The Bat by Jo Nesbo

I love the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. Harry is a flawed, alcoholic cop in Oslo who happens to be a brilliant detective. So I was eager to read The Bat, the first book in the series, which was only recently translated into English. I have to say, it was kind of disappointing. At the beginning of the story, Harry, on a case in Australia, is so lighthearted and cheerful it doesn't seem like the same character as in the other books. But then he has a total meltdown and it's the more familiar Harry.

Anyway, the plot of this book is mighty confusing. By time we finally determined who the killer was, I couldn't remember exactly who he was. And there were a lot of rambling scenes about Australian and aboriginal mythology that kind of brought everything to a screeching halt.

So if you're new to Jo Nesbo, he's definitely worth reading--but skip The Bat and start with one of the later novels.