The Snowman: A Harry Hole Thriller, Book 7

By: Jo Nesbø

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Now a major film starring Michael Fassbender.
36 million books sold worldwide.

The first snow will come

A young boy wakes to find his mother missing. Their house is empty but outside in the garden he sees his mother's favourite scarf – wrapped around the neck of a snowman.

And then he will appear again

As Harry Hole and his team begin their investigation they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years.

And when the snow is gone...

When a second woman disappears it seems that Harry's worst suspicions are confirmed: for the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his home turf.

...he will have taken someone else.

©2010 Jo Nesbo (P)2010 Random House Audio

The Snowman

Fantastic story! Could not put it down. Loved the narrator. I found his voice very soothing and relaxing.

Gripping - Practically a horror novel

Certainly a gripping, can't-put-it-down, finish-it-in-the-wee-hours book, but it's also almost a horror story. One more gruesome killing of a terrified woman, one more child with evil seething around him, and one more bout of Harry's horrific lapses into booze, and I'd have to put this one down as horror rather than mystery or crime. But the character development, the plotting, the pacing and the building of tension are all absolutely professional and highly impressive.

On the down side, there are a few unnecessary clichés: the relatively incompetent and sexist underling male cop who looks askance at the new and more competent female cop. Has that one not been done enough yet? (Mind you, maybe it was still somewhat fresh back when the novel was originally penned!) And Harry's battle with booze. I am so tired of cops and detectives with a drinking problem. The only thing different about Harry's drinking is that it's horrible to read about - that one scene where he's already drunk and then goes home, opens a bottle of hard stuff and starts just draining it practically made me ill.

But these are quibbles, really. I'll be reading more about Harry soon, I'm sure, since I've pretty much exhausted P. D. James, John le Carré and Stieg Larsson.

On the unbelievability index, it rates about a 7 out of 10, especially toward the end, wehere things get a tad out of control, but that's about par for the course in cop/thriller/whodunnits, so no surprises there.
Sean Barraett outstanding with the delivery of the story

The Snowman

Fantastic!!!!!
I loved the book and I usually dont read murder mysteries....got the chills more than once and its really a great story very well narrated and it keeps you on edge

Fabulous

As I have written 2 disparaging reviews in a row I thought I'd better write a positive one. This is a beautifully crafted, story with credible characters. A good rip-along yarn.
The narrator was a joy to listen to and he certainly made the book most exciting. Mr Barrett gave a performance so skilful that I didn't notice it... I was ' living in the story' rather than being told a story. I wish there were more readers like this.

The Snowman

Another great book from this Author.Keeps you intriged all the way through.Looking forward to the next book.

Brrrrr...

Chillingly intricate plot plus superlative narration by Sean Barrett make this a thoroughly gripping listen. It the Audible equivalent of a "can't put it down" I loved it and was sorry when it ended. The anti hero is an attractive and fallible character who becomes an unwitting protaganist in his own case. Smashing stuff!

Who is the Snowman? and who is Oleg's father? ...

Fantastic story I felt the cold when reading it - the suspense at times was excruciating
had to turn off iPod and calm down, never ever dull can highly recommend. Narrators voice is very good and not grating. All in all a great read (listen)

Wonderful Norwegian serial killer thriller.

The usual suspects: a flawed policeman, a devilishly clever serial killer and more twists and turns than you could shake a stick at. The setting is Oslo, the writing is superb, the story gripping, and the narration by Sean Barrett is excellent. If you enjoy the Wallander books, set in neighbouring Sweden you will probably love this too.

Murder made personal

Now I think I know Harry a whole lot better than when I picked up "The Bat". He and I have been through a lot together; he, and I and Jack and Jim. Long hours searching and not finding; looking in the right places for the wrong things. We have come such a long way, he and I. Well, that's what it feels like.
Jo Nesbo has come a long way, too. I wrote in an earlier review ("The Redeemer") that the plots are getting more complex and the stories richer. But, even then (only two books before this one) for all of Nesbo's Hole anti-hero charm, it was still a far cry from the sticker that appears on all his books, "The Next Stieg Larsson". I understand (from web reviews) that Nesbo hates that epithet, and who would blame him. Still, it was meant as a compliment, I'm sure, and this book takes a huge stride in the Larsson direction. It is blacker, more daring and very suspenseful. I can well see why it is being mooted as a motion picture. For my part, I highly recommended it in this genre, .
Barrett is, as I have said, now Harry Hole; tall, thin, gaunt, with the alcoholic's pallor. All of that is in his voice. Worth a good listen.

Chilling in more ways than one!

As always the Nesbo/Barrett combination is riveting. Barrett's dulcet tones belie the Nesboian terror, which manages to chill the listener to the bone. The Snowman is a haunting narrative with the gritty protagonist, Harry Hole, who you can't help but admire.