(1998) Harry Hole is sent to Thailand to investigate the murder of a Norwegian ambassador in a prostitutes bed. KIRKUS REVIEWFollowing the debut (The Bat, 2013) that took Harry Hole to Australia, this second case (originally published in 1998) takes Harry to Bangkok, filling the final gap in the Norwegian cop's 10 best-selling adventures to date (Police, 2013, etc.).Bjarne M�ller, Harry's Crime Squad boss back in Oslo, insists that he's just the man to help U.S.-born Bangkok Homicide Inspector Liz Crumley investigate the stabbing of Atle Molnes, Norwegian ambassador to Thailand, while keeping a lid on the fact that his body was found in a well-known brothel¥and that he was murdered. At the same time, M¨ller and Secretary of State Bj¨rn Askildsen don't tell Harry any number of facts highly material to the investigation. So Harry and Liz have all the fun of following evidence that suggests Molnes was having an affair with a receptionist in his office, that he was interested in child pornography and that his fondness for backing the wrong horses had put him deeply in debt to loan sharks, who proceed to rebuff Harry's bullheaded approach to interrogation before throwing him out on his ear. The trail to the ambassador's killer winds past his sad-eyed widow, Hilde, and his daughter, Runa, currency dealer Jens Brekke and embassy dead-ender Ivar L¨ken, African-American parking attendant Jim Love, and Woo, a freelance goon. To keep up with this colorful crowd, Harry must strong-arm suspects, break into their premises to conduct illegal searches and fend off every prostitute in town.Perhaps the most original touch in this early, well-wrought adventure is the most depressing: Despite Bangkok's well-earned reputation for moral and official corruption, the most repulsive cockroaches Harry finds are consistently Norwegians.Pub Date: Feb. 4th, 2014ISBN: 978-0-345-80715-1Page count: 384ppPublisher: Vintage Crime/Black LizardReview Posted Online: June 24th, 2014Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1st, 2014

The first book I read by this Norwegian author took place in Norway, the next in Australia, and now this one in Thailand. I love the way he deeply explores the darker sides of these cultures and takes us away from the tourist trap side of things. These novels are dark, but fascinating. ( )

The book was very good & kept me interested. The ending was very good (quite complex) albeit very gory. However, I was confused by what happened with the “wacker” at the end, & no idea who the epilogue was about. ( )

Densely plotted and engrossing account of the drunk Norwegian detective, this time in Thailand with a bald lady police chief trying to figure out why the ambassador from Norway turned up stabbed in the back in a bordello. Very graphic and disturbing. ( )

Un paio di anni fa ho letto il primo della serie e mi ero ripromessa di chiuderla lì, col bilancio in parità tra giallo discreto e protagonista intollerabile.
Per vari motivi ora mi sono trovata a leggere il secondo volume e sono ancora più convinta che avrei fatto benissimo a fermarmi: ho ritrovato tutti i difetti del precedente ma peggiorati e con una trama meno efficace.
Harry Hole viene mandato di nuovo all'estero ad indagare, più precisamente in Thailandia, ed ammetto che anche stavolta l'ambientazione è immersiva e non solo una nota di colore; è rimasta anche la buona gestione della suspense, con colpi di scena ben dosati e mai troppo sensazionalistici. La risoluzione del mistero però è fiacca, è facile arrivare all'identità del colpevole un po' per esclusione e un po' perché gli indizi ben presto ci portano in una direzione inequivocabile: l'unico che sembra non arrivarci è proprio Harry.
Per il resto anche questo come il suo predecessore è un tipico thriller poliziesco, con tutti gli stilemi del genere che gli appassionati apprezzeranno e che io tollero poco: le scene d'azione in cui il protagonista rischia di rimetterci le penne ma poi se la cava per il rotto della cuffia, la ragazza spregiudicata ma innocente per cui prendersi una sbandata [SPOILER]- che nei romanzi di Jo Nesbo fa sempre una brutta fine, a quanto pare-[FINE SPOILER] e soprattutto l'idea che leggi e regole siano un optional, da accantonare appena ci intralciano.
Ho letto da più parti che questo è uno dei libri meno riusciti della serie, ma non so se me la sento di concederle addirittura una terza possibilità. ( )