The Bat

A Harry Hole Thriller, Book 1

By: Jo Nesbø

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

The thrilling first book in the best-selling Harry Hole series, never before published in English.

Harry is out of his depth.

Detective Harry Hole is meant to keep out of trouble. A young Norwegian girl taking a gap year in Sydney has been murdered, and Harry has been sent to Australia to assist in any way he can.

He's not supposed to get too involved.

When the team unearths a string of unsolved murders and disappearances, nothing will stop Harry from finding out the truth. The hunt for a serial killer is on, but the murderer will talk only to Harry.

He might just be the next victim.

Appearing in English for the first time, The Bat is the legendary first novel from the worldwide phenomenon Jo Nesbo.

©2012 Jo Nesbo (P)2012 Random House Audiobooks

Sydney, Aust showcased by brilliant murder mystery

What did you love best about The Bat?

A brilliant murder mystery, set in my own back yard - scintillating and extremely accurate descriptions of the seedy suburbs of inner Sydney, seasoned with fascinating Aboriginal legends.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Many plot twists were complete surprises.

Which character – as performed by Sean Barrett – was your favorite?

Sean Barrett can perform male and female voices with equal facility - with a wide array of accents, all very enjoyable. I think I liked his screaming queen the best of all though!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Oh yes, definitely!

Any additional comments?

If you live in Sydney you will love the description of the town you know so well. If you don't live here, you will love the guided tour through its seedy underbelly :)

the best

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

because is a fast paced thriller with a myriad of characters that make you hold in a carrousel of ups and downs ,really funny!!!!!!!

Who was your favorite character and why?

hary hole ,plausible human detective at the same time unique

What about Sean Barrett’s performance did you like?

the emotion on the voice

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

when harry starts drinking again...

Credit proof:Thriller and fiction lovers unite!

Would you listen to The Bat again? Why?

Yes: Because of the stories within the story. The narration was amazing. As a Norwegian unfamiliar with Nesbø's work. I have heard of him since he is a singer too. This book is perfect to listen to in English. Since it set in Australia, some of the stories told by the aborigines in the story. It is beyond amazing.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Bat?

I am going to pick a story within the story: I love a good novel. My favourite moment is in the hotel room when Harry is drunk and Sandra a prostitute may I add, helps Harry to bed and his Swedish girlfriend Sofia appears. Scenes so vivid that if you like "fifty shades of grey" you are sure to get a much more handcrafted story which unlike "fifty shades" is written to help you to get to know Harry Hole.Every thriller-lover person i know in Norway says that this book is essential to understand Harry Hole. This will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Fantastical. You learn small facts on every page.

Have you listened to any of Sean Barrett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No this is the first one. May there be more.

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

Every moment Harry opened up about his background.

Any additional comments?

Get this please! It is credit-proof all the way. I am picky on thrillers. I need a story, people to come alive during the recording. Just like the Stieg Larson Millennium trilogy it got that... And more. Being at the end is like saying "see you later" to an old friend. The trademark on great fiction: It leaves you very hungry for more...

Where did Harry get his last name?

The Bat is well written and a good start for the series. Glad to see the early books are being put on Audible. Also, unlike the more recent Harry Hole books, surprisingly it contains a bit of humor from Harry which has faded as he becomes older, more hardened and disillusioned with the world.

About Harry's name--ever wonder how Jo Nesbo picked the name for his main character? I watched a video of him recently at the BEA Author Breakfast from June of 2012. Mr. Nesbo tells the very interesting story of how he picked the name. Also, since there has been some confusion on how to pronounce Harry's last name, you can hear how the author pronounces it in this video. (Hole, like hole in the ground.) Just go to Mr. Nesbo's website.

In The Bat, it appears the narrator (Sean Barrett) pronounces the name differently than the author intended- Mr. Barrett is a good narrator, and did a great job on Harry's voice in his younger years. However, in the future, I would go with Robin Sachs for the authenticity of the name to maintain the integrity of the author's pronunciation. Also, as Robin Sachs has narrated most of the Harry Hole books, he has become the voice of Harry to me, and I hope he continues.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to #2 in the series.

Ready for the next in the series

The Harry Hole character reminds me a little of Jesse Stone. He's definitely not your squeaky-clean hero. This series was recommended to me by someone who saw that I enjoyed Stieg Larsson's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and its sequels, and I'm grateful that he did. The summary is that it was worth the credit, but I'm not yet hooked and pining for the next book. I've purchased the next available audio book, number 3 in the series. We'll see how it goes. If I don't get a little more out of it, Harry may have to go on the shelf for a while.

Keep in mind, when reading my opinions, that darkish detective fiction is not really my thing, so I don't have a lot to compare Nesbo's work. I thought it was solid believable fiction, and, like Larsson's, very well translated. It felt like it was written for native english speakers. In a number of parts, I was amazed see that the humor translates well. Someone did a great job. Sean Barrett's performance of the various accents was very good, but the voice of Harry never quite fit the character for me. Other reviewers have stated a preference for another reader as Harry, but as this is my first in the series, I can't say. Sometimes, when the reader of a series changes, the new one doesn't get a fair chance. We (fans) like of character's voices to stay the same.

If you like the genre, give Harry a spin. You won't regret the credit, and may get to really like him.

An interesting read

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

I'm not familiar with the author so I cannot compare the audio book to the print version.

If you’ve listened to books by Jo Nesbo before, how does this one compare?

This is the first book by Jo Nesbo I've listened to or read.

Which character – as performed by Sean Barrett – was your favorite?

I suppose the main character, Harry Hole. Tho' I like Andrew a lot, too. He was the more complex of the 2 characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Not a club.

Any additional comments?

This is my first book by Jo Nesbo with Harry Hole as the main character. I'm uncertain whether I want to try additional books by this author. I might just to see if I don't like the character or whether it might just be this book.

Great book and stellar narration!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'm a huge Nesbo fan and was thrilled when his first book, The Bat, became available at Audible. It is a great read and introduces Nesbo's character, detective Harry Hole. Having read all of Nesbo's other books featuring Harry, The Bat really helped give me some background and helped me understand him more. Loved every minute!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Definitely Harry. He is a complicated man and brilliant detective.

Which scene was your favorite?

Too many to choose.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Harry goes down under in this thrill ride of an adventure.

Any additional comments?

Great narration.

Thought it was a great start to a great series.

I thought it was a great beginning to a really great series. The characters were vivid, the plot was attention grabbing, and the narration was superb. If you like the Harry Hole series, I would recommend it.

An unexpected pleasure

I am always wary of translated novels but this was first class. Good plot and good characters. Really well played by the narrator, excellent differentiation between characters and pace was also good. Australians won't be put off by the descriptions of Australian life (mainly Sydney) and accents used. Will seek out more by this author.

Loved the performance.

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

Yes, because of Sean Barrett! I loved his voice, the voice he gave to Harry and Harry's demons.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Bat?

So many: - Aboriginal tales and how they relate to the main story- homeless character - Joseph and his analogy between drinking and skydiving- Brigitte undresses chapter - the significance of her undressing to the completeness of her character- Sunburned mark on Brigitte<br/

Have you listened to any of Sean Barrett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, I listened Kafka on the Shore and loved it too.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely! I was finding excuses to just go on listening.

Any additional comments?

I am so happy to learn that this book is part of the series. Can't wait to get the next one.