The Redeemer by Jo NesbøMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the reasons I read is to learn about places I've never been and things I've never known or thought about. The Harry Hole novels certainly give me some insight into the people, customs, geography, weather etc of Norway but this particular installment also revealed that the Salvation Army has a real presence there. Here in the US we, of course, are familiar with the uniforms and kettles that appear on cold street corners during the holiday season. And, if you are a lover of Broadway musicals, Guys and Dolls also gave a bit of an insight into the Army. On a personal level, the lady, who had the apartment next to ours and shared our garbage dumbwaiter in New York City, was a uniformed officer in the Army and was an interesting neighbor. She never interacted with any of us, but each morning she literally marched off somewhere, obviously to work, and returned each evening.
In this book, the Salvation Army and its practices serve as the framework to a series of murders to be investigated by Harry and his subordinates. It would appear that a paid assassin tried to kill one of the Armies soldiers, made a mistake and spent the rest of the book trying desperately to kill the right guy. While he was getting more and more frustrated, Harry is struggling with a new boss, who seems to want to get rid of him, as well as his addiction to alcohol. His personal life is in limbo since Reikel is unable to adapt to his lifestyle but still stays in touch and her young son,Oleg, is still very much attached.
I love Nesbo's writing--it is so easy to visualize the scenes and actions in the book. Especially when he uses a sort of " fade " approach. For example, one character is knocking on a door but the door opens and it is in answer to a knock by another character on a different door. One reviewer called it cinematic and that is the perfect description. The book is 500 pages long but it just flies--the action is non-stop and yet the characters are so well developed--even the most secondary ones.. A look from a woman on the railroad platform is as noticeable as the face of Harry's boss as he makes clear Harry is to do his bidding in a one on one confrontation in his office.
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