Killing Moon is the thirteenth and latest book in Nesbo's Norwegian crime thriller series, starring the erstwhile Harry Hole. The series has also produced a 2017 film, the Snowman. The series began in 1997 with the Bat, and includes the Cockroaches (1998), the Redbreast (2000), Nemesis (2002), Devil's Star (2003), the Redeemer (2005), the Snowman (2007), the Leopard (2009), Phantom (2012), Police (2013), the Thirst (2017), and Knife (2019). Killing Moon finds Harry on a bender in Los Angeles, off the police force, mourning the death of his wife, and generally out of sorts. In Los Angeles, he gets involved in rescuing a film producer and friend from vicious lenders. Meanwhile, back home in Oslo, two deaths of young women have the town turned upside down, particularly when it comes out that one is missing her brain and the other her entire head. A rich real estate magnate engages Harry to prove his innocence and Harry only gets involved because he can use the unholy sum of payment to resolve the situation in Los Angeles - maybe. His return to Oslo is not exactly hailed as a relief to many there and the complicated personal situations he had left behind are no better resolved now with him working ostensibly for a double murder suspect. The solution to the crimes is both shocking and complex, involving parasites and cannibalism and cocaine dealing.

As with many of the books in this series, this is quite a lengthy read, made perhaps even lengthier by this reviewer's unfamiliarity with the prior twelve novels in the series and the assortment of characters and their various relationships. That being said, it did seem as if there was quite a bit of unnecessary digressions and a criminal mind all too clever and a criminal enterprise quite bordering on gross complexity.

Killing Moon is the 13th book in the Harry Hole series. However, I don’t think you should let that dissuade you from reading the book. This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I didn’t feel lost at all. I will be going back and reading the other books in this series. It’s that good. Great, really. Actually it’s an excellent book.

Two young women are missing, their only connection being they both attended a party hosted by a notorious real estate magnate. The killer leaves behind an usual signature, making the police believe he will strike again. They are running out of time to catch him. Enter Hole, who has been disgraced and fired from the force. He puts together a misfit team of former operatives to work the case. If anyone can catch a killer, it’s Hole.

Such a thrilling read. The characters have had many books to be fleshed out, but I caught onto the depth of each one right away. Hole is a broken, troubled character and those are my favorite to read about. This is very much a crime thriller and I spent the whole book trying to figure out who the killer was. The twist was great.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy.
Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo is the 13th book in the Harry Hole series. I had incredibly high hopes for this book, and they were far exceeded!! My favorite in the series since The Snowman. Clocking in just shy of 500 pages I didn't want it to end. If you love your Nordic Noir, fast -paced, dark & twisty serial killer novels then Killing Moon is for you!

This is the 13th book in the Harry Hole series, and shocking not shocking I am coming into this series having read none of the others yet. I don’t know why I do this but it is what it is at this point. I did not have as much backstory on Harry such as why he was found in Los Angeles about to drink himself to death, but otherwise I was fine reading this one and loved it. It is dark, and there are graphic scenes in there but it did not bother me at all. The case was very interesting, suspenseful, and I loved how it came down to the wire in catching the killer in time. I loved the ending, thought this was so well written and I will definitely be going back and starting this one from the beginning.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the advance copy to review.

Harry Hole is back in Oslo- fuzzed with alcohol and misery but he's back because he needs cash to save the life of an elderly actress and producer in Los Angeles that he's become, against his will, fond of. And because he can't let a case go unsolved. Someone has kidnapped and killed two young women. Know that this is graphic and that you will know who did it up front because you'll be reading his perspective. Or are you? Harry, who has been banished from the police force, assembles his own team- a corrupt cop, a drug dealing cab driver, and a dying psychologist- and uses his connection to a forensic expert to prove that his odious client did not commit the murders. And then his client's wife is murdered, there's a lot of evidence pointing in the client's direction, and he's arrested. But what about Prim and the slug? And Harry reconciles with Katrine mother of Gert and widow of Bjorn and now he will understand more about Bjorn's state of mind. Don't worry if you haven't read every Hole book (I haven't)- Nesbo gives you the back story you need to follow this complex and twisty story. It's a big book but it's also a page turner with interesting little clues. And graphic. But you'll note Harry's humanist and heart over and over again in subtle ways. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

Harry Hole is a disgraced detective drinking himself to death exiled from Norway to LA. He tries to help a friend and gets himself caught up in scrape that sends him straight back to Oslo. There he is hired for a big fee to solve some murders being pinned on a rich bigwig. Along the way he must rely on his former colleagues to solve the case.

Here’s the truth… I have heard about Nesbo’s great crime writing for years… And I even have a few books on the shelf… But I’ll admit this is my first read of his. I’m not sure why I haven’t taken the plunge earlier. I love Nordic noir and great detective stories… and this is both of those executed perfectly. Harry Hole is an excellent protagonist, completely flawed and yet you can’t help but root for him. The baddie in this one has a serious backstory and insane method of attracting his victims. This biologist loved it! I loved that we got chapters in his POV, it added to the intensity.

Killing Moon is suspenseful crime fiction at its best. Read this if you enjoy Katrine Engberg or Michael Connelly.

Thanks to Knopf for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.

🌟 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

📖: The verdict is in… Jo Nesbø has done it again 🤯. I’ve been anticipating a continuation of the Harry Hole series for years (the last book was published in 2019!). Though they can be incredibly dark, reading a Harry Hole book oddly makes me feel at home, seeing the names of people and places I’ve become so familiar with over the course of 13 books. Special shout out and thank you to @netgalley and @aaknopf for the opportunity to read an e-ARC 🫶🏼

KILLING MOON is a multi-POV crime novel that follows Harry Hole, a brilliant, yet troubled former police inspector, as he makes a prodigal return to Oslo at the request of a powerful real estate magnate who hires him to solve the brutal murder of two women. Harry used to be a police inspector for Oslo’s Crime Squad, but after a case involving the murder of his wife, he was discharged and fled Oslo. Over the course of the book, Harry works in conjunction with his old Crime Squad and beloved series side characters to hunt down the killer in dark, chilling, and twisty fashion. One POV that Nesbø tends to include is the criminal, BUT you don’t know who the character actually is until Nesbø wants you to. It adds an extra layer of foreboding, creepiness, and mystery, which heightens the reading experience. There is no use trying to play detective while reading the Harry Hole books (though I always do any way); Nesbø's ability to intricately plot out a crime novel, slowly feeding you bits of information that make you feel like you know what it is going on… and then BAM! completely blindsiding you with an ending that makes perfect sense is truly unparalleled and awe-inspiring. Speaking of the ending... it is either wraps up the series with a poignant, ambiguous bow, OR promises another book in the series... (crossing my fingers for the latter)!!

Disclaimer: this book includes descriptions of child abuse. This element of the book (hard to read), as well as the suspension of belief in regard to the "parasite" angle are the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars.

If you like smart, gritty crime novels [that transport you to Norway], dark humor, music and lovable anti-hero protagonists, then I highly recommend you pick up KILLING MOON 🌚..

The newest Harry Hole book starts with Harry in America, trying to escape his past. However, he is called back to Norway to help exonerate a wealthy businessman from the suspicion of two murders.

I miss the days of the shorter Harry Hole books. Especially after all the trauma of the past books with Rachel, I think a tight mystery here would’ve been better. It was just too long. I did like that all his friends crewed up as a rogue squad. I definitely would read more of the Hole Squad, especially if it was a little shorter and that was the focus (not interpersonal storylines, etc.). Will I continue reading this series? Yes, I’ve enjoyed this series a lot over the years. But do I hope the books become shorter like they used to be? very much yes.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

On one hand, I so loved being back in the world of Harry Hole, that tortured Norwegian murder detective, the man who has literally lived nine lives in this thirteen book series. Once again, Nesbo had me from page one, intrigued by the mystery of Harry’s friend in Los Angeles who owes money to some very bad people, as well as the mysterious serial killer back in Oslo. All the old gang is here in this book, and they all play their part in not only solving the crime but in bringing Harry back to life. My one problem with this one was the dark dark dark crimes. I’m used to gory and violent with Scandinavian mysteries, but child sex abuse, necrophilia, Jeffrey Dalmer-level crimes took its toll after awhile. I applaud the plot development and character complexity, as well as the tension-filled mystery but know that going in, it’s a rough dark read.

Scandinavian mysteries are the best and Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole is an always captivating main character. In this 13th installment, Harry deals with a Mexican crime syndicate, drug dealers, alcoholism, flashbacks from the deaths of those closest to him, meeting his 3-year-old son for the first time, parasites, rape, and, of course, murder. The suspense is slow-building and the clues are many but the ending is solid. Great storytelling!

Thanks to NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf for the ARC to read and review.

Another great installment to the Harry Hole series. These characters have a special place in my heart. Each case is dark and suspenseful. I love following Harry as he tries to solve the case at hand. KILLING MOON is detailed and complex, showing Nesbø’s skills as a writer.

🌑🌑🌑🌑 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a great mystery! I truly didn’t know where this one was gonna go, but I was here for it. This was only my second Jo Nesbø book, and it definitely won’t be my last! His writing is exceptional, the atmosphere he creates is always eerie, and the stories he tells are horrifyingly dark. What’s not to love? However, I will comment on the series versus standalone debate for this one: Some reviewers have mentioned that this can be read as a standalone. While this might be true, I’d personally recommend at least reading the first book or two in the Harry Hole series before reading this one to get a feel for the characters and the author’s writing style. You can also check out @crimebythebook’s blog to learn more about how to navigate Nesbø’s work.

Master of noir, Jo Nesbo, returns with his 13th Harry Hole police procedural, packed with all the icky, grotesque, demented murder details that keep most of us coming back for more.

In LA, Harry is drowning himself in alcohol after losing the person he loved, and losing his job as a detective, which sometimes kept him anchored to the outside world. A friend of his is in trouble and money will fix the problem so Harry agrees to return to Oslo where a rich entrepreneur has offered him a king’s ransom to clear his name in a murder investigation.

Beheadings, disgusting parasites, and serial killings have the Oslo police in an uproar. They need Harry’s help, but given his past drunkenness and lack of self discipline. It would be political suicide to involve him.

There are endless twists and turns and plenty of bloody biology lessons within this 500 page deeply descriptive tale. Yet, Jo Nesbo always comes through with a creative and dramatic story that is filled with surprises. It was a bit long for me but putting it down was never a thought. If you haven’t read a Harry Hole book, this wouldn’t be a good place to start, as the reader needs some background to understand the characters.

Four well earned stars for a lengthy yet compelling read. I anxiously await the next installment in this series. Thank you #NetGalley and publishers, #Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I forgot just how dark Harry Hole books are...

Without giving away too much of the plot, Harry's in the US, seemingly on a course to obliterate himself through alcohol. When he meets Lucille, and aging actress with just a few money problems, he gets drawn back into the criminal world. To help Lucille, he must go back in Norway to help a real estate magnate accused of a brutal murder.

It's been awhile since I've read a book by Jo Nesbo; I've read a few of his Harry Hole novels, but not in order. I keep saying that I need to go back and do that, but I couldn't pass up reading Killing Moon after the NetGalley invitation. And while it's not a standalone (I really must go back and do the series), I didn't have a problem with catching myself up. I thought the plot was interesting and the parasite thread, while gruesome at times, was something I haven't seen in a thriller yet. It's certainly hard to find "new" material for the genre, so this hit the spot. And while it did seem to run a bit long in places, I was engaged throughout. Nesbo lays down plenty of misdirection, so you're never quite sure who the villain truly is.

Special thanks to Knopf for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Master storyteller - master of criminal suspense! Harry Hole is one of the most complex and interesting underdogs out there. Red herrings everywhere and truly unique murderer. A must read

I wait for Jo Nesbo to prove he's human and have a less-than-stellar novel. I thought there would be a misstep between his stand-alone books and his long-running Harry Hole series, but that is not the case. With this, his thirteenth Harry Hole novel, he once again proves he's on top of his game.

After getting booted from the police force in Nesbo's last book, Knife, Harry ends up in Los Angeles drinking away his sorrows with the regulars at a dive bar. He befriends a woman whose life is in danger because she is seriously in debt to the wrong people. Meanwhile, in Oslo, a successful businessman is the prime suspect when two women go missing after attending one of his parties. Knowing Harry by reputation, he wants to hire Harry to run a shadow investigation to clear him. Seeing an opportunity to help his friend pay her debt, he agrees to find out who is behind the disappearances. When one of the women's bodies is discovered, it suddenly turns into a murder investigation, and both the police and Harry are after the killer. As the body count mounts, the killer is proving elusive and Harry and his rag-tag group are just as baffled as the police. Time is running out for Harry to clear his friend's debt and also to find this latest serial killer.

I can count on Nesbo to provide a fast-paced, dark, and twisty murder mystery. His villains are always complex and the moral dilemmas faced by Harry make for thought-provoking reading. That is the case with this book as well. Killing Moon is a cleverly plotted crime novel that kept me guessing and turning pages. Just when I think Nesbo has reached the apex of his writing career, he comes out with yet another book just as good, if not better, than his last.

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf for an advance copy for review. The publication date is May 30, 2023.

I started reading Nesbo years ago. The Snowman has been one of, if not, my favorite books of all time. The Harry Hole series is so excellent because you know the prime suspect from the beginning, but it doesn't mean you truly know the crime, the reasoning, the how. And that is what makes his books special. I will say, the last few Nesbo books, will entertaining, have not had that special magic in the early books. While i was entertained from start to finish with Killing Moon, it just didn't have that love that i discovered early in the series. I will continue reading Nesbo and continue enjoying these books but hope that magic can be rediscovered. Maybe that is just too harsh. I am giving this book 4 stars which I think is pretty good. I think I just have very high expectations.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jo Nesbo, and Alfred A. Knopf for providing me an advanced reading copy.

Harry Hole, Norway’s most effective and brilliant criminal investigator, is in an even darker place than usual. And this story is darker than standard Jo Nesbo fare – not for the squeamish reader nor for those avoiding stories involving drugs – but the tale is complex, involving, suspenseful, and satisfying.
I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Present day Los Angeles and Oslo, Norway
Characters: The multiple-flawed Harry Hole and his unusual assortment of friends and enemies we have come to know over the course of his previous 12 adventures, along with high society and dregs of Oslo’s population, which are not necessarily presented in stereotypical ways.
Overview: Harry is at the depths of depression when his altruism takes over and he attempts to come to the aid of an older woman that reminds him of his mother by committing to a highly-paid but dangerous and difficult assignment that must be completed in a short time frame. He assembles a diverse and curious team of familiar characters – a team that will not be confused with the Magnificent Seven – that use their individual talents to meet the challenge.
Recommendation: I rate this book a full 5 stars.
Extras: Nesbo doesn’t create standard thriller “twists” and, instead, is a master at elegant misdirection. At times, it takes a paragraph or two to understand who or what you are reading about in a section – but you are rewarded. There is one instance of perfectly written multiple-misdirection that needs to be read twice for maximum reading enjoyment. Once you have finished this tale you will never think of parasites the same again.
In summary, if you like heavy, dark, Scandinavian-type mysteries, this is definitely the book for you.
Thanx to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to provide this unbiased review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author (Jo Nesbo!) for an ARC of this book.

I love Jo Nesbo. I love the Harry Hole novels. What an incredible treat to get this book as an ARC. To start, the Harry Hole series is one of my very favorite series of the last 20 years. If you haven't read this series before, I think you could jump in and be fine. BUT . . . . the brilliance of these books isn't just the stand-alone mysteries; it's the world and character building. No detail exists in a vacuum in these books and so many plot developments have their roots way back in previous entries.

Now, onto this book. Is it my favorite Harry Hole novel? No. But it's still really good AND I think it was a necessary transition book after the events of the last entry, Knife. That book sort of felt like an end of one looooong cycle to me. The events in that entry are traumatic and shake Harry to the very core. This next book, then, had to work in a different way and provide a transformative space for Harry. It starts with him in LA (which was really cool) where he's--surprise--drinking himself to death and, in the process, ends up staring down the barrel of a gun in the defense of some older bar fly he barely knows. This catapults him back to Oslo to take a job for a uber wealthy guy who's been accused of murder. Harry needs the cool million, not for himself but to save the 70-something year old woman back in LA who has herself in a tough spot with some nasty loan sharks.

The mystery in this one is . . . creative. Nesbo so often taps into interesting and fascinating topics that serve as a basis for his novels. In this one--and I'm not sure about the science of this--a killer has cultivated a human parasite that they control and then implant into their victims. There's no lack of squeamish topics here, including mutilation, cannibalism, and sexual molestation. But if you don't want dark, then you are definitely in the wrong place. The translation, at times, seems to be overly wordy and there were a number of red herrings (as usual). But, also as usual, the ending moves at a rapid-fire pace; you can't turn the pages quickly enough. And, again as usual, you might end up re-reading the pages you sped through so rapidly once you figure out what's actually going on.

Nesbo is masterful in his pacing and his ability to pull pieces into place. There's even a sweet ending for a couple of the characters that was peripheral but used to balance the atrocity of other characters. Nesbo always makes you question good and bad and how we can justify--or not--monstrous acts. Some characters, like Truls, continue to evolve in this novel, we say goodbye to another long-time character, and there is continued growth for Harry's (especially as he confronts a situation he never thought he'd face: a baby). And the last page ends with a possible set up for the next entry in the series!

Jo Nesbo, please keep writing Harry. And readers: don't miss this entry in the Harry Hole series.

So happy for a new Harry Hole book! It has been a little bit since the last one, but there is enough references to the last one that you are back up to speed again quickly.

If you are a Jo Nesbo fan you just know, it will be a great story and it was. Harry again finds himself in one predicament after another but he always finds his way. A stellar cast of old and new characters populate the novel. Harry is on the trail of a killer and back in Oslo where he belongs.

Thank you to Jo Nesbo, Netgalley, and the publisher for an ARC of a highly anticipated new book! I could not put it down, it was a weekend read for me.