The Bat

The Bat by Jo Nesbo is a mystery set in Australia, specifically Sydney and its environs.  In the book we follow Harry Hole (pronounced Holy) a detective from Norway who is in Sydney to help the local police solve the murder of a Norwegian woman.  As the story progresses we learn that she was only the latest in a string of murders & more people are killed.

I found this book fascinating at the beginning because it has a Norwegian author holding a lens up to the culture of Australia.  Then the book took a decided turn toward the bleak (dare I say typically Scandinavian) in the middle and I lost interest in it. 

This book is definitely for fans of the author and would be enjoyed by people who’d get a kick out of the culture on culture mirror thing it has going on.  Not for someone looking for a “cheerful” or “cosy” tale.