Jo Nesbo's POLICE
A superb Scandinavian suspense novel
The Scandinavian suspense
novels aren’t popular with every reader. In direct opposition to the
ever-popular Patterson reads which feature short chapters and to-the-point
dialogue and prose, they are loaded with rich description of locale and setting,
and sprinkled with dozens of characters whose names tend to be confusing to the
American reader. One of Jo Nesbo’s chapters would equal about ten of
Patterson’s!
Having recently
read Nesbo’s disappointing, The Bat,
I was excited to find with Police, Jo
Nesbo’s writing once again captivated me with its intensity and rich
characterization. Amazingly, Harry Hole himself, Nesbo’s series’ protagonist,
does not appear in the story until nearly halfway through the book. The other
characters fill the gap perfectly while the plot leads up to his entrance.
Bodies of police
officers have begun turning up at former crime scenes. In order to solve the
puzzling case, a retired psychologist is brought back to join the task force,
along with our hero, Harry Hole.
Definitely Nesbo
at his best in this one! A highly recommended (by me) suspense read.
Things new suspense writers can
learn from Nesbo’s writing:
1.
There is an audience for all types of writing.
While some readers dislike books with too many characters, writers like Nesbo
prove these naysayers don’t represent all readers.
2.
If you’re a series writer, tread carefully with
things that are risky! Only a seasoned writer with an established following can
get away with omitting his main character until the middle of the book.
3.
A successful series is built around one or more
characters that readers form a bond with. Harry Hole manifests both the bad and
the brilliant in his crime solving. Keep your characters multi-faceted.
Dear Readers,
Like all of you, I’m feeling rather
overwhelmed with trying to get all my holiday chores accomplished and still
work on my writing. It’s difficult to relax and let myself feel it’s okay to
take a break from writing. I always find time to read though; for me, reading
is the most relaxing thing of all!
Take
a break and pick up a book. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn by
reading others’ works. And remember, books make the best gifts!
Have
a wonderful Christmas season,
Marla
