drkottke 's review for:

Cockroaches by Jo Nesbø

4.0

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Harry Hole in Thailand is a good transition between volume 1 (Harry Hole in Australia) and the subsequent volumes (Harry Hole at home in Norway), and sets up quite nicely the relationship between Hole and Norway's political and law enforcement infrastructures. It's a solid entry in the series, and it's a shame that it hasn't been available until now. However, it's definitely worth going back and filling in the gaps. You'll see some origin story elements (like how did Harry discover opium?), and a plot structure not unlike one seen in other volumes. Refreshingly, knowledge of future volumes won't ruin any of the suspense or provide spoilers for the events in this one.