Jo Nesbø is a musician, songwriter, economist, and author. He has won the Glass Key Award for best Nordic crime novel. His Harry Hole novels include The Redbreast, Nemesis, The Devil's Star, The Snowman, The Leopard, and Phantom. He has written nine novels featuring the alcoholic, still-smarter-than-you detective Harry Hole.
From his Q & A with Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg at the Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy blog:
Speakeasy: There are a number of noir heroes who can't get along with their own police force or who are constantly battling inner demons. Why is this such an appealing theme?
Jo Nesbo: Story telling has to deal with conflict. In a typical crime novel, on the outer level, there is the conflict of somebody having been killed. The police are trying to catch the killer, and he is trying to escape punishment. If you decide to make the policeman your main character, you need conflict there as well. A main character at war with himself makes for better story telling.
Harry Hole has been on something of a losing streaking, one that includes an ugly facial scar and a titanium finger. In 'Phantom' he patches a neck wound with duct tape. What was Harry's original sin?
If Harry was looking back at his life, he would see a lot of sins. There would be sins where he didn't actively commit crimes, and then again, where he has. When he was young, he was unable to save...[read on]
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