Phantom

By: Jo Nesbø

Narrated by: Robin Sachs

Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Following from Jo Nesbø's electrifying international best sellers The Snowman and The Leopard, now comes Phantom, which plunges the brilliant, deeply troubled, now former police officer Harry Hole into a full-tilt investigation on which his own tenuous future will come to depend.

When Harry left Oslo again for Hong Kong - fleeing the traumas of life as a cop - he thought he was there for good. But then the unthinkable happened. The son of the woman he loved, lost, and still loves is arrested for murder: Oleg, the boy Harry helped raise but couldn't help deserting when he fled. Harry has come back to prove that Oleg is not a killer. Barred from rejoining the police force, he sets out on a solitary, increasingly dangerous investigation that takes him deep into the world of the most virulent drug to ever hit the streets of Oslo (and the careers of some of the city's highest officials), and into the maze of his own past, where he will find the wrenching truth that finally matters to Oleg, and to himself.

©2012 Jo Nesbø (P)2012 Random House Audio

Another great one from Jo Nesbø

This was my third Harry Hole book after The Snowman and The Leopard. Gripping mystery as always with compelling three-dimensional characters whose flaws make them that much more empathetic. Not to mention the translation from Norwegian is very natural, not stilted. Plus a fantastic narration as always by Robin Sachs. Shame he’s no longer with us- a very talented actor. Definitely recommend for fans of engrossing crime fiction.

A Pinnacle of Scandinavian Noir

Warning: this is written from the point of view of a Scandinavian Noir addict who has attempted to read/listen to every english translation of the genre since discovering Henning Mankell and his alcoholic, depressed Kurt Wallander decades ago.

Second warning: Do not read this book if you have not read others in the series. It's best to start with Red Breast and read in order.

Harry Hole, Jo Nesbø's protagonist, follows the tradition as an alcoholic, depressed police detective with a critical eye on the society around him, a misfit, and failure in his relationships. In every book in the series Nesbø puts this stereotypical character in the midst of plots with so many twists and turns and surprises that the reader's desire to find out the next development does not diminish until the end.

I rated the story four stars instead of five because of the violence the author does to Harry who, like the old Energizer Bunny, just keeps going and going and going. I'd like to add a half star for the social commentary,i.e."[Norway] is a fairy-tale country".

Though Nesbø's famous predecessors were Swedish, Per Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall writing in the sixties through Mankell and Steig Larrson, he has taken the prize home to Norway.

Is Harry a cat?

Self confessed Harry lover writing here, so it is with somewhat of a heavy heart that I review this installment lower than the others. Why? It dragged sometimes. More than anything though is believing Harry has nine lives. Nonetheless, I'm off to the next one.

One of the best endings ever.

What did you love best about Phantom?

I loved the progression of the characters in this book, and where it left everyone at the end.

Any additional comments?

I really don't want to say anymore, because I was genuinely shocked at the end and I don't want to ruin that for anyone. All I can say is that if you have read all of the other Harry Hole books, then this will hit home like crazy.

If you haven't read the others, I would suggest not reading this first. Some have commented and said that each book can be enjoyed as a stand alone work, and that is true. Each story is enjoyable on its own, but you are missing the incredible progression from book to book with several characters!

Seriously, don't read this if you haven't read the other ones. Read them all in order.

Fine story, elevated by fantastic narration

A bit lacking in complexity and character development, but satisfying enough. Harry could use some new characters in his orbit.

hard to understand

Would you consider the audio edition of Phantom to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version but the audio is very difficult to understand and therefore I imagine the print version would be better.

How could the performance have been better?

A combination of the Norwegian words and the fact that the reader spoke softly and seemed to slur made understanding difficult. So difficult in fact that I gave up and didn't finish the book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

N/A

Violin is more than an instrument!!

What did you love best about Phantom?

Story is very real, you can feel the addiction's.

What other book might you compare Phantom to and why?

Better than the Girl Trilogy.

What does Robin Sachs bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He makes the characters live, you are hearing Harry Hole

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Is Harry really dead??

Just as good as all the Nesbo books.

Nesbo's books are always entertaining and this one is no exception. Harry Hole is quite a character.

Shocked

I'm still in a state of shock bordering on panic. Harry is gone for ever or is he? There is a flicker of hope with the slight heart beat.

Can Harry Save Oleg, Can Oleg Save Oleg

Harry's one true love's son is in trouble. Oleg has been arrested for murder and is under the spell of a potent drug called violin. Detective Hole returns from Hong Kong to help the boy and confront a ruthless drug overlord who operates under the name of Dubai. This evil man is a formidable adversary who manoeuvres so elusively, nobody can identify him.

There are a lot of threads to untangle. Who is a corrupt cop, who isn't. Did Oleg really murder his friend. What is the murdered friends connection to Dubai. As usual in a Nesbo books there will be several twists and turns. The final one left me breathless.