This is not my typical genre, but having read another Nesbo title, I thought I'd give this a try. It took me forever to get through it. I think the formatting was off, because it was very difficult to read. That being said, it was slow to start and I put it down for months. I picked it up again and powered through to the end, but was disappointed with how it eventually came to a close.

I love Jo Nesbo and I've read some of the latest Harry Hole books. I'll be honest, seeing Harry Hole at his worst was a bit hard to read which did not let me get into the book as usual.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

I truly truly love this series, and really anything that Jo Nesbo writes. This man is a superstar at writing compelling, gritty, dark, nuanced, atmospheric and intense thrillers that keep you utterly glued to the page. I have yet to be disappointed by one of his books, and I cannot recommend enough to readers who like a good thriller or a great piece of Nordic Noir to jump on this bandwagon. It is a MUST!

. I am a huge fan of Scandinavian mystery/thrillers and Jo Nesbo is one fine example, Harry Hole, detective extrordinaire, is a drunk, unlucky in love hero. Police procedural, relationships, and hierarchy all figure into Nesbo's tales and captivates the mind's eye. Screen plays to come?

Let me preface this review by saying that this is my first Harry Hole book. I've heard really great things about this series, and perhaps my expectations were just a bit too high. I feel as though the book was unnecessarily long; parts of it feels drawn out and irrelevant (to me!). There were a lot of details, and I just found myself getting lost in some of them. Having said all of this, I really enjoyed the perspective of the Indigenous people in Australia, and the fact that NesbØ does not shy away from addressing the discrimination that they face. Harry's character, in my opinion, is complicated and deeply flawed, all of which influence his approach to finding a serial killer in Australia. Perhaps I'll try another book in the series some day.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read The Bat, by Jo Nesbo.. I had already read Snowman so that was really all i had to go on for the Harry Hole series. I liked The Bat but I didn't love it.. It took me awhile to get through it, because I wasn't really liking Harry Hole. Especially the drunk detective he turned
into while he was trying to solve the case. Any other police officer would have lost his job. So I give this book a 3 out of 5. I'm happy that I read Snow (Harry Hole #7 before I read the 1st book. Jo Nesbo is a good writer, maybe the 1st book lost me in translation.

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada, Seal Books and Jo Nesbo for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

The Bat, written by Jo Nesbø, is a gripping and suspenseful crime thriller featuring Oslo detective Harry Hole. While this book has garnered much acclaim and a dedicated fan base, it seems that it did not meet my expectations and left me with mixed feelings.

The story follows Harry Hole as he is sent to Sydney, Australia, to assist in the investigation of the brutal rape and murder of Inger Holter, a young Norwegian woman. As Harry delves deeper into the case, he realizes that Inger's murder may be connected to a series of unsolved crimes across the country. With no obvious suspect and a pattern that seems impossible to crack, Harry finds himself racing against time to stop a highly intelligent killer.

It is unfortunate that I did not enjoy The Bat as much as you anticipated. One aspect that seems to have impacted my experience is my dislike for the main character, Harry Hole.

However, it is worth noting that Jo Nesbø is widely regarded as a master of the crime genre, and The Bat has received praise for its intricate plot, atmospheric setting, and suspenseful storytelling. The book has captivated many readers with its twists and turns, keeping them on the edge of their seats until the very end.

While this particular novel may not have resonated with me, it is important to remember that reading preferences are subjective.

I enjoyed reading this but I found it really hard to get into. I’m not sure why. It might be the back and forth between Harry’s present and his reminiscing. I thought the characters were interesting as was the premise but I never found myself wanting to pick this up. I have read Nesbo before and had the opposite experience so hopefully this was a one-off.

Thank you @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ah the dark corners of life whether in Oslo or Sydney that confront a detective as so wonderfully narrated by Jo Nesbo.

I recently read The Snowman, another book in the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. I enjoy that this is a series in which the books can standalone and it was fun to read the very first one in the series.

These books are thrilling, spooky, slightly disturbing..I can see why they are so popular.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalleh for the arc!

This was the first Jo Nesbo book I read, even though I’ve heard many good things about his books.

This book had so many twist and turns that I never knew where it was going, which I did enjoy for the first 60% of the book, and not so much for the final 40%. Though I still did enjoy this one.

You follow Harry Hole, a Norwegian detective who is in Australia as a young Norwegian lady has been murdered. This leads to the discovery that many murders are similar and they have a serial killer on the loose. His co-worker, Andrew, has asked to be on the case and is helping Harry until you learn he might know a little too much. Don’t assume anything.

I give this book a 3/5 because the beginning of the book was very enjoyable, but I do think it was about 50-100 pages too long. But I was invested so I had to continue to read to find out what happens. If you like books that you you continue to guess the ending, this is the one. You are in for a wild ride!

I found this an interesting book to read because I had recently spent a month in Australia primarily in the Sydney and southern Queensland area where this book is set. A Norwegian expat has been murder and the police decide to send one of their own detectives to Sydney to help out the police there figure out what happened to her. He is taken under the wing of an aboriginal detective and they work well together. There were many possible suspects and right until the end, I was totally lead astray with no idea who the real culprit was.

I have heard about Jo Nesbo and his Inspector Harry Hole series, and often wanted to try ti, but kept putting it off. I was given a free copy from NetGalley of this, the first book in the series. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These Nordic noir books are written in Jo Nesbo's Norwegian, and have been translated into English, and the series is very popular all over the world. Harry Hole is a flawed detective, but a very good one. In this book he has been dispatched to Sydney, Australia to investigate the murder of an ex-pat Norwegian woman. Harry arrives in Sydney with a bang, so to speak. He is never one to sit on the sidelines and observe, and the Sydney police force soon discover they have a maverick on their hands, but a maverick who gets things done, and isn't afraid to go anywhere after a killer. Harry has many personal demons. He makes friends and enemies easily, and gets drawn into a pile of danger before he's even been in Sydney for 24 hours. This is a fast-paced thriller that never lets up until the end. I like Harry, and I liked his hard-hitting style, but i found the book a little confusing, especially in the last half. It jumped around quite a bit, and that is why I knocked my review down to three stars. I think I would like to continue the series after reading this very strong introduction.

Sigh....wanted to like this book! It seemed like one I would enjoy. Unfortunately it was a bit of a slog and then the ending was disappointing. I was excited that it was set in Australia as I've visited there recently but it didn't seem to work well and seemed almost forced. This was my first Jo Nesbo book, an author I've heard lots about and not sure I'll go out of my way to read others. Hopefully the fans will stick by!

Having read Jo Nesbo previously, I was excited to read the beginning of the Harry Hole story and this book did not disappoint. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jo Nesbo is an author I’ve had on my tbr for a very long time but you know how it is - so many books, so little time. So when I saw The Bat on Netgalley, it seemed like a great chance to check it out especially as this is the first book in the series.

The book begins with Norwegian detective and protagonist, Harry Hole, in Australia hunting the killer of a young girl from Norway, He clearly feels out of his depth as he tries to acclimate himself to the country and not just to all the sun and heat. He is partnered with an Aboriginal detective who introduces him to a bit of the culture including some Aboriginal folklore. As they dig deeper into the mystery of the girl's death, they discover other similar murders and suspect they're up against a serial killer. But the more they discover, the more Harry begins to suspect his partner is holding something back. When another murder occurs, one much too close, Harry goes into a drunken tailspin and, with little time left before he has to return home, he fears this may be the one that gets away.

The Bat starts out a little slow as the reader has to acclimate themselves to this new country as much as Harry but once it got going, I found myself engrossed in the tale. This a very dark and twisty mystery. Harry is your archetypal Scandinoir hero - damaged, somewhat morally ambiguous and fatalistic. He is a good detective but willing to risk not only his own safety but that of the woman he has fallen in love with, to solve the case.

I did have some problems with the book. I found Harry’s relapse into heavy drinking slowed the story down somewhat. Also, although I didn’t guess the culprit, I found his motivation hard to accept. And the ending seemed more suited to a B-flick disaster movie than a noir mystery.

Still, despite these criticisms, I really enjoyed the book. I found the mystery intriguing and the references to Aboriginal myths fascinating. The references to their history were also interesting but sorrowful especially as they mirrored the history of First Nations in Canada. Overall, a good introduction to the series and I will definitely be looking for more by Nesbo in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc of the bat by Jo Nesbo.
I have previously read one of Nesbo's books so I was very excited for this one, and it did not disappoint.
Reading the beginning of the Harry Hole story was super fun and I cannot wait to read more!

THE BAT by Jo Nesbo is the first book in the gripping Harry Hole series about a Norwegian police detective. Harry is sent to Australia to assist the police with an investigation into the murder of Inger Holter who was a minor celebrity in Norway. Harry arrives in Sydney jetlagged and a little out of his element. English is not his first language and as we soon discover, Harry has brought a lot of figurative baggage with him from Norway. Harry is currently sober, but his alcoholism has had devastating impacts in the past.

Andrew Kensington, an Aboriginal officer has volunteered to provide Harry with a background of the case. The two men become friendly while gathering information about Inger. As a Canadian, Andrew's comments about the treatment of Aboriginal people sadly felt all too familiar. Through Andrew, Harry meets a diverse group of people. Some are friends of the murdered woman, others are friends of Andrew. Harry begins dating Birgitta, a Swedish bartender who was a friend of Inger.

The investigation team identifies a couple of suspects but needs to revise their thinking when they come to the realization that Inger was a victim of a serial killer. The action really ramps up after this discovery.

When faced with some rather gruesome deaths, Harry falls off the wagon with a loud bang. He begins a self-destructive binge that seems to have no end in sight. Finally in his drunken state, he has an insight into an earlier event and Harry comes to a realization. He sobers up determined to get the guilty party arrested. You will have to read the book to find out if Harry was successful..

THE BAT is a good book with interesting characters. There are moments that will get your pulse racing. The early portion of the book includes many flashbacks that help explain why Harry struggles with his sobriety and relationships. While this background is interesting, it does slow the initial pace of the book. As an avid reader of the other Harry Hole books, I expected THE BAT book to move at the same pace as the other books. If I read the books in the intended order, this likely would not be an issue.

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The first novel by Jo Nesbo featuring his Harry Hole detective has been re-released in anticipation of the latest in the series coming out later this spring. I'd never read it before, so it was worth delving into.
Harry Hole is a Norwegian detective who in this book is sent to Australia to investigate the death of a young Norwegian woman there. In a sense it is a bit odd to begin a series on a Norwegian detective in Australia, but this wouldn't be the first time we find Hole abroad.
In Australia, Harry is immediately assigned to work with an Aboriginal policeman, Andrew Kensington. Suspicion immediately falls on a drug dealer out of town, Evans White, whom the missing Norwegian girl, Inger Holter, had a brief affair with. This is the first in a series of revolving suspects.
There are some intriguing characters in this novel, including a homosexual clown, a park bench wino and an aboriginal boxer.
And then there's the Swedish bar waitress, Birgitta, a friend of Inger, whom Harry becomes involved with.
There's a lot of backstory to Hole's character such as his on and off again relationship with alcohol, a theme in the series, his moody depression--and we do find out some of his past such as a tragic relationship and the death of a parent. Hole is not a perfect hero, constantly fighting his own demons as well as criminals.
Because of its setting and characters, this book spends a lot of time explaining certain Aboriginal customs and myths, often at the expense of the fast narrative. And often, too many characters tend to talk in long-winded parables. This 400+ page novel could have been trimmed a bit and would have made a tighter novel. I can see why this wasn't the first Harry Hole book translated into English.
But that said, the ending is fast with an unexpected, sad outcome.
Eagerly await the next in the series.