The Bat (Harry Hole, #1)

by Jo Nesbo

[Lianne]

The Bat is an interesting introduction to Inspector Harry Hole, who is sent to Sydney, Australia to observe a murder case. The contrast was immediately striking: here is a man from a northern European country observing a case in sunny, laid-back Australia. It was fascinating to read about Scandinavian tourists in Australia, the status of the Aborigine on the continent and gay culture in Sydney as well as some bits of history and life in the interior of the country. The case itself is a slow burn and a chunk of the novel is spent acquainting the reader to Harry Hole and the many personal problems that he's dealing with.

Fans of crime mysteries and thrillers will want to check out this novel. My complete review of the novel was originally posted at eclectictales.com: http://www.eclectictales.com/blog/2013/05/31/review-the-bat/