It is safe to say that the only reason I picked up this book is because it was on my like for like list - reviews saying that the author, Jo Nesbo, is the "next Stieg Larsson". I enjoyed all of the Millieum books from the late Larsson and obviously its sad and a tragedy that he is no longer with us and so the chance to try a new author whom some say could take his place was a definite pull for me. During the first snow in Oslow, a young boy wakes to find that his mother his missing. Upon looking outside, he discovers a single snowman with his mothers scarf wrapped around its neck. Soon, DI Harry Hole realises that this is not just a one off ...  Read the complete review

Scandinavian thrillers are all the rage at the moment, from Henning Mankell's Wallander and Stieg Larsen's Dragon Tattoo trilogy to the wonderful 'The Killing' and 'The Bridge' on TV, 'Scandinavian Noire' seems to have caught the imagination of crime fiction fans throughout the world. Having read and watched what Sweden and Denmark had to offer it was now time to give Norway a go and with this in mind I picked up 'The Snowman' by Jo Nesbo. Somewhat jaded and damaged veteran detective Harry Hole of the Oslo police specialises in serial killers but as people keep telling him there aren't any serial killers in Norway. Harry made his reputation hunting down a ...  Read the complete review

This is the first Jo Nesbo book I read and since then I have gone on to read the complete Harry Hole series. The snowman is a gripping story about a homocide policeman from Norway who is investigating a case of a murderer who kills innocent people and in some cases put parts of their bodies on the body of a snowman! It is quite grusome but very well written! The book starts quite slow and I wasn't entirely convinced at first. However, as I got into the book more I started to get more and more into the investigation that I had to find out who the murderer was! Like all of Jo Nesbos books he points the finger at many characters throughout the story ...  Read the complete review

I came across this book in a very unexpected place. We were on holiday in Lanzarote and after reading the first chapter of the book I had packed, I realised I had already read it!! I was left bereft as there is nothing I love more than reading a good book lying on the beach on a hot sunny day! I looked around the local gift shops but the books were all either written in Spanish or of the Mills and Boon type, and I did not have enough time to learn Spanish and romance novels are not my thing. I had all but given up when we went for a meal in an Irish bar, only to discover that they had a book sharing corner! At first glance, I almost reconsidered ...  Read the complete review