REVIEW: Cockroaches

Cockroaches
Author: Jo Nesbo

I want to watch the movie The Snowman based on one of the books in the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. The book the film is based on is the seventh book in this series. I am a bit OCD about reading a series in chronological order...and always reading the book before I watch a movie adaptation. So, I have a lot of reading to do before I can watch the film! :) In Book one, The Bat, Norwegian Police Inspector Harry Hole was sent to Sydney, Australia to investigate the murder of a Norwegian woman. In this second book in the series, once again Harry is sent to look into a suspicious death in a foreign country. This time, the Norwegian Ambassador to Thailand has been found dead in a Bangkok brothel. Harry discovers that there is much more going on than just a murder. But it's all hidden. The book compares it to cockroaches....for every one you see, there are many that you don't see. In a country where all kinds of sex, drugs and vice are available for a price, Harry finds that it's very dangerous to shine a light on dark secrets.

Although this book is the second in the series, it was translated into English only after other later books in the series were translated. The first book, The Bat, was also translated later. From what I could glean from a bit of online research, this delay was mostly because the later books that take place in Oslo are considered to be better than the first two books. I liked this story for the most part, even though some of the subject matter (child pornography and sexual exploitation for example) are tough to read about. Harry Hole is a very flawed character, but an excellent investigator. He is an alcoholic who has fallen off the wagon following the case in Australia. He has committed illegal acts and made huge mistakes. I had a hard time liking him in the first book. Now that I've read the second book in the series, Harry is beginning to grow on me. He's hellaciously flawed....but he is also driven, has a very strong moral compass when it comes to the importance of justice, and he's a damn good investigator. Harry would never compromise an investigation to appease the powers-that-be. Does he get drunk and do stupid crap? Yep. Has he made HUGE whopping mistakes? Yep. Is he sometimes a sarcastic ass? Yep again. But, when he's handed a case he never stops until it's solved. He is gaining my respect as a main character. By the time I get to book 7, I'm going to have a much better opinion of the flawed cop.

I'm enjoying this series. It's different in that it shows how a seriously damaged man can redeem himself, and how he can be a seriously gifted investigator and still have a screwed up personal life. He has a very bad relationship with alcohol.....but as so many struggle with the same demon, I can understand his botched efforts to remain sober. It's hard to stay sober in the face of senseless murders and the stress of an investigation that uncovers absolutely horrifying truths.

Great story! I'm really enjoying this series! Already in the queue for the next book in the series on my local library's digital site. I can't wait to see how Harry operates when he's at home in Oslo. On to book 3 -- The Redbreast! I'm one step closer to being able to watch the movie!! Yay!