The night the first snow falls a young boy wakes to find his mother gone. He walks through the silent house, but finds only wet footprints on the stairs. In the garden looms a solitary figure: a snowman bathed in cold moonlight, its black eyes glaring up at the bedroom windows. Round its neck is his mother’s pink scarf. Inspector Harry Hole is convinced there is a link between the disappearance and a menacing letter he received some months earlier. As Harry and his team delve into unsolved case files, they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears Harry’s suspicions are confirmed: he is a pawn in a deadly game. For the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his turf, a killer who will drive him to the brink of insanity. A brilliant thriller with a pace that never lets up, The Snowman confirms Jo Nesbø’s position as an international star of crime fiction.
The Snowman: A Harry Hole thriller (Oslo Sequence 5)
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Review
"Hole's how a fictional detective should be, each scene is succinct,shifts the reader's perspective, keeps the pace fast, interesting. --Times Literary Supplement
"Nesbo handles the tension with aplomb" --Metro
`... the quality of the writing (and its translation) is so impressive.' -- Literary Review
`... this most ambitious of Nesbo's crime novels banishes any fears that the omniscient serial killer scenario has been exhausted.' -- Independent
`... [Jo Nesbo is the] best current Nordic writer of crime fiction... This is crime writing of the highest order.'
-- The Times
Every now and then, a truly exceptional crime novel comes along, something so gripping that it recalls classics such as The Silence of The Lambs. One of Norway's most successful crime writers, Jo Nesbø has pulled it off with The Snowman... This latest novel to be translated into English establishes him as a writer of rare ingenuity and total confidence... This superb novel... deserves comparison with the first volume of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. --Sunday Times
"Nesbo gradually tightens the narrative grip until, throughout the last 100 pages, the reader also finds it hard to breathe" --Evening Standard
"...this latest novel to be translated into English establishes him as a writer of rare ingenuity and total confidence..." --Sunday Times
'Nesbø's plotting and pared-back prose style... keeping the reader hooked as he ramps up the action to a gripping climax.'
--The Big Issue
THE SNOWMAN is a complex, intellectually satisfying plot with many twists... Do yourself a favour and read it
--Eurocrime
"my crime fiction book of the year so far"
--Sunday Times
`Readers wondering where to turn after finishing Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy would be well advised to give Jo Nesbo a try.'
--The Guardian
"Nesbo handles the tension with aplomb" --Metro
`... the quality of the writing (and its translation) is so impressive.' -- Literary Review
`... this most ambitious of Nesbo's crime novels banishes any fears that the omniscient serial killer scenario has been exhausted.' -- Independent
`... [Jo Nesbo is the] best current Nordic writer of crime fiction... This is crime writing of the highest order.'
-- The Times
Every now and then, a truly exceptional crime novel comes along, something so gripping that it recalls classics such as The Silence of The Lambs. One of Norway's most successful crime writers, Jo Nesbø has pulled it off with The Snowman... This latest novel to be translated into English establishes him as a writer of rare ingenuity and total confidence... This superb novel... deserves comparison with the first volume of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. --Sunday Times
"Nesbo gradually tightens the narrative grip until, throughout the last 100 pages, the reader also finds it hard to breathe" --Evening Standard
"...this latest novel to be translated into English establishes him as a writer of rare ingenuity and total confidence..." --Sunday Times
'Nesbø's plotting and pared-back prose style... keeping the reader hooked as he ramps up the action to a gripping climax.'
--The Big Issue
THE SNOWMAN is a complex, intellectually satisfying plot with many twists... Do yourself a favour and read it
--Eurocrime
"my crime fiction book of the year so far"
--Sunday Times
`Readers wondering where to turn after finishing Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy would be well advised to give Jo Nesbo a try.'
--The Guardian
Book Description
The first snowfall in Oslo brings a series of gruesome murders, and Harry Hole is pitted against a brutal killer who will drive him to the edge.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
333 of 349 people found the following review helpful
By G. J. Oxley
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
You'd be forgiven for thinking that 'snowman' was a slang term for a cocaine dealer - but you'd be wrong. In this, the fifth Jo Nesbo to be translated into English, there's a particularly nasty, hyper-intelligent serial killer of that name; a man with serious psychological issues rooted in a past event. Nesbo's marvellous creation - detective Harry Hole - initially struggles to get a handle on his identity and makes wrong assumptions, but ... I'll not give away any more of the plot.
The book is full of incidental invention, and it was only after finishing the book, when I thought back on everything that occurred within its pages, that I fully appreciated the author's genius. And believe me, that is not too strong a word for what's on offer here. It's not difficult to work out who the killer is (I don't think it's meant to be) but it's what the author does with the plot that counts: he takes familiar elements and twists completely new shapes out of them. Indeed the last fifty pages or so are almost unbearably tense and are as exciting as anything I've read in the past three years.
No-one in the world of crime fiction is producing better stuff than Jo Nesbo and that includes Michael Connelly, Elmore Leonard, George Pelecanos, James Lee Burke et al. He is THAT good. I can hardly wait for the next one and If I had the money I'd pay the excellent translator, Don Bartlett, out of my own pocket to get them translated quicker! Counting up my personal Amazon ratings, I make that 24 stars out of maximum 25 for the five Nesbo books I've read. This, for me is a prime indicator of not only his stellar talent, but the sheer consistent brilliance of his output.
The book is full of incidental invention, and it was only after finishing the book, when I thought back on everything that occurred within its pages, that I fully appreciated the author's genius. And believe me, that is not too strong a word for what's on offer here. It's not difficult to work out who the killer is (I don't think it's meant to be) but it's what the author does with the plot that counts: he takes familiar elements and twists completely new shapes out of them. Indeed the last fifty pages or so are almost unbearably tense and are as exciting as anything I've read in the past three years.
No-one in the world of crime fiction is producing better stuff than Jo Nesbo and that includes Michael Connelly, Elmore Leonard, George Pelecanos, James Lee Burke et al. He is THAT good. I can hardly wait for the next one and If I had the money I'd pay the excellent translator, Don Bartlett, out of my own pocket to get them translated quicker! Counting up my personal Amazon ratings, I make that 24 stars out of maximum 25 for the five Nesbo books I've read. This, for me is a prime indicator of not only his stellar talent, but the sheer consistent brilliance of his output.
43 of 45 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Translated by Don Bartlett.
There is no doubt in my mind that THE SNOWMAN is the best so far of Jo Nesbo's series about Inspector Harry Hole of the Oslo police. The novel is a very well-plotted, exciting story, initially about two women, both wives and mothers, who go missing - the start of a case with many complicated directions. But more than that, the protagonist (Harry) is an engaging character whose blend of tough vulnerability and funny subversions of authority make the reader strongly identify with him. As with many modern heroes of crime fiction, Harry stands up for what is right, and for intelligent, deductive police work, not for fashion, political correctness or toeing any organisational or party line. As the novel opens, the reader is given some hints that the women's disappearances may be related to other events during the past 25 years, and that the appearance of a snowman is a common theme to these sinister happenings. Even without this information, Harry is immediately convinced that a serial killer is at work, on the basis of a mysterious anonymous letter he has received referring in unnervingly precise terms to a case long ago in Harry's career, when he caught a notorious serial killer in Australia, making him famous in his native Norway*. Ever since, Harry has wanted to track down a serial killer on his home turf, but has never encountered one (regular readers of this series may think that this assertion stretches a point or two, based on some of Harry's earlier cases, but never mind).
What Harry is interested in is a battle of wits - the traditional serial killer of detective fiction who is highly intelligent and leaves complex clues as to his or her plan and motivation, a "worthy opponent".... Read more ›
There is no doubt in my mind that THE SNOWMAN is the best so far of Jo Nesbo's series about Inspector Harry Hole of the Oslo police. The novel is a very well-plotted, exciting story, initially about two women, both wives and mothers, who go missing - the start of a case with many complicated directions. But more than that, the protagonist (Harry) is an engaging character whose blend of tough vulnerability and funny subversions of authority make the reader strongly identify with him. As with many modern heroes of crime fiction, Harry stands up for what is right, and for intelligent, deductive police work, not for fashion, political correctness or toeing any organisational or party line. As the novel opens, the reader is given some hints that the women's disappearances may be related to other events during the past 25 years, and that the appearance of a snowman is a common theme to these sinister happenings. Even without this information, Harry is immediately convinced that a serial killer is at work, on the basis of a mysterious anonymous letter he has received referring in unnervingly precise terms to a case long ago in Harry's career, when he caught a notorious serial killer in Australia, making him famous in his native Norway*. Ever since, Harry has wanted to track down a serial killer on his home turf, but has never encountered one (regular readers of this series may think that this assertion stretches a point or two, based on some of Harry's earlier cases, but never mind).
What Harry is interested in is a battle of wits - the traditional serial killer of detective fiction who is highly intelligent and leaves complex clues as to his or her plan and motivation, a "worthy opponent".... Read more ›
83 of 90 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
THE SNOWMAN is the first book by Nesbo that I have read. In fact, reading this has been a break away from the genres that I usually turn to; I rarely read crime novels. What drew me to the book was how snow and snowmen could be made into scary things. With this book, I realised how.
Nesbo is a fantastic writer. His story grabs you at the very beginning and it truly does not let go. The plot is also slowly built up; different threads and possibilities are woven into the story, some of which you may realise straightaway that they are relevant, others take a little more time before you see why they were there. All of the characters are well drawn too. Although Harry Hole, the policeman who is the main character, is a divorced, alcoholic, he does not read like a cliche. The struggles he has with the case, himself and his ex-wife were well thought out and you do not need to have read the other books in the Harry Hole series to appreciate this one.
An excellent read. Will make me look at snowmen in a whole new light, but I would recommend anyone to read this book - even those like me who never normally would.
Nesbo is a fantastic writer. His story grabs you at the very beginning and it truly does not let go. The plot is also slowly built up; different threads and possibilities are woven into the story, some of which you may realise straightaway that they are relevant, others take a little more time before you see why they were there. All of the characters are well drawn too. Although Harry Hole, the policeman who is the main character, is a divorced, alcoholic, he does not read like a cliche. The struggles he has with the case, himself and his ex-wife were well thought out and you do not need to have read the other books in the Harry Hole series to appreciate this one.
An excellent read. Will make me look at snowmen in a whole new light, but I would recommend anyone to read this book - even those like me who never normally would.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By C. Thompson
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is only the second Harry Hole book I have read (now working may way through the series). I ordered the book once I was a few chapters into Nemesis as I knew I had stumbled upon a great character and a great author.
After completing Nemesis I was expecting great things from this book but it far outreached my expectations. This book grips you from the first to the last sentence. I have to confess that I worked out who the 'culprit' was half-way through the book, at least I made an educated guess and was proved to be right (the clues were there) but this in no way deterred from the suspense and enjoyment of the story.
I cannot recommend this book or indeed the character of Harry Hole highly enough.
After completing Nemesis I was expecting great things from this book but it far outreached my expectations. This book grips you from the first to the last sentence. I have to confess that I worked out who the 'culprit' was half-way through the book, at least I made an educated guess and was proved to be right (the clues were there) but this in no way deterred from the suspense and enjoyment of the story.
I cannot recommend this book or indeed the character of Harry Hole highly enough.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Snowma
Story drags on towards the end with too many potential suspects, and interplay between Hole and his superiors doesnt ring true
Published 4 days ago by Les Allan
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thrilling story
Deserved the rating
I couldn't put the book down
Recommend this book
Delivery from amazon is excellent used them before
I couldn't put the book down
Recommend this book
Delivery from amazon is excellent used them before
Published 5 days ago by Virginia Gamble
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good book
All Jo Nesbo's books are a good read. Harry Hole is not whiter than white & he's not supper man, that's what I like about the books. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Duncan Rowan
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not one I'd go for.
Took a while to get into.
Book club choice, once into it went ok.
Kept me guessing, never did get the right man!!
Book club choice, once into it went ok.
Kept me guessing, never did get the right man!!
Published 9 days ago by margaret verrecchia
5.0 out of 5 stars
The snowman
First Harry hole book I read and loved it have read all his books now and can't wait for new one
Published 10 days ago by Janice robertson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
A good story, well written and translated. I recommend it to anyone who likes the genre. t. What more can I say I think I have said it all two more words required!
Published 15 days ago by alaint
5.0 out of 5 stars
best yet
Love Harry Hole and this one kept me totally addicted to the very end I think I am now officially obsessed.
Published 15 days ago by kg
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Read
My first Jo Nesbo book, Intrigued all the way through, must start the next one and the trad the whole series.
Published 16 days ago by John G Bolton
5.0 out of 5 stars
An absolute belta
I've come from reading the first two Jack Reacher books by Lee Child - and thoroughly hated them.
I was therefore hesitant about which series to turn to next and tried... Read more
I was therefore hesitant about which series to turn to next and tried... Read more
Published 21 days ago by S. Duncan
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Snowman
Absolutely wonderful. I couldn't put it down. This and The Leopard are in my view the 2 best books out of the Harry Hole series.
Published 24 days ago by 1llama
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