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Wolf Hour
This killer has a story.
When a small-time crook is shot down in the streets of Minneapolis, all signs point to a lone wolf, a sniper who has vanished into thin air.
To tell it, he needs to get caught.
When the shooter strikes again, it’s maverick detective Bob Oz they call in to crack the case. They don’t think this victim will be the last.
And this wolf wants the world to know...
As the body count rises, Oz suspects something even more sinister is at play. And the closer he gets to the truth, the more disturbed he becomes. Because this serial killer reminds him of someone himself.
He’s only just getting started.
Wolf Hour is a gritty standalone thriller packed with unexpected twists, dark secrets and bubbling personal and political tension, from the king of the cliffhanger.
When a small-time crook is shot down in the streets of Minneapolis, all signs point to a lone wolf, a sniper who has vanished into thin air.
To tell it, he needs to get caught.
When the shooter strikes again, it’s maverick detective Bob Oz they call in to crack the case. They don’t think this victim will be the last.
And this wolf wants the world to know...
As the body count rises, Oz suspects something even more sinister is at play. And the closer he gets to the truth, the more disturbed he becomes. Because this serial killer reminds him of someone himself.
He’s only just getting started.
Wolf Hour is a gritty standalone thriller packed with unexpected twists, dark secrets and bubbling personal and political tension, from the king of the cliffhanger.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2025
713 people are currently reading
6189 people want to read
About the author
Jo Nesbø
184 books23.1k followersJo Nesbø is a bestselling Norwegian author and musician. He was born in Oslo and grew up in Molde. Nesbø graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics with a degree in economics. Nesbø is primarily famous for his crime novels about Detective Harry Hole, but he is also the main vocals and songwriter for the Norwegian rock band Di Derre. In 2007 Nesbø also released his first children's book, Doktor Proktors Prompepulver.
Series:
* Harry Hole
* Doktor Proktor
For exclusive content about Jo Nesbø and his books, register for the official fan newsletter: https://jonesbo.com/newsletter/
Series:
* Harry Hole
* Doktor Proktor
For exclusive content about Jo Nesbø and his books, register for the official fan newsletter: https://jonesbo.com/newsletter/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
November 7, 2025
"Maybe we don't have to forget. Maybe it's more about treasuring the good memories and learning to live with the not so good ones. And... keep going."
Goodreads, my first Jo Nesbø book is also my first Netgalley read!
A standalone whodunit crime thriller that's full of twists and turns. The Norwegian version was originally titled "Minnesota" and was released in January 2025. This hardcover English edition is due for release on February 3, 2026.
Wolf Hour kicks us off with a character named Holger Rudi, who travels from Norway to America in 2022. He is researching a series of sniper killings from 2016 for the true crime novel he is writing. The story is set in Minnesota and alternates between the two timelines, 2016 and 2022, each presented in short chapters. For me, the character Detective Bob Oz made the whole story. He's a brilliant cop but a trainwreck in life. Hotheaded, a rule breaker, and armed with a witty mouth, Bob Oz kicks ass and takes names. Nesbø delivers a satisfying, fast-paced read with psychological depth, layers of moral complexity, and an exploration of the human heart. Great read for fans of the genre!
A big Thank You to Netgalley, Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage. It was a pleasure to read and review this book.
Goodreads, my first Jo Nesbø book is also my first Netgalley read!
A standalone whodunit crime thriller that's full of twists and turns. The Norwegian version was originally titled "Minnesota" and was released in January 2025. This hardcover English edition is due for release on February 3, 2026.
Wolf Hour kicks us off with a character named Holger Rudi, who travels from Norway to America in 2022. He is researching a series of sniper killings from 2016 for the true crime novel he is writing. The story is set in Minnesota and alternates between the two timelines, 2016 and 2022, each presented in short chapters. For me, the character Detective Bob Oz made the whole story. He's a brilliant cop but a trainwreck in life. Hotheaded, a rule breaker, and armed with a witty mouth, Bob Oz kicks ass and takes names. Nesbø delivers a satisfying, fast-paced read with psychological depth, layers of moral complexity, and an exploration of the human heart. Great read for fans of the genre!
A big Thank You to Netgalley, Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage. It was a pleasure to read and review this book.
November 23, 2025
A stand alone novel from the author of the Harry Hole novels. No Harry in this one. Instead we have a homicide detective called Bob Oz who struggles with anger management issues due to grief from the death of his daughter and the resulting marriage breakup.
The book opens in 2022 with the arrival of a Norwegian writer who is visiting the scenes of a famous crime in 2016 seeking information for his book. The story is told from multiple POVs and jumps around in time so there is no possibility of letting your mind wander - concentration is definitely required and the results are very rewarding.
This is a great story with engaging characters and so well written it practically reads itself. There is even a surprise ending (for me anyway). An easy five stars. Highly recommended.
The book opens in 2022 with the arrival of a Norwegian writer who is visiting the scenes of a famous crime in 2016 seeking information for his book. The story is told from multiple POVs and jumps around in time so there is no possibility of letting your mind wander - concentration is definitely required and the results are very rewarding.
This is a great story with engaging characters and so well written it practically reads itself. There is even a surprise ending (for me anyway). An easy five stars. Highly recommended.
Want to read
May 17, 2025UPDATE MAY 17TH 2025: I MET MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR!!!! I'M SCREAMING!!! He was so sweet. Sadly there were a lot of people so I only got to talk to him for a couple of seconds while he signed but it was worth it.
Original review below:
GUYS!!! JO NESBØ (aka my favourite author, if you didn't know before, you do now) IS COMING TO A THRILLER FESTIVAL IN MY CITY AND DOING A BOOK SIGNING!!! I'M MEETING MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR TOMORROW AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been so excited ever since they announced it. Unfortunately, I won't have time to read this particular book before I meet him (the translated edition just came out yesterday and I don't have it in my hands yet), but I've read a good chunk of his other books so I'm ready. And shaking a bit. If you told 14 year old me that I'd get to meet him in the future, I don't think she would have believed you.
Original review below:
GUYS!!! JO NESBØ (aka my favourite author, if you didn't know before, you do now) IS COMING TO A THRILLER FESTIVAL IN MY CITY AND DOING A BOOK SIGNING!!! I'M MEETING MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR TOMORROW AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been so excited ever since they announced it. Unfortunately, I won't have time to read this particular book before I meet him (the translated edition just came out yesterday and I don't have it in my hands yet), but I've read a good chunk of his other books so I'm ready. And shaking a bit. If you told 14 year old me that I'd get to meet him in the future, I don't think she would have believed you.
April 23, 2025
4.5
2022. Holger Rudi has arrived in Minneapolis from Oslo. What is the purpose of his visit? Well, it’s to get inside the mind of a killer for a book that is writing. Maybe the title will be The Minneapolis Avenger which all happens six years ago. He hires a taxi driver for the day to follow the trail, first stop Jordan, next Dinkytown.
2016. The Jordan Projects Minneapolis. The gunman awaits his target from a sixth floor window, it’s a gang land leader who always leaves his place at 8:16 precisely. He aims and hits his target and then disappears. Detective Bob Oz, currently in a bar in Dinkytown, get the call from Superintendent Walker. His partner Kay Myers arrives shortly after, but their bird has flown. Little do they know that this is just the start.
It’s no secret that I love Scandi Noir and Jo Nesbø’s books are my favourite as he always has me caught up in his exciting plots and this one is no exception. It hits the ground running at a fast pace right from the start as a hold my breath when the drama unfolds. The pace rises and falls appropriately and there’s plenty going on to keep me engaged and reading on, aided by some ‘bombs’ at the end of some chapters. There’s the hunt for the assassin and that’s fascinating all by itself, Bob‘s life, corruption, a cat and mouse game and the one they’re hunting has planned and is one step ahead, urban legends that might not be legends and transformations in more ways than one. Inevitably, this is Jo Nesbø after all, there are numerous plot twists and turns and some are good and very unexpected.
The two timelines blend together well although most of the focus is on 2016.
What of Bob Oz, of Norwegian extraction as many of the characters are? Well, it’s safe to say the author has created another interesting central protagonist. He can be rude and provocative, he doesn’t play by the rules, he’s suffered, he has his struggles but he’s a darn good cop. Despite all the negatives, I root for him and grow to really like him.
It builds and twists to a good ending part of which is sad but part is the exact opposite.
Highly recommended to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House, Vintage for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Ps. The cover for the U.K. is really good and enticing!
2022. Holger Rudi has arrived in Minneapolis from Oslo. What is the purpose of his visit? Well, it’s to get inside the mind of a killer for a book that is writing. Maybe the title will be The Minneapolis Avenger which all happens six years ago. He hires a taxi driver for the day to follow the trail, first stop Jordan, next Dinkytown.
2016. The Jordan Projects Minneapolis. The gunman awaits his target from a sixth floor window, it’s a gang land leader who always leaves his place at 8:16 precisely. He aims and hits his target and then disappears. Detective Bob Oz, currently in a bar in Dinkytown, get the call from Superintendent Walker. His partner Kay Myers arrives shortly after, but their bird has flown. Little do they know that this is just the start.
It’s no secret that I love Scandi Noir and Jo Nesbø’s books are my favourite as he always has me caught up in his exciting plots and this one is no exception. It hits the ground running at a fast pace right from the start as a hold my breath when the drama unfolds. The pace rises and falls appropriately and there’s plenty going on to keep me engaged and reading on, aided by some ‘bombs’ at the end of some chapters. There’s the hunt for the assassin and that’s fascinating all by itself, Bob‘s life, corruption, a cat and mouse game and the one they’re hunting has planned and is one step ahead, urban legends that might not be legends and transformations in more ways than one. Inevitably, this is Jo Nesbø after all, there are numerous plot twists and turns and some are good and very unexpected.
The two timelines blend together well although most of the focus is on 2016.
What of Bob Oz, of Norwegian extraction as many of the characters are? Well, it’s safe to say the author has created another interesting central protagonist. He can be rude and provocative, he doesn’t play by the rules, he’s suffered, he has his struggles but he’s a darn good cop. Despite all the negatives, I root for him and grow to really like him.
It builds and twists to a good ending part of which is sad but part is the exact opposite.
Highly recommended to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House, Vintage for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Ps. The cover for the U.K. is really good and enticing!
August 10, 2025
A fantastic standalone novel from Jo Nesbo.
As always I'm going to spare you the blur about the storyline, you can see that on almost every review and even here in the book details.
What i will say is that you know what you're going to get with a Jo Nesbo novel. A well written crime novel, but this one varies from his others in both its setting and its narrative method. This is a crime novel told from the perspective of someone looking back at the tragic and harrowing events that unfold in this story. There were many a times that I got so lost in the story that I'd forget this fact.
Extremely well written and always seems to leave the reader guessing.
A great read and one that I believe would be a great starting point for anyone who hasn't read one of Jo's books before.
Very highly recommended.
As always I'm going to spare you the blur about the storyline, you can see that on almost every review and even here in the book details.
What i will say is that you know what you're going to get with a Jo Nesbo novel. A well written crime novel, but this one varies from his others in both its setting and its narrative method. This is a crime novel told from the perspective of someone looking back at the tragic and harrowing events that unfold in this story. There were many a times that I got so lost in the story that I'd forget this fact.
Extremely well written and always seems to leave the reader guessing.
A great read and one that I believe would be a great starting point for anyone who hasn't read one of Jo's books before.
Very highly recommended.
November 13, 2025
This was a true page turner for me. I loved the deeper look into thoughts and emotions and what makes people choose the way that they do. The author writes “we stalk memories," and I think this is true. I was fascinated by the way the characters were affected by memories of past events or traumas, as they tried to deal with current ones.
For example, as Kay Myers chases a suspect she experiences a flashback to a time when she was running away from her father, an addict who needed money for his next fix, who yells abuse at her, then his words turn to pleading - “The words were like acid, they burnt through her skin and could not be washed away. There they stood, daughter and father, one on each side of the fence, with another man’s dog between them."
Later, Kay reflects and realizes that, “she couldn’t remember a time when she had ever felt closer to her father than she had that night, when they stood there face-to-face, each with their own despair.”
Another reference to memory - “Bob breathed in the air. Remembered childhood, and how sharp every sensory impression was, how even the most insignificant of them could seem almost overwhelming, like the special smell, the humid taste of rain-wet asphalt.”
I enjoyed reading about the theory of trauma supplied by Bob's ex-wife Alice who is a psychologist. “Trauma arises when you lose someone you thought you would be spending the rest of your life with.” Your whole being is centered around a lifetime with this loved one. You are fully invested in this conviction and your world collapses if/when your loved one leaves.
“The trauma is the wound. But the loneliness that comes with it locks you to your trauma.”
“Traumatic memory is circular. Meaning that when something happens that reminds us of a previous trauma it can awaken rage, in this case the rage of abandonment.”
Bob has suffered trauma in his life and is at a crossroads in his career in the police force. He enjoys talking with a taxidermist who is a good listener. “There was empathy in his eyes, a mute pain like an echo of Bob’s own. Bob could only wonder at the arbitrary way empathy was distributed among humans.”
“A thought struck him. That he should quit being a cop and study instead to be a taxidermist. Stuff the things he most wanted to hang on to in his life. The things he’d loved.”
I found the taxidermist morbidly fascinating. He has an interesting depth to his personality and questions the value of his artistry in preserving people's favorite pets that have passed on saying, “Sometimes I wonder whether I’m really doing my customers a favour by stuffing the things they love. My job is to freeze memories, preserve them in solid form. But there’s something unhealthy about it. You don’t move on. I can see it in my customers, they’re frozen themselves, they’re stuffed themselves, you know?”
I like the explanation of a ‘moth’ killer – “They seem attracted to the investigation into the murder they’ve committed. They turn up at the scene of the crime, or the funeral.” They become very familiar with the detectives on the case.
“They’re like moths that can’t help flying toward the flame, even though they know they might get their wings burned off.”
Finally, a couple of quotes I found quite witty:
Liza to Bob, “You’re not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You’re a sheep in wolf’s clothing.”
“He drove away, listening to ‘On Parole,’ a sheep of a pop song in the wolf’s clothing of hard rock.”
For example, as Kay Myers chases a suspect she experiences a flashback to a time when she was running away from her father, an addict who needed money for his next fix, who yells abuse at her, then his words turn to pleading - “The words were like acid, they burnt through her skin and could not be washed away. There they stood, daughter and father, one on each side of the fence, with another man’s dog between them."
Later, Kay reflects and realizes that, “she couldn’t remember a time when she had ever felt closer to her father than she had that night, when they stood there face-to-face, each with their own despair.”
Another reference to memory - “Bob breathed in the air. Remembered childhood, and how sharp every sensory impression was, how even the most insignificant of them could seem almost overwhelming, like the special smell, the humid taste of rain-wet asphalt.”
I enjoyed reading about the theory of trauma supplied by Bob's ex-wife Alice who is a psychologist. “Trauma arises when you lose someone you thought you would be spending the rest of your life with.” Your whole being is centered around a lifetime with this loved one. You are fully invested in this conviction and your world collapses if/when your loved one leaves.
“The trauma is the wound. But the loneliness that comes with it locks you to your trauma.”
“Traumatic memory is circular. Meaning that when something happens that reminds us of a previous trauma it can awaken rage, in this case the rage of abandonment.”
Bob has suffered trauma in his life and is at a crossroads in his career in the police force. He enjoys talking with a taxidermist who is a good listener. “There was empathy in his eyes, a mute pain like an echo of Bob’s own. Bob could only wonder at the arbitrary way empathy was distributed among humans.”
“A thought struck him. That he should quit being a cop and study instead to be a taxidermist. Stuff the things he most wanted to hang on to in his life. The things he’d loved.”
I found the taxidermist morbidly fascinating. He has an interesting depth to his personality and questions the value of his artistry in preserving people's favorite pets that have passed on saying, “Sometimes I wonder whether I’m really doing my customers a favour by stuffing the things they love. My job is to freeze memories, preserve them in solid form. But there’s something unhealthy about it. You don’t move on. I can see it in my customers, they’re frozen themselves, they’re stuffed themselves, you know?”
I like the explanation of a ‘moth’ killer – “They seem attracted to the investigation into the murder they’ve committed. They turn up at the scene of the crime, or the funeral.” They become very familiar with the detectives on the case.
“They’re like moths that can’t help flying toward the flame, even though they know they might get their wings burned off.”
Finally, a couple of quotes I found quite witty:
Liza to Bob, “You’re not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You’re a sheep in wolf’s clothing.”
“He drove away, listening to ‘On Parole,’ a sheep of a pop song in the wolf’s clothing of hard rock.”
November 22, 2025
Always happy to get my hands on the writing of Jo Nesbø, I reached for this standalone thriller. He impresses once more and keeps the reader curious about how things will develop as tensions build. Minneapolis is on edge when a local crook is gunned down on the city’s streets. The authorities cannot make sense of it, wondering if a sniper has been taking the law into their own hands, but hiding in the shadows as panic mounts. Another shooting leaves the city to wonder if a vigilante is on the loose and there is one person who might be able to help. Minneapolis PD Detective Bob Oz is on suspension, but has the wherewithal to crack the case. Oz has issues all his own, but is sure that the sniper is waiting for another victim to tip the scales. More bodies means additional concerns and Detective Oz is trying to stay one step ahead of this killer. Oz sees something in the killer that resonates with him and it is not entirely calming. Nesbø impresses with this piece and the reader is left to piece things together.
Jo Nesbø has a writing style I enjoy, focussing on the action and dark build-up as he pushes things along. The story's premise is built on a solid foundation, pushing the limits while forcing the reader to guess where things are headed. The narrative is told from numerous perspectives, permitting Nesbø to ensure the reader has angles to solve the case at hand. Chapters to flow as things gain needed momentum from one page to the next. This is a dark and well-executed mystery that keeps the reader wondering until all comes together in the final pages.
Characters develop so the reader can connect with them with some ease. Nesbø develops strong core characters to make an impact on the reader, as well as peppering the novel with strong supporting ones, all to push the story along. The reader can learn more about the core characters through their varied narrative approaches to events in the book. Backstories soon become clues to forward ideas and Nesbø basks in these breadcrumbs the reader discovers.
Plot points are essential to effective thrillers and I have never had an issue with Nesbø’s use of them in a great Scandinavian noir novel. He formulates key themes that complement sharp twists, key to keeping levels of predictability down. I was impressed with all that Nesbø presented and some of the great surprises that emerged between development of the larger storylines. I am eager to see what else Nesbø has coming, as he rarely fails to impress.
Kudos, Mr. Nesbø, for a great story set outside your native Norway!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Jo Nesbø has a writing style I enjoy, focussing on the action and dark build-up as he pushes things along. The story's premise is built on a solid foundation, pushing the limits while forcing the reader to guess where things are headed. The narrative is told from numerous perspectives, permitting Nesbø to ensure the reader has angles to solve the case at hand. Chapters to flow as things gain needed momentum from one page to the next. This is a dark and well-executed mystery that keeps the reader wondering until all comes together in the final pages.
Characters develop so the reader can connect with them with some ease. Nesbø develops strong core characters to make an impact on the reader, as well as peppering the novel with strong supporting ones, all to push the story along. The reader can learn more about the core characters through their varied narrative approaches to events in the book. Backstories soon become clues to forward ideas and Nesbø basks in these breadcrumbs the reader discovers.
Plot points are essential to effective thrillers and I have never had an issue with Nesbø’s use of them in a great Scandinavian noir novel. He formulates key themes that complement sharp twists, key to keeping levels of predictability down. I was impressed with all that Nesbø presented and some of the great surprises that emerged between development of the larger storylines. I am eager to see what else Nesbø has coming, as he rarely fails to impress.
Kudos, Mr. Nesbø, for a great story set outside your native Norway!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 30, 2025
شرمندهام ولی اگه قهرمانش زن خنگ بیدستوپا بود و نه مرد افسردهی الکلی، با فریدا مکفدن(هایی که من خوندم) فرق چندانی نداشت.
ملالآور و خستهکننده و پر از حماقت، با پلات توییست و هیجان در یکهشتم پایانی.
ملالآور و خستهکننده و پر از حماقت، با پلات توییست و هیجان در یکهشتم پایانی.
October 26, 2025
4,25
Vuelve Nesbo, y lo hace de manera diferente pero si ya lo has leido encontraras miles de similitudes que lo caracterizan como uno de los grandes en el thriller.
Sobre la trama, tenemos dos lineas temporales, bastante cercanas, una en 2016 que es la que mas peso tiene, nos encontramos en Minnesota , un traficante de armas es victima de un tiroteo y todo apunta hacia una persona, Tomas Gómez. Iran apareciendo muertes y desde el principio sabemos que Tomas Gomez esta siempre involucrado.
En 2022, un hombre quire escrbiri un libro sobre True Crime y sera el caso de Minnesota el que escoja. Una trama que tiene muy poco peso, hasta el final.
Si algo quiero destacar es el cambio de ambientación que ha hecho Nesbo, ese clasico escenario nórdico para trasladarse a los EEUU, en concreto Minnestoa, una ciudad que tiene marcada tradición de migración noruega, y este cambio le permite explorar muchas tensiones sociales, raciales y sobretodo la violencia con armas.
Nuestro nuevo detective, Bob Oz, es el clasico antiheroe tipico del autor, desmoralizado, con mucho pasado, pero que siempre quiere mas. Tensión constante en cada pagina, asesinatos en serie, y buen ritmo. Ademas de esta trama principal la novela hace una critica a este pais en referencia a las armas, la violencia, la marginalidad urbana.
La forma de escribir como siempre es muy agil, con diferentes voces incluso en un mismo capitulo, algo que hace que tengas que estar super atento pero tambien que veas todos los puntos de vista, incluido el del asesino.
El final, me ha gustado, quiza no ha sido redondo y algo intui, aunque no el por qué ni el como, que me dejo con la boca abierta.. :)
Buena novela para empezar a leer al autor, pero tambien buena para salir un poco de Harry Hole, con unos personajes diferentes que a mi me han gustado mucho y que creo que van a dar mucho que hablar en proximos libros.
Vuelve Nesbo, y lo hace de manera diferente pero si ya lo has leido encontraras miles de similitudes que lo caracterizan como uno de los grandes en el thriller.
Sobre la trama, tenemos dos lineas temporales, bastante cercanas, una en 2016 que es la que mas peso tiene, nos encontramos en Minnesota , un traficante de armas es victima de un tiroteo y todo apunta hacia una persona, Tomas Gómez. Iran apareciendo muertes y desde el principio sabemos que Tomas Gomez esta siempre involucrado.
En 2022, un hombre quire escrbiri un libro sobre True Crime y sera el caso de Minnesota el que escoja. Una trama que tiene muy poco peso, hasta el final.
Si algo quiero destacar es el cambio de ambientación que ha hecho Nesbo, ese clasico escenario nórdico para trasladarse a los EEUU, en concreto Minnestoa, una ciudad que tiene marcada tradición de migración noruega, y este cambio le permite explorar muchas tensiones sociales, raciales y sobretodo la violencia con armas.
Nuestro nuevo detective, Bob Oz, es el clasico antiheroe tipico del autor, desmoralizado, con mucho pasado, pero que siempre quiere mas. Tensión constante en cada pagina, asesinatos en serie, y buen ritmo. Ademas de esta trama principal la novela hace una critica a este pais en referencia a las armas, la violencia, la marginalidad urbana.
La forma de escribir como siempre es muy agil, con diferentes voces incluso en un mismo capitulo, algo que hace que tengas que estar super atento pero tambien que veas todos los puntos de vista, incluido el del asesino.
El final, me ha gustado, quiza no ha sido redondo y algo intui, aunque no el por qué ni el como, que me dejo con la boca abierta.. :)
Buena novela para empezar a leer al autor, pero tambien buena para salir un poco de Harry Hole, con unos personajes diferentes que a mi me han gustado mucho y que creo que van a dar mucho que hablar en proximos libros.
October 22, 2025
Minnesota de Jo Nesbø es un análisis psicológico brillante que va directo al núcleo de la obra: la exploración de la culpa, el dolor y la violencia a través de personajes arquetípicos, pero profundamente dañados. El detective Bob Oz encarna este estereotipo del antihéroe ruin, se enfoca en la raíz de su ruina, la culpa no resuelta y la ira patológica. La pregunta que plantea la novela «¿Qué transforma a un hombre bueno en un monstruo?», lleva a una reflexión profunda que excede la ficción. Rechazo la idea de que el monstruo surja de la nada, el monstruo no nace, se forma a través del dolor, la culpa, el abandono y la falta de amor propio. La historia de Tomas Gómez y Bob Oz es la prueba de este proceso, ambos son la cara de la misma moneda. La conversación entre Bob y Mike es un momento de gran interés, subraya el tema principal, la narrativa personal que construimos para evitar la responsabilidad de nuestra propia existencia. La ira y el odio no mueren, se alimentan de nuestra negación a afrontar la verdad.
¡Feliz lectura!
3,5
¡Feliz lectura!
3,5
December 16, 2025
For his latest standalone thriller, Jo Nesbo shifts the action from his native Norway to the United States. Specifically, Minneapolis, Minnesota; a state where a large proportion of residents are of Scandinavian heritage.
The story is told in two timelines: the 2016 one tells the story of a serial killer picking off specific targets, against whom he bears a grudge. Pitted against him is maverick detective Bob Oz who, as his investigation proceeds, becomes more and more able to identify with the man whom he is pursuing. The second timeline is set in 2022 and concerns a writer called Holger Rudi who has recently flown in from Norway intending to write a book on the 2016 events.
The novel frequently touches on the main issues plaguing the contemporary U.S.A. : gun violence, racism, religious extremism and the chance of Donald Trump becoming the next president. Bob Oz is very much in the same vein as the author's usual protagonist, Harry Hole; a man with serious personal issues and unconventional style, but, despite being officially suspended, still manages to solve the case more effectively than his conventional colleagues.
It isn't until the final chapter that we learn who Holger Rudi really is and why he wishes to write about the events of six years ago. In all, a highly enjoyable and iuntriguing standalone.
The story is told in two timelines: the 2016 one tells the story of a serial killer picking off specific targets, against whom he bears a grudge. Pitted against him is maverick detective Bob Oz who, as his investigation proceeds, becomes more and more able to identify with the man whom he is pursuing. The second timeline is set in 2022 and concerns a writer called Holger Rudi who has recently flown in from Norway intending to write a book on the 2016 events.
The novel frequently touches on the main issues plaguing the contemporary U.S.A. : gun violence, racism, religious extremism and the chance of Donald Trump becoming the next president. Bob Oz is very much in the same vein as the author's usual protagonist, Harry Hole; a man with serious personal issues and unconventional style, but, despite being officially suspended, still manages to solve the case more effectively than his conventional colleagues.
It isn't until the final chapter that we learn who Holger Rudi really is and why he wishes to write about the events of six years ago. In all, a highly enjoyable and iuntriguing standalone.
October 11, 2025
Set in Minneapolis in 2016 and 2022 with short chapters each with a specific date in the heading, Nesbo’s “Wolf Hour,” is a a cat-and-mouse police procedural with veteran Minneapolis Homicide Detective Bob Oz chasing a serial killer. The 2022 chapters ostensibly narrated by a journalist returning to the city for the first time after the 2000 Covid shutdowns and lawless riots show a city still broken and torn apart and probably never to be fully healed. The politicians, thinking it would score them points in future elections, threw up their hands and let a criminal element burn, and loot for days leaving nothing but a charred inner core where there once was a city.
It serves as a metaphor for “Wolf Hour” which is mostly set in 2016. The city had yet to burn, but it was still filled with the broken and battered souks of its people. Detective Oz is an apt metaphor for that broke spirit, having suffered personal tragedy and a marriage to Alice that couldn’t survive, Oz is found more often than not in this or that bar or this or that bed.
When the husband of one of his forgotten conquests confronts him at the station, Oz batters the man to a pulp and is suspended from the force. Yet, even suspended, and often on a drunk, he is still knee-deep in the serial killer case he can’t escape even when he is ordered time and time again to leave the crime scenes. We get to wonder if Oz is a wolf in sheep’s clothing or ultimately a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
The killer on the run is clever enough to defy the whole police force, but we quickly glean that Tomas too is a broken warrior. He is possibly out to avenge the McDeath Massacre when his whole family -including the daughter in a wheelchair- are gunned down by the gang violence plaguing our cities and yet still tolerated by the weak politicians without the balls to confront it head on.
Nesbo offers us readers a police chase of a clever and deadly killer, but one where you never quite get the sense anymore will survive the story and come out whole rather than broken and battered and angry.
It serves as a metaphor for “Wolf Hour” which is mostly set in 2016. The city had yet to burn, but it was still filled with the broken and battered souks of its people. Detective Oz is an apt metaphor for that broke spirit, having suffered personal tragedy and a marriage to Alice that couldn’t survive, Oz is found more often than not in this or that bar or this or that bed.
When the husband of one of his forgotten conquests confronts him at the station, Oz batters the man to a pulp and is suspended from the force. Yet, even suspended, and often on a drunk, he is still knee-deep in the serial killer case he can’t escape even when he is ordered time and time again to leave the crime scenes. We get to wonder if Oz is a wolf in sheep’s clothing or ultimately a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
The killer on the run is clever enough to defy the whole police force, but we quickly glean that Tomas too is a broken warrior. He is possibly out to avenge the McDeath Massacre when his whole family -including the daughter in a wheelchair- are gunned down by the gang violence plaguing our cities and yet still tolerated by the weak politicians without the balls to confront it head on.
Nesbo offers us readers a police chase of a clever and deadly killer, but one where you never quite get the sense anymore will survive the story and come out whole rather than broken and battered and angry.
November 12, 2025
3,5 estrellas por la última parte, que es trepidante como nos tiene acostumbrado el autor, por lo demás, se me ha hecho tedioso, el protagonista es un cap*llo y adiviné la trama casi desde el principio. La que menos me ha gustado del autor.
December 3, 2025
Cuidado que me gustaba Nesbo, era uno de mis preferidos.
Tremendo chasco con este "Minnesota" que parece que lo ha escrito cualquiera al que pilló que pasaba por delante de su casa.
Cuando terminó con Harry Hole parece que también terminó con su inspiración.
Me ha costado terminarlo.
Tremendo chasco con este "Minnesota" que parece que lo ha escrito cualquiera al que pilló que pasaba por delante de su casa.
Cuando terminó con Harry Hole parece que también terminó con su inspiración.
Me ha costado terminarlo.
May 21, 2025
I am glad that I read "Minnesota" or "Wolf Hour". Nesbo has been adoring himself to the US audience for quite some time now, so it was a matter of time before he wrote a novel about the current US climate (current being the fall 2016 US version of the Midwest).
His sensibilities as a novelist are ideally suited to this kind of story, and I got a fuzzy "The Punisher" feeling from the moral quandary of the story. The message worked well for me, as well as the similar predicaments of the protagonist and the lead villain.
However, point down for the constant use of similar tropes in all his novels, as well as the worthless present narrative that produced nothing at the end. All in all, a solid and gritty noir novel, that occasionally flirts with greatness, but is content only with a fleeting wink and a smile.
His sensibilities as a novelist are ideally suited to this kind of story, and I got a fuzzy "The Punisher" feeling from the moral quandary of the story. The message worked well for me, as well as the similar predicaments of the protagonist and the lead villain.
However, point down for the constant use of similar tropes in all his novels, as well as the worthless present narrative that produced nothing at the end. All in all, a solid and gritty noir novel, that occasionally flirts with greatness, but is content only with a fleeting wink and a smile.
November 28, 2025
Începutul este lent și povestea curge destul de greu; sunt treceri oarecum bruște între perspective (la varianta audio a fost greu de urmărit).
Ultima parte este într-adevăr mult mai alertă și totul capătă sens.
Crime, detectiv căzut în dizgrație și multe povești despre viața personajelor.
Modul în care a acționat criminalul mi s-a părut super interesant!!
Cartea atrage atenția asupra dreptului de a deține arme.
Ultima parte este într-adevăr mult mai alertă și totul capătă sens.
Crime, detectiv căzut în dizgrație și multe povești despre viața personajelor.
Modul în care a acționat criminalul mi s-a părut super interesant!!
Cartea atrage atenția asupra dreptului de a deține arme.
November 25, 2025
3'5 ⭐️
- Me ha costado engancharme a la historia.
- El hilo temporal de 2022 me ha sobrado, no aporta nada más que al principio y lo cierto es que se va diluyendo y lo que al comienzo eran capítulos alternos, cada vez se espacia más lo de 2022, llega un momento que ni te acuerdas. Al final, retorna, pero vamos, sobra.
- El protagonista me ha parecido un Harry Hole descafeinado y sin carisma.
A favor ➡️ Buena trama, bien desarrollada y resolución trepidante y satisfactoria. También me ha gustado el típico capítulo final en el que se nos cuenta qué fue de cada personaje un tiempo después.
En conjunto es entretenido, pero poco más.
- Me ha costado engancharme a la historia.
- El hilo temporal de 2022 me ha sobrado, no aporta nada más que al principio y lo cierto es que se va diluyendo y lo que al comienzo eran capítulos alternos, cada vez se espacia más lo de 2022, llega un momento que ni te acuerdas. Al final, retorna, pero vamos, sobra.
- El protagonista me ha parecido un Harry Hole descafeinado y sin carisma.
A favor ➡️ Buena trama, bien desarrollada y resolución trepidante y satisfactoria. También me ha gustado el típico capítulo final en el que se nos cuenta qué fue de cada personaje un tiempo después.
En conjunto es entretenido, pero poco más.
February 7, 2025
4 stjerner⭐️—Ikke helt Harry Hole, men definitivt nervepirrende nok.
Jo Nesbø er tilbake, og denne gangen tar han oss med til Minnesota, og han leverer nok en gang en historie som er så mørk og ubehagelig at du nesten begynner å lure på hva forfatteren egentlig googler i fritiden.
Jeg skal ikke avsløre noe, men Nesbø klarer å gjøre taxidermi til noe langt verre enn noe du ser på folkemuseet. Det er en blanding av genialt og grusomt.
Historien er spennende, intens, og befolket av karakterer du ikke helt vet om du skal sympatisere med eller løpe fra. Og akkurat når du tror du har skjønt hvor det bærer hen, drar Nesbø teppet unna og etterlater deg sittende med boka halvveis i fanget og et «WTF?» hengende i lufta.
Jo Nesbø er tilbake, og denne gangen tar han oss med til Minnesota, og han leverer nok en gang en historie som er så mørk og ubehagelig at du nesten begynner å lure på hva forfatteren egentlig googler i fritiden.
Jeg skal ikke avsløre noe, men Nesbø klarer å gjøre taxidermi til noe langt verre enn noe du ser på folkemuseet. Det er en blanding av genialt og grusomt.
Historien er spennende, intens, og befolket av karakterer du ikke helt vet om du skal sympatisere med eller løpe fra. Og akkurat når du tror du har skjønt hvor det bærer hen, drar Nesbø teppet unna og etterlater deg sittende med boka halvveis i fanget og et «WTF?» hengende i lufta.
dnf
November 24, 2025Dnf 20% Nu e pentru mine stilul autorului 🫠
Review of advance copy received from Otros
No es de los libros que más me han gustado de Nesbo ya que en ocasiones me ha resultado aburrido a pesar de tratarse de una trama con acción.
October 15, 2025
3 stars, meaning I liked the book, it was a solid read. However, I've read other books from this author that I liked better. I couldn't quite connect with the main characters here, and I think I was also not the best candidate for this book during a time of so many and such tragic mass shootings.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
October 1, 2025
Noaptea lupului este o nebunie de carte! Are un scenariu care te lasă mască, un polițist ursuz, niște personaje pe care simți că nu le poți judeca din prima, un răufăcător pe care simți să îl îmbrățișezi din când în când și răsturnări de situație care te lasă fără aer.
Nu știu cum veți percepe voi povestea asta, dar eu am trăit fiecare rând, am cerut mai mult cu fiecare pagină, am sperat (și încă sper) la o continuare și nu am fost pregătită (nici măcar o secundă) să ajung la final. Haide, e Nesbo! E JO NESBO – autorul ăla bun, autorul ăla care știe cum să convingă fiorii reci să pună bazele unui circuit de Formula 1 în corpul tău. Cine ar vrea ca deznodământul să vină după patru sute de pagini? Cine?
Jo Nesbo – dacă nu era deja clar – este unul dintre autorii mei preferați când vine vorba de thrillere. Are, dom’le, un ceva al lui. Un stil (pe care eu îl asociez cu o picătură chinezească administrată în perfuzie) de a picura tensiune, adrenalină, mister, elemente macabre (să nu spun sadice). Se joacă într-un fel aparte cu toate piesele și pistele pe care le introduce în poveștile sale. Nu lasă nimic netransformat, nimic nu cade la voia întâmplării. Poveștile lui Nesbo sunt ca o infuzie care te trăsnește în mijlocul capului. Iar apoi se bucură de efectul pe care-l are asupra ta (și Nesbo, și infuzia).
Noaptea lupului – răzbunare sau crime la întâmplare?
Îmi plac poveștile lui Nesbo. Mi le-aș administra lunar, sub formă de schemă de tratament personalizată. Pentru mine, indiferent de stare, Nesbo ajunge să fie un catalizator al emoțiilor. Nu mai există decât realitatea din carte, lumea murdară și nebună în care un criminal atacă, un polițist anchetează și un munte de regrete se adună. Ce fac eu în timpul ăsta? Devin un diapazon uman, un loc în care emoțiile și groaza își dau mâna și compun un ritm nebun, accelerat și obsesiv.
Mi-a fost dor de poveștile sale. Și am vrut să-l văd cum se descurcă și pe un teren mai puțin „familiar”, dacă pot spune așa. Jo Nesbo ne-a obișnuit cu seriile sale de personaje. Un teren amplu, cu elemente cunoscute, cu materiale pe care le cunoaște și pe care le poate modela ușor după bunul plac. Dar cum s-ar descurca într-un stand-alone? Într-un cadru restrâns, cu personaje noi, necunoscute, cu elemente pe care să le înghesuie într-un spațiu mai puțin ofertant? Vă spun eu! S-ar descurca minunat! Așa cum a făcut-o și acum.
https://ancasicartile.ro/noaptea-lupu...
August 21, 2025
Fantastisk. Klarte ikke legge den fra meg siste tredjedel. Overraskende varm og rørende deler, andre deler om USA i dag - fattigdom, forskjeller og våpenpolitikk, men og sjukt spennende og overraskende. Jo Nesbø skriver dessuten så sinnsykt bra! Nei, dette var en slager. Anbefales.
January 13, 2025
Min første Nesbø-bok, spent. Jeg endte opp med å skumlese en god del etter side 100, fordi det var bare ikke helt for meg og jeg ville ikke havne i readingslump.
October 25, 2025
This was a decent enough read, although it did not draw me in completely like so much of Nesbo’s other work. The plot was fine, I just struggled to connect with the characters, I never felt an affinity with any of them. Probably a credit to the author that I consider this one of his lesser efforts, but it was still pretty good.
October 10, 2025
Chapter One - Minnesota, 2022, true-crime writer Bob Oz is returning to Minneapolis to research a series of events from the past. We don’t immediately know what looms large in the background, but it is his story we read.
Chapter Two is the actual opening of Wolf Hour and we are treated to a captivating scene. It’s 2016, Minneapolis, and a quiet figure purchases a powerful rifle from a small-time criminal who is dealing weapons out of the back of his garage. The buyer stalks the dealer, learns his daily routine, then shoots him from a 6th floor window, three hundred yards away, using the gun he bought from him.
Detective Bob Oz is the homicide officer called to investigate the shooting and through some savvy police work he quickly identifies the direction and angle of the shot. The high caliber round appears to have come from a known gangster’s home, but the apartment is abandoned. The bullet wound is not mortal, so protocol doesn't require a homicide detective, but Oz’s personal life lays in shambles and he deals with his own Mt. Everest of frustration by throwing himself even into jobs where others don't want him.
Configured with the precision of a perfectly spaced set of Russian dolls, Wolf Hour reveals itself with clever complexity. The plot is challenging to summarize without spoiling key pieces, but every step is a delight. We get a twist on the cliched, alcoholic, womanizing-cop, there's a taxidermist with the patience and wisdom of Yoda and an ingenious killer following a moral code you might find yourself agreeing with. This is a fantastic story populated with superb characters.
The climax and finale of the book are executed with perfection. It’s a mystery inside a mystery that should trick the most experienced readers, while leaving all thoroughly satisfied. Thoughtful, gripping, Wolf Hour is a top tier thriller from one of the most skilled crime fiction writers of the day. Highly recommended, especially to fans of Dennis Lehane and James Lee Burke.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for a review copy.
Chapter Two is the actual opening of Wolf Hour and we are treated to a captivating scene. It’s 2016, Minneapolis, and a quiet figure purchases a powerful rifle from a small-time criminal who is dealing weapons out of the back of his garage. The buyer stalks the dealer, learns his daily routine, then shoots him from a 6th floor window, three hundred yards away, using the gun he bought from him.
Detective Bob Oz is the homicide officer called to investigate the shooting and through some savvy police work he quickly identifies the direction and angle of the shot. The high caliber round appears to have come from a known gangster’s home, but the apartment is abandoned. The bullet wound is not mortal, so protocol doesn't require a homicide detective, but Oz’s personal life lays in shambles and he deals with his own Mt. Everest of frustration by throwing himself even into jobs where others don't want him.
Configured with the precision of a perfectly spaced set of Russian dolls, Wolf Hour reveals itself with clever complexity. The plot is challenging to summarize without spoiling key pieces, but every step is a delight. We get a twist on the cliched, alcoholic, womanizing-cop, there's a taxidermist with the patience and wisdom of Yoda and an ingenious killer following a moral code you might find yourself agreeing with. This is a fantastic story populated with superb characters.
The climax and finale of the book are executed with perfection. It’s a mystery inside a mystery that should trick the most experienced readers, while leaving all thoroughly satisfied. Thoughtful, gripping, Wolf Hour is a top tier thriller from one of the most skilled crime fiction writers of the day. Highly recommended, especially to fans of Dennis Lehane and James Lee Burke.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for a review copy.
July 17, 2025
Bob❤️
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