Reviews

• “Absolutely magnificent! There’s a reason why Nesbø rules the crime fiction world /…/ A dashing new novel in Nesbø’s impressive authorship. /…/ Bob Oz is moreover quite a fantastic character, and hopefully a recurring one that Nesbø won’t let go of anytime soon. /…/ I think the same thing I always do when Nesbø really succeeds. Wow, he’s so good. /…/ An absolutely fabulous crime novel. /…/ All in all, Nesbø is incredibly technically skilled, with his many surprising twists and turns, and cunning intrigues.”

• “Jo Nesbø’s skill is at a level where he probably can compose solid crime stories in his sleep. Norway’s leading crime writer is so experienced and so talented that he apparently rolls out new crimes, new solutions, new heroes and antiheroes in a steady stream of new international bestsellers. /…/ In the vision of a country full of opportunities, Wolf Hour rises far above most crime novels. Nesbø weaves in politics and societal matters into his crime plot in a way that elevates. /…/ Jo Nesbø is precise in his analysis of a USA which most Europeans struggle to understand. And the analysis is effectively packaged into a solid crime story.”

• “Bob Oz is the novel’s standout character; perhaps the ultimate anti-hero. /…/ Nesbø writes with linguistic flair and a rich ability to associate. He’s a master of cunning twists, including the plot solution itself. Despite the lush storyline, it is between the lines where we find the greatest tension this time. One might say that criticizing US gun policies is like kicking in an open door when addressing Norwegian readers. But for Nesbø, the world is bigger than Norway.”

• “Wolf Hour takes us on a tour of a USA with all the problems that we have seen on TV in recent years: loneliness, lack of gun control, corrupt cops, ruthless gangs. But Nesbø also manages to convey a sincere admiration and love for the large, dynamic country in the West, a dimension that is often lost when Europeans attempt to record all the shortcomings of the United States. /…/ this is excellent entertainment and suspense in classic Nesbø style. /…/ Nesbø has never been one to play it safe; he gambles and takes chances. And that is what makes him an exciting author /…/ there are scenes here that other Norwegian crime authors could only dream of writing.”

• “Wolf Hour is closely tied to deplorable American conditions, with a continuous stream of relevant background information. Primarily about gun laws, which shapes much of the narrative. A clear message in the book is that the weapon you forge will, sooner or later, be turned against yourself. Is it the entire national gun lobby that should be locked up? /…/ The plot is set to the fore in the author’s most cunning, spectacular way, while the backdrop remains realistic and frightening enough. And yet, Wolf Hour is wildly entertaining from start to finish!”

• “Most of the action is therefore set to [2016], and it is here that we meet the book’s main character, the suspended police detective Bob Oz. The meticulous way he is portrayed – as a divorcee, an alcoholic, a womanizer, a headstrong man weighted down by great grief – makes him appear as the perfect love child of Philip Marlow and Sam Spade. They are the main characters of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, respectively, the masters of the hard-boiled crime genre.”