Police by Jo Nesbo

In crime fiction, to trace the killers it is essential for the Police to find out how serial killers choose their victims and why the killers kill them. We have all kind of victims from those who buy high heels, those who call emergency services, and those who order Pizza for delivery. We have all kinds of motives from an abusive mother who had a thing for high heels, to taking vengeance against those who misuse emergency services, and those who make the guy deliver Pizza in chilling temperatures when he would rather sleep at home. Not only do serial killers have to use some imagination in selecting their victims, and find motives for their handiwork but they also need to be imaginative in their methods. Not to worry. If one faces a mind block, they can lift a page from a famous crime novel and also kill the writer by the method and scene the novelist has created in his/her book. Choosing a victim should solve the purpose of venting their vengeance against them but also make it difficult to get caught. Who better to kill than the Police? Serves dual purpose, kill them all, so nobody to catch the killer and act as a warning for Police who do not take their work seriously, if you don't solve the case the killer will get to you. No need to be very imaginative either, just use the crime scene of their famous unsolved case, use the same method. That's exactly what happens in Jo Nesbo's Police. The killer is killing the Police in their own unsolved crime scene. Who is killing them and why?

Like in other Harry Hole books, this story has multiple twists and Nesbo creates quite tense scenes. While there are many surprises, I did find out the killer, if you have read other Nesbo books, it wouldn't be difficult to find out the killer, he does use a pattern. But the various other twists, and the chilling killing scenes more or less compensates for being able to spot the killer. Like other Nesbo books this one is violent too.

If you have not read any other Hary Hole book this may not be a good place to start as this story has many spoilers for previous mysteries. I can't say anything much because it could be a spoiler to the story. Thrilling and chilling roller coaster ride!

Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett. 

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