THE SNOWMAN [Hardcover]

"Furthermore the LORD said to him, 'Now put your hand in your bosom.' And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. And He said, 'Put your hand in your bosom again.' So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh." -- Exodus 4:6-7 (NKJV)

The best mystery novelists can take us into the depths of human depravity in ways that make them more accessible and understandable . . . which serves to make the experience all the more chilling. Jo Nesbo is a master in this aspect of the genre and Don Bartlett is an exceptionally talented translator who makes The Snowman seem like a novel originally written in English.

The Snowman is the fifth Harry Hole novel to be translated into English, and fans of the series are in for a treat. The book opens with one perspective on how a criminal mind was shaped . . . and then fills in the consequences through a series of crimes and the police investigations.

While the book primarily takes the form of a police procedural, there is enough threat, risk, and exposure to also enjoy the book as a thriller where no one is truly safe.

Ultimately, the book's finest quality is in its careful character developments that leave you with quite a complete sense of the book's major and many of the minor characters. The result is to bring the reader into the story in ways that make the action more gripping.

Unlike a lot of longer police procedurals, this one didn't drag. Mr. Nesbo has a great talent for keeping his story line spare. Even what appear at first to be red herrings serve deeper story needs.

If you haven't read the other Harry Hole books, I don't advise you to start with this one. There's some history involving a few of the characters that's best appreciated by having read the books in the order of their publications (The Redbreast, Nemesis, The Devil's Star, The Redeemer, and The Snowman).

If you have read the four earlier Harry Hole novels, but not this one, I recommend The Snowman as a great choice for your vacation reading this summer. You may sleep better, however, if you read it during the daytime.

I have always liked the way Nesbo carefully builds a story to a critical point where all the cumulative detail suddenly makes sense. He seems to feed his readers just enough information to lead them to the next point in a protracted search for a cunning, ruthless, psychopathic killer who leaves snowmen behind at each crime scene. The thrill in reading a novel like "The Snowman" comes in following the hunt through a very involved labyrinth of circumstances, personalities and settings that takes us ever closer to an unknown quarry. This murder mystery is set in Oslo in the middle of winter. Women, especially mothers, are disappearing off the streets only to be found brutally murdered by what looks like a serial killer. The fear that pervades the city is very real. In the midst of this gathering gloom comes a glimmer of unlikely hope: a dispirited Inspector Hole has suddenly become, out of a sense of duty and compassion, a heroic member of the investigative team in spite of his own lagging fortunes. We get to follow him and his sidekick, Katrine, around as they follow clues, conduct interviews, and eliminate suspects in this bloody rampage. The breaks that come their way only serve to deepen the plot as they inch ever closer to apprehending a very sick person. It is looking more like the killer is so brazen as to be working in their very midst but, before we get to discover his or her identity, be prepared for a couple of unexpected, action-packed twists and turns. This is a novel that keeps one guessing as to who's who. I found this tale to be full of all kinds of fascinating detail from the medical, forensic, and psychological worlds that needs contending with before the killer is reeled in.

I read one of Nesbo's other books and thought, "what a different angle" and when I saw The Snowman and the reference on the book stating that he is the next Larsson then I was curious. Different writers but possibly going to be the same hype. If you are interested in how the evil mind in people work, this is the reference book for you! Not only is there one evil soul but other troubled souls as well. Lots of turns and twists just when you think you figured it out. A great book to pick up for your therapist!