by Jo Nesbo
This is the first mystery book in the Harry Hole series.
Hole is a Norwegian police officer who has been sent to Australia to help/observe the investigation the rape/death of a Norwegian girl.
Hole has a troubled past, he had a girlfriend as a youth who dumped him for another guy. As a police officer he was driving a police car while drunk and crashed. His partner died in the crash and the police department official report says his partner was the one who was drunk and was the driver. Hole is haunted by the death he caused and also the distorting of the truth. He was in hospital for a long time and has now given up drinking.
When he arrives in Australia he is welcomed by an aboriginal police officer, Andrew. Harry and Andrew help with the investigation including conducting additional interviews with people who knew the victim, etc. In the story Harry is introduced or meets a variety of characters, Otto, a homosexual clown, a boxer friend of Andrew's, also an aboriginal; a drunk who hangs out in a downtown park, a flasher and Brigette, a barmaid from Sweden who Harry falls for and numerous low lifes. They come up with a number of theories about the murder but aren't getting anywhere. Then the find Otto has been murdered and Andrew is found hanged in Otto's place. It appears he committed suicide but anyone who knows Andrew doubts that is the truth. Harry and another police officer are able to prove that it was murder. We find out that Andrew was a heroine addict but managed to hold down a job. Harry believes that Andrew was trying to give him some hints as to the murderer prior to his death.
Harry is really devastated by Andrew's death and really falls off the wagon.
They suspect the murderer might be a drug dealer and try to trick him into admitting it by having Brigitte meet with him to see if he will confess. However Brigitte never makes the meeting with the drug dealer, she has disappeared. Harry now realizes that the drug dealer was not the murderer, it was Andrew's boxer friend. He tells Harry he has Brigitte and will release her if Harry plants evidence to frame the drug dealer. The police try to find the Boxer but they find Brigitte dead first,
Harry is totally gutted as it was his suggestion that she be the one to meet with the drug dealer.
Harry eventually tracks the murderer down in the Sydney acquarium where the murderer is killed by a great white shark.
The book was an interesting read, there is a bit of violence. Harry is a complicated character who is not afraid to break the rules as a police officer. I can understand the appeal of the series.
Sunday, 27 August 2017
Monday, 21 August 2017
Sea of Poppies
by Amitav Ghosh
This book is the first of a trilogy. In the story several individuals, living in India, find themselves on a ship, the Ibis. The opium trade in India and China is an integral part of the story. There is a large cast of characters:
Deeti and Kalua -- Deeti's husband dies and she realizes their poppy farm is deeply indebted and she will not be able to support her daughter, she is afraid of her brother-in-law who will inherit the farm (and her?). She decides to die with her husband on the funeral pyre but she is rescued by Kalua, a local man who drives a delivery cart to make a living. Deeti knows she has embarrassed her family and they decide to try to make a start in a new place.
Zachary - started on the ship as a lowly worker in Baltimore but by the time the ship arrives in India he is in a senior position on the ship. He is part black but doesn't look it so he is assumed to be white and given deference because of this. He is reluctant to assume authority but is encouraged to do so by the people below him.
Paulette and Jodu - Paulette's father was a botanist, when her father dies she is graciously "adopted" by the family of the owner of the Ibis. She is not happy there and decides to run away when they plan to marry her to a much older man. She and Jodu grew up together, Paulette was delivered by Jodu's mother. They are close friends. Jodu has been taken on as a lowly worker on the ship. Paulette dresses in a Sari and sneaks on board the ship.
Neel is a Raj, of a formerly wealthy family. His father was highly respected but after the father dies Neel discovers the family fortune has evaporated. He is struggling to keep his estate but the ship owner accuses him of forgery and Neel ends up sentenced to 7 years service on the island where the Ibis is destined. He befriends a fellow convict, a chinese opium addict.
People who have sold themselves to go to work on plantations complete the passengers on the ship.
The senior crew are very cruel to the crew and passengers. There is a major incident and the book ends with a few of the men (Kahlua, Deeti's rescuer and 2nd husband, the two convicts, Jodu and other) escaping in one of the small boats from the ship.
You are left to wonder if the men will survive, what will happen to those still on the ship.
This was a very interesting book with great historical details.
This book is the first of a trilogy. In the story several individuals, living in India, find themselves on a ship, the Ibis. The opium trade in India and China is an integral part of the story. There is a large cast of characters:
Deeti and Kalua -- Deeti's husband dies and she realizes their poppy farm is deeply indebted and she will not be able to support her daughter, she is afraid of her brother-in-law who will inherit the farm (and her?). She decides to die with her husband on the funeral pyre but she is rescued by Kalua, a local man who drives a delivery cart to make a living. Deeti knows she has embarrassed her family and they decide to try to make a start in a new place.
Zachary - started on the ship as a lowly worker in Baltimore but by the time the ship arrives in India he is in a senior position on the ship. He is part black but doesn't look it so he is assumed to be white and given deference because of this. He is reluctant to assume authority but is encouraged to do so by the people below him.
Paulette and Jodu - Paulette's father was a botanist, when her father dies she is graciously "adopted" by the family of the owner of the Ibis. She is not happy there and decides to run away when they plan to marry her to a much older man. She and Jodu grew up together, Paulette was delivered by Jodu's mother. They are close friends. Jodu has been taken on as a lowly worker on the ship. Paulette dresses in a Sari and sneaks on board the ship.
Neel is a Raj, of a formerly wealthy family. His father was highly respected but after the father dies Neel discovers the family fortune has evaporated. He is struggling to keep his estate but the ship owner accuses him of forgery and Neel ends up sentenced to 7 years service on the island where the Ibis is destined. He befriends a fellow convict, a chinese opium addict.
People who have sold themselves to go to work on plantations complete the passengers on the ship.
The senior crew are very cruel to the crew and passengers. There is a major incident and the book ends with a few of the men (Kahlua, Deeti's rescuer and 2nd husband, the two convicts, Jodu and other) escaping in one of the small boats from the ship.
You are left to wonder if the men will survive, what will happen to those still on the ship.
This was a very interesting book with great historical details.
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