Tonje, Bjarne, Bjorn, Atle - I have no idea how these names are pronounced.
Osterdal, Dovregata, Holbergs Plass, Welhavensgate, Sunnmore, Orsta - places I had never heard of before.
That's because I have never been to Norway and I have never before read any book written by a Norwegian author. Perhaps that is what prompted me to check it out. Am I glad I did it? I am not sure. When I turned the last page, I was aware of an overwhelming feeling of gloom and sadness. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the novel has 'child pornography' as its backdrop. Maybe the protagonist's hopeless outlook to life was the reason. Seriously, I haven't still been able to fathom it out.
Now to the novel's plot. A Norwegian ambassador to Thailand is found murdered in a shady motel. Harry Hole is dispatched from Norway to assist the Thai police in the investigation. As usual, there are people with motive, opportunity and means but no clear suspect. And somewhere mixed up in all this is the sickening business of child pornography.
Honestly, at times I found it difficult to keep the various Norwegian names sorted - especially when I picked up the novel after a gap of a day or two. But beyond that, I was unable to figure out who the murderer is right till the very end. :-) And the translation is so good that the novel doesn't feel like it has been translated.
I, however, am unlikely to pick up another Harry Hole novel in near future.
P.S. No idea why the novel is called 'Cockroaches'.
Osterdal, Dovregata, Holbergs Plass, Welhavensgate, Sunnmore, Orsta - places I had never heard of before.
That's because I have never been to Norway and I have never before read any book written by a Norwegian author. Perhaps that is what prompted me to check it out. Am I glad I did it? I am not sure. When I turned the last page, I was aware of an overwhelming feeling of gloom and sadness. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the novel has 'child pornography' as its backdrop. Maybe the protagonist's hopeless outlook to life was the reason. Seriously, I haven't still been able to fathom it out.
Now to the novel's plot. A Norwegian ambassador to Thailand is found murdered in a shady motel. Harry Hole is dispatched from Norway to assist the Thai police in the investigation. As usual, there are people with motive, opportunity and means but no clear suspect. And somewhere mixed up in all this is the sickening business of child pornography.
Honestly, at times I found it difficult to keep the various Norwegian names sorted - especially when I picked up the novel after a gap of a day or two. But beyond that, I was unable to figure out who the murderer is right till the very end. :-) And the translation is so good that the novel doesn't feel like it has been translated.
I, however, am unlikely to pick up another Harry Hole novel in near future.
P.S. No idea why the novel is called 'Cockroaches'.
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