Book Review for

The Devil's Star
by Jo Nesbo

The 3rd of Detective Harry Hole series.

What kind of detective is Harry? Harry is taunted by Tom Waller, a corrupt cop
who Harry knows but cannot yet prove engineered the death of Harry's partner,
Ellen, in the novel, Redbreast. Waller tells Harry he has a reputation for drunkenness,
unauthorized absences, abuse of authority, insubordination to superiors, and
disloyalty to the force. But then Waller says he respects Harry as a professional
because he is goal-oriented, smart, creative, and having unimpeachable integrity,
but, above all, Harry is mentally tough (p. 103-4). Waller makes Harry a
dangerous proposition: to join his secret group of cops who dispense vigilante
justice to criminals who cannot be proven guilty.

Both Hole and Waller are investigating a series of murders in which a five-point
Devil's star is left at each scene. There seems to be no connection between
the victims, but all the murders eventually point to someone who is innocent
but has no alibi.

The author has a gift for suspenseful story-telling.
A superb and very satisfying sequel to Nemesis.


 
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