Phantom: A Harry Hole Thriller, Book 9

By: Jo Nesbø

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

The murder has been solved. But has justice been done? Harry Hole is back in Oslo. He's been away for some time, but his ghosts have a way of catching up with him. The case that brings him back is already closed. There is no room for doubt: The young junkie was shot dead by a fellow addict. The police don’t want him back....

Denied permission to reopen the investigation, Harry strikes out on his own. Beneath the city's eerie tranquillity, he discovers a trail of violence and mysterious disappearances seemingly unnoticed by the police. At every turn Harry is faced with a conspiracy of silence. The criminals don’t want him back....

Harry is not the only one who is interested in the case. From the moment he steps off the plane, someone is watching his every move and tracing his every call. Someone wants him silenced.

©2012 Jo Nesbo (P)2012 Isis Publishing Ltd, published in the UK by Random House Audiobooks

A Must for Harry Hole Fans

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

I would indeed recommend the Harry Hole books to anyone who enjoys this genre. Once you are hooked on Harry, all the books are a must.

What other book might you compare Phantom: A Harry Hole Thriller, Book 9 to and why?

There are some similarities to Mo Hayder's character 'Jack Caffrey', although Harry is darker and sadder and his life is quite out of control more often than not

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

Personally I think Sean Barret is one of the greatest performers when it comes to reading. He becomes each character, all of which are entirely believable. It's almost like watching a stage performance as you can visualise everything that he reads.

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

I did. I didn't cry but I was left with both a sense of loss and a feeling of relief when the book was finished.

Any additional comments?

For anyone who hasn't read any Harry Hole - treat yourself. Start at the beginning and enjoy the whole series.

Long.

Again Mr. Sean Barrett has trouble with pronouncing norwegian names of people and places but is very good to listen to all the same. But apart from that it is the first book from Nesbo I am not so pleased with.

A masterpiece of a crime novel !

If you could sum up Phantom in three words, what would they be?

Intelligent
Exiting
Emotional

What other book might you compare Phantom to and why?

It's difficult to say. It's one of the only series that makes me feel extremely close to the protagonists.

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

He knows how to underline a scene with intonation, rythm and pauses. It's an act all by it self. Certainly my favourite narrator together with James Masters.

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

Yes, both.

Any additional comments?

I am glad I experienced this story.

Harry Hole is a superhero of a detective!

Harry Hole's trip through the underworld of Oslo keeps getting better and better. Jo Nesbo writes brilliantly and gets the characters from society's lowest losers to the apparent winners (both good and very, very bad!) just right. Harry Hole is both loser and winner, a deeply tragic lost soul and a hero of almost supernatural dimensions. Read them all!

The only hole (sorry) I found in the story was this: the story takes place in the summer and fall of 2011 and makes no (save one very vague, possible) reference to the Utøye/Oslo terror of July 22nd of that year. These events deeply impacted the lives of everyone in Norway, and specially Oslo at that time. But to be fair to Nesbo, had he gone down that road and opened up that subject as part of the novel, it would have become a tangent to the main story that would be necessary to elaborate at length. I can understand that he kept his distance, but a couple of more references to broken glass and roses, the images that defined Oslo at the time, would have been realistic and set my mind at ease.

The reading was good. The vocal characterizations and accents of the different characters with their diverse backgrounds was impressive. There were a couple of norwegian pronounciations that could have been better. Harry's name and the ridiculous pun it contains, doesn't really work in translation. The pun is, of course, english, but the norwegian pronounciation doesn't bring it immediately to mind.

I repeat, read them all.

Not his best

What did you like best about Phantom? What did you like least?

The author keeps connecting the threads from the earlier books but this is not the best bool in the series. À must read if you have followed Harry (the hero).

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

It is sometimes à bit to encredible...

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

He delivers as usauall!

One of the Best in the Series

This title begins with such a lovely literary device I found it hard to stop smiling despite the subject matter, or at least its implication. It ends so well, too and unexpectedly. Generally I pride myself in picking the twist, but there are so many here it is hard to cover them all off and I certainly did not pick the last one.
It's hard to write much more about this title without giving away something important and, as I hate spoilers, I don't intend to do that. It's probably enough to say that it is up there with the best Harry stories, that Sean Barrett does another excellent job with the characters and that I am intrigued to read the tenth installment.
Viva la Hole!

Is this the End

What made the experience of listening to Phantom: A Harry Hole Thriller, Book 9 the most enjoyable?

The way Nesbo toys with the reader. A conversation, a scene, a character... he leads you masterfully to think one way, who is speaking, who you are looking at, but it is artful misdirection.

What other book might you compare Phantom: A Harry Hole Thriller, Book 9 to and why?

The other Harry Hole novels.

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

I have listened to Sean Barrett narrating Henning Mankell's Wallender but having listened now of all 9 Hole novels Sean Barrett IS Harry Hole. He captures the flawed, disillusioned Harry as he has aged over since 'The Bat' He has become more world weary with each novel yet you still want him to finally the find peace he dare not hope for.

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

Yes but wouldn't that be a spoiler? Rackel waiting at the airport.

Any additional comments?

Jo Nesbo's writing, Don Barlett's terrific translations, and Sean Barretts narration. one hell of a team! Long may you continue and bring on the next HH asap please!

My Fav Hole

Captivates you from start to finish. Fantastic flow. Keeps you guessing longer. That said, is Harry getting more predictable?