The complete review's Review
The Redbreast centres around Harry Hole, and begins with the justifiable but inconvenient mistake he makes that leads to his promotion to Inspector in the Norwegian Security Service. (This is the second Harry Hole-novel to appear in English, but in their infinite wisdom the British and American publishers are bringing them out in what appears to be completely random order.) Harry is your usual problem-character -- a brilliant investigator, with a fondness for the bottle and some emotional baggage. He's not very social, and having his own office at the end of a hall where he can cloister himself suits him fine. Among the few people he can work with is his (former) police partner, Ellen.
The Redbreast also centres around Norway's past, focussing on a group of Norwegians who volunteered to fight on the Eastern front during World War II, with a considerable number of scenes in the book set in those times. Some of the survivors have fared better than others, but one is out for a final revenge. Through some neo-Nazi contacts he makes a very big purchase, a Märklin rifle. With its 16 mm bullets it is: "the ultimate professional murder weapon, and it had already become the world's most sought after assassination weapon by 1973."
When Harry finds out that a Märklin has made it into the country he becomes very suspicious, and wants to figure out who purchased it and for what purpose. Harry doesn't have to worry too much about outside interference, as he's allowed to do pretty much as he pleases; it's only when someone perceives him as a romantic rival that he's shunted off (briefly) to a posting in Sweden. He flies to South Africa and Vienna, but events unfold -- and the bodies pile up -- faster than he can put the pieces together.
There are a few too many coincidences in the book, but at least Nesbø is willing to take a few unpredictable steps -- including murdering off at least one character of the sort that is usually off-limits in such series (though that death, in particular, comes about as a result of several coincidences and miscues that seem particularly unlikely). It's also a book about moral ambiguity, as those young Norwegians were branded traitors yet often just did what they did without thinking through all the moral implications. And good does not too-easily prevail: the novel does not neatly tie up all its ends, as the role of one of the bad guys -- arguably the most dangerous -- remains unrevealed, a menace no doubt lurking over Harry's future.
Nesbø presents his story fairly well, though the police procedural part is a bit easy and convenient -- everything is almost effortless, a model of efficiency (even when, like right at the beginning, it goes very wrong). Having two men wield their considerable power to try to maneuver unwilling women into their beds also seems a bit much.
The Redbreast moves at a good pace, and the story -- in the past and present -- is fairly gripping throughout. The crimes along the way are more interesting than the criminal's ultimate goal, but it's all engaging enough. A good, solid thriller-read.
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