A review by arodplatypus
Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbø

4.0

A very short novel...more of a novella. I listened to the audiobook version with the intriguing choice of narration by Patti Smith. She has a flat, almost monotone way of reading that definitely amps up the noir angle. Her Midwestern pronunciation of some words (like heroin) doesn't jive with the Norwegian setting, but otherwise something about her reading really works with her subtle evocation of emotion. The story itself is basically the hitman with a heart of gold...and a slice of deep darkness inside him. Olav loves reading and stories and can't seem to make any money because he keeps using his contract killing fees to do good(ish) deeds. There's the requisite femme fetale and casual brutality and suspense, but there's also a lyrical quality to the writing and an ending that manages to be surprising and inevitable all at once.