbo's world. And the shadow of corruption now appears on Harry's path. Did Harry do the right thing?

Wallender's dead, long live Harry Hole

I didn't think I could find anything as satisfying as a Kurt Wallender (Henning Menkell) novel but praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, here is Jo Nesbo with his main man, Harry Hole. What is it about Scandinavian crime - it reigns supreme. The best thing about The Redeemer is the plot twists and turns without becoming convoluted. The characters are interesting, believable and multil layered, even the minor ones. Even when you know who's done what and why, you still don't know how it will end. Nesbo is such a skilfull writer, I'm thrilled to have finally discovered him.

Getting Better

By the time one reaches the tipping point in a series, they might be expecting the standard and pace to level out. This is certainly not the case for Nesbo's Harry Hole series. This title is a marked development (for the better) on the previous title, "The Devil's Star"; not that it was poor - it was the best in the series to that point. It is also a world apart from the more recently released "The Cockroaches", which was in fact Book 2, and the book that I last read. In other words, Nesbo's plots are getting more complex, the characters are getting deeper (as they should after 5 books) and suspense is the winner. I normally rate myself on being able to pick the plot twist in this genre, and, although I picked the principal plot line, the sub-plot was a surprise to me.
Again, Sean Barrett does a bang-up job as Harry; again, I am looking forward to the next installment (especially with the high praise that has been bestowed upon it).
This title is well worth the read, but it probably is improved if you have read Books 3, 4 and 5 first. It can stand alone, but it is much better with the back-story intact.