was pretty dead at the end of <i>Phantom</i>. So the book arrived and I started reading and wait.... this doesn't sound like a prequel. So a little research later and I discover that somehow Harry Hole survived a shot to the center of his chest and a bullet to the head, he's married Rakel, split up with Rakel, and Oleg (the drug addict, sort-of adopted son who didn't kill him in <i>Phantom</i>) is now training to be a police officer. The hell? Anyways, Harry is still a drunk, but not a zombie, so there must be an interesting explanation for his survival in one of the two books that I missed since the series didn't end in 2013. I decided to push ahead with <i>Knife</i> anyways and I'm really glad I did.

It is extremely difficult to talk about <i>Kife</i> without spoilers, but I am going to try. Harry wakes up one morning after a night of heavy drinking with no memory of the night before, blood on his hands and clothes, and a lifetime ban from his favorite bar. Believe it or not, this is the high point of his day and it all goes downhill from here. The book claims to be about a serial rapist, Svein Finne, and Harry's conviction that the man is unreformed and determined to rape more women in his demented attempt to impregnate and intimidate as many women as possible to have his babies. The book is about this, sort of, but the real story of the book is so much bigger than this and it would be a huge disservice to readers to spoil the surprise. Suffice to say, the Harryverse is forever changed with this novel.

This of course leads to my biggest question, does Jo Nesbo hate Harry? The poor guy just can't catch a break. Scandinavian detective fiction is known to be dark, but poor Harry is stuck in a black hole where nothing, not even light, can escape. If Harry were a real person, I would send him a basket of fluffy kittens and a few pints of ice cream. At the end of the novel, Harry is at a crossroad in his life with a choice of paths forward - some lead to hope and love and others lead to more alcoholism and nihilism. I really hope the author chooses one of the brighter paths because Harry really deserves a little light in his life.

Here's a darker version of the Harry that we've come to know in the previous 11 novels. This superbly plotted book is packed with suspense, red herrings, and well-integrated side stories that really round out the story. As usual, the characters become real and all loose ends are explained in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

The Harry Hole series is one of *the* best series being published today. Each book is filled with intricate plot details that are always used to resolve the issue/crime in a believable fashion. This latest book brought Hole down to a new level of Hell, one that most men would never survive -- not even Hole himself.

Thank you to Jo Nesbo, to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, and to Netgalley for this pre-publication access.

Heads up lovers of Norwegian noir! Harry Hole is back and he is back with a vengeance.

This is one of the most chilling, attention holding book in this series, I felt, so far. There is the most horrifying, diabolical character I have ever encountered and a heinous murder that strikes at the very heart and soul of Harry.

The convoluted path to the unmasking of the killer will lead Harry down so many roads that when the ends all segue together you won't see it coming but will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final sentence.....and that will leave you longing for more.

Highly recommended!