I have not read all of Jo Nesbo's books nor in the right order. So I was a little surprised to learn that Harry Hole had left the police to be a teacher. Nevertheless, you can read books in the order you want, without disturbing the reading or understanding of story. 

In The Thirst, Harry is called, with a lot of pressure, to resume service to track down an individual whose crimes and violence reminds him of his nemesis, the one that has always escaped him. He therefore agrees to return to service, to finish this chapter of his life. 

So we find the Harry we know but in a happier style than usual. Because Harry, for once, believes in the possibility of happiness. He is much more Zen and it changes but feels good. 

About the crimes, as bloodthirsty and vampiric as possible, and the story, always as well put together, they will keep you on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the end. Sure, it's not for the faint hearted what with the bloody details, but it's worth it. And what's more, I really liked being led by the nose by Jo, who, in a very Whodunit style, sows the clues, let us discover some protagonists's thoughts, lends them do some actions that can not be more suspicious, making me believe regularly that I had found the culprit. Ha ah! You wish!

In a nutshell

The Thirst... as in the thirst for violence, blood, revenge but also the thirst for tranquility and happiness. This is a good title that Jo Nesbo has found here for a good novel that's very captivating. A book for thirsty... of thrills!

Wow! I can’t believe Harry Hole is back! After the last book, I wouldn’t have believed it. This Harry has some redemption and perspective, although he’s dogged as ever. Another grisly noir crime novel.

Nesbo is a trusted author and "The Thirst" extends that trust.

I don't know what it is about this Scandinavian genre of crime fiction is so satisfying, Nesbo is in fitting company alongside Mankell or Larsson.  Great read!

As someone who is completely unfamiliar with this series, I felt I was at a disadvantage. There were all of these subplots and character interactions that I didn't feel like I grasped 100%, so my experience fell a bit short. That being said, this is still a very well-written and engaging thriller. I was swept up in the chase from the beginning and could not put this book down. I really liked Harry's character; he is so flawed yet so perfect in his role as a detective. The mystery itself was really well executed and I enjoyed watching it all come together. All of the characters were well developed and I enjoyed finding out how everyone was connected, even if my understanding was superficial compared to that of a fan of the series. This novel has definitely shown me what I am missing, and you can bet that I will be getting myself into this series as soon as I possibly can!

2.5 star read.

I am a Harry Hole fan. I've enjoyed Jo Nesbo's books for several years, and was therefore excited to get an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley.

Oh Harry...

Perhaps the charm of Harry Hole has simply worn off ... or maybe it was more that I found Nesbo was trying too hard to create an ending that would leave you hanging ... thereby nicely setting up book 12.

If you've never read a Harry Hole novel - don't start with this one. You need to know the players and you need to have the backstory. Otherwise you might spend most of your time wondering who is who, rather than trying to figure out "who done it". This is a book that isn't standalone, and that having a relationship with the characters is pretty necessary.

If you have read Harry Hole before - this one is pretty "meh". The actual crime is super gory (and they go into quite a bit of detail) + there are several subplots (are they necessary??? not 100% convinced) + it almost felt frantic (too wordy, too overly descriptive where it wasn't necessary, and a lot of rush and repeat).

Overall - I love Harry and I really enjoy Jo Nesbo thrillers, but this one was just "ok" - the final twist was decent, hence a 2.5 rating rather than a 2 star one.

http://www.themysterysite.com/showreview.php?r_id=725
and the front page of the site for a while

This is a creepy, gripping, upsetting and fabulous crime novel by Nesbo who clearly knows what he is doing in this genre.  Book eleven in a series, it is possible to read this book as a stand-alone and thoroughly enjoy it, but the feeling after the final words of the book was a desire to go right to the start and read all ten books that came before The Thirst. 

We are introduced to a vast cast of characters who have their own quirks and foibles but seem human and real all at the same time. Harry Hole (pronounced Hoo-leh) is a retired detective working now in the Police Academy with a great reputation within the Oslo Police for finding the killer, sometimes using some rather unorthodox methods.  Katrine Bratt is another character who takes a lead role in this book, as the newly minted Detective Inspector who is the lead detective in the investigation into the brutal murder of Elise Hermansen and was part of the team that worked with Hole when he was an active police officer. There are many other characters in this novel; both reoccurring and new that are introduced to the story line with little preamble. All of them weave a story that keeps the reader spellbound.

There is the twist for the reader of knowing exactly who the killer is early in the piece. The real suspense comes from waiting for the police to put the pieces together which takes relatively little time and then the race to capture the culprit before he strikes again. This is a fast paced book, taking little more than a week to go from the first murder to the final scenes, which are hypnotic. They are page turning and impossible to put down. 

This is a fantastic book, even for those who do not often read the crime genre. It will keep you rapt from the first page to the end, and each twist comes as a surprise. And the ending  clearly hints at another book to come in the series, that this story isn’t quite finished and filed away as tidily as the police department might wish to think. It’s all very exciting and the wait for the next book seems interminable.

Jo Nesbo always has me worried that there won't be another Harry Hole book at the end of every novel. This is the what I wrote about the tenth book 'Police'.

".... Nesbo snatches it away again in the final pages with another gut wrenching ending that will have fans counting down the days 'til the next entry in this fantastic series."

Well, three years later, the eleventh book - The Thirst - is here. And, boy oh boy, was it worth the wait! I have loved every one of the 'Harry' books, but have to say this is, in my opinion, the best one - yet.

Tinder users swipe right to say yes. In The Thirst, they don't realize they're also saying yes to death. Someone is using the hook-up app as a trolling ground for a killing spree. What's really frightening is the method - and weapon - he's using. And that there may be a connection to a past case - one of Harry Hole's. "Now it was time. Time he drank from the well of life again. Time he returned."

Harry is enjoying his life - he has stopped drinking, works as a college crime lecturer and life with Rakel and Oleg is good. But...there's that pull, that undercurrent, that frisson of excitement, the draw to the darkness, the thrill of the chase. "Possible the best, possibly the worst, but certainly the most mythological murder detective in the Oslo Police..."

Readers will be happy to hear that Harry is still Harry - a dark, dangerous, conflicted and complicated protagonist I can't get enough of. While Harry is reluctantly pulled out of retirement, the rest of the supporting players are still in place. The one we love to hate - the self-serving chief, the ones we cheer for - the dogged crime tech, former protegees of Harry and some new additions. There are undercurrents to each player's life that also drive the plot forward, in addition to the main plot. Supporting characters also have a voice and POV. The reader is privy to the maneuvering happening behind the scenes.

And what a plot it is! Brilliant, gritty, action packed and completely unpredictable. Nesbo absolutely kept me guessing. I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was. I did and I didn't. Nesbo fooled me - I love not be able to figure out the answers in a crime novel. And just when I thought things were tied up, I realized there were still one hundred pages to go!  The ending? Absolutely perfect and unexpected. I cannot wait for book twelve!

The Thirst is a great title - it can be interpreted in so many ways - through both the killer's and Harry's eyes. If you've not read this series before, I encourage you to start at the beginning to fully appreciate this character and Nesbo's writing. Absolutely recommended!

Harry Hole is back - it's been a while and Harry is content, living with his beautiful wife Rakel, working as a lecturer at the Police college, and having battled his demons with alcohol.  His life is about to be turned upside down, as he is pulled back into an investigation looking for a serial killer, who seems to be preying on women using a dating app.  Meanwhile, his family life is in crisis with an unexplained medical problem leaving his wife in a coma.  Jo Nesbo is a brilliant crime writer and does not disappoint in this latest Harry Hole thriller.  The storyline has twists and turns right up to the last minute.  This story is gory - and Nesbo does not hold back on details of the horrific killings by a 'vampire' killer.  But it is also populated with such interesting and complex characters.  One can only hope that Nesbo has not finished with this wonderful character, and has perhaps introduced someone new for future reads!

Rough chemo week - sorry I missed the deadline for this book. It sounded really good.

Did not finish. It just not for me. Thank you for the opportunity.

This book is such a roller coaster ride - just when you think you've figured the whole thing out-a new twist is revealed. I found the book was a little slow to get really pulled in at the beginning but past the midway point I couldn't put the book down because I wanted answers. A good mix of characters too. This book seemed really unique to me which made it a refreshing read. I hope that this plot has a sequel at some point.

Really enjoyed the book. well written, and great story.  Full review with be sent in a few days,

via www.BelindaWitzenhausen.com

Jo Nesbo returns with The Thirst, the eleventh instalment of the legendary Harry Hole series.

Three years after retiring from the police force Harry is leading a seemingly “normal life”.  He is now happily married with a family and is a professor at the local police academy. For once Harry is content with his life and finally feels a sense of belonging.  When a horrendous murder draws Harry back to his former profession it ends up putting his new life is at risk.  A female user of the popular dating app Tinder is found dead in her apartment, her body drained of blood.  When more bodies appear, the police fear the worse. When Harry realises that the perpetrator is “the one that got away” he is determined to put an end to the murderer’s reign of terror and pursues his white whale.

I loved The Thirst, although somewhat gruesome, there is an intensity to the plot that leaves you on the edge of your seat and guessing to the very end.  Well written it draws the reader in, taking them on one roller coaster of a read. Nesbo has created characters that are complex yet relatable on some levels, and you instantly root for them to pull through.  Considering this is the eleventh book in the series, I liked the fact that the backstory is given without it overwhelming the reader.

In my opinion, The Thirst is a book you want to read with the lights on and I’m sure it will be enjoyed by both new readers and long-time fans of Nesbo.

Another satisfying adventure with my favourite bleak and moody Norwegian detective, Harry Hole. 
Harry is living a peaceful, happy life with his family, teaching instead of tracking killers. We know that can’t last forever, don’t we?
A villain from his past resurfaces, and Harry is pulled back in; he knows he shouldn’t but he can’t help himself. 
Lots of suspense, twists, and surprises in this one, both in the case and with Harry’s family and co-workers. I also love the dry sense of humour in these stories, like this conversation taking place when they have a killer cornered:

‘And if he resists?’
‘Then we shoot him.’
‘Do you have to?’
‘Someone will no doubt come up with an opinion with the benefit of hindsight, but we prefer to be wise in foresight, and shoot people who are contemplating shooting us. Knowing that that’s okay plays an important role in our workplace satisfaction.’

Haha. No doubt.
Just when you think things are wrapping up and everyone is safe, an unexpected villain pops up, hidden among the many red herrings. Can you figure out who it is, before Harry tells you?

One last comment - it looks to me like there will be some consequences for Harry in some future book from when he briefly fell off the wagon…consequences that will shake the foundations of Harry’s world. I’m already feeling anxious about it.

4.5 stars.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Another enjoyable book from Jo Nesbo., the third I've read in the past couple of years.  Without giving too much away, our tragic hero fights his personal demons to track down a killer.  Our villain is ruthless and clever.  What I love about Jo Nesbo's writing is how well he bring the depravity of a person to life with a paucity of words.  The writing is tight throughout with no colorful narrative that takes away from the plot.   My only concern with the plot is the transitions between scenes is clunky at times, something that might have been improved upon with some additional editing after the initial translation.   Additionally, I felt the transition to the final act could have been better set-up. 

Despite the above negatives, I think Jo Nesbo is a gifted writer and I look forward to his next book and getting caught up on some past ones.

When I read murder mysteries, I usually am very eager to see the investigation progress, in THE THIRST, there is quite a bit on the characters’ personal lives, and yet I didn’t mind one bit. Jo Nesbø possesses such a knack at creating fascinating characters, I was as interested in what was happening in their personal lives as I was in the investigation itself. I felt involved in everyone’s life, it takes a special kind of writer to do that, and Jo Nesbø is that sort of writer. I don’t think I have ever read a murder mystery of any sort whose characters captivated me as much. THE THIRST is the very definition of a gripping, mesmerising, captivating read filled with unexpected plot twists, and the next time Jo Nesbø has a new book out, I will grab it and read it as soon as I can.

Welcome back Harry Hole!

This a brilliantly crafted, dark, gritty thriller that takes us on a hunt for a sadistic serial killer with a taste for blood and causes Harry to come face-to-face with some of the demons that haunt him.

The writing is seamless, precise and vivid.  The characterization is spot on with characters that are driven, selfish and flawed, including the tough and tenacious Harry Hole whose greatest struggles persistently involve his own addictions and obsessions. And the plot is a twisty, violent, tension-filled thrill ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning and will definitely leave you speechless by the end.

Once again Nesbo has proven that when it comes to writing clever, gripping, fast-paced police procedurals with exquisite character development and spine-chilling storylines he’s one of the best.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.