Blood on Snow

February 16, 2015
Olav—a hit man, or “fixer”—narrates this thin standalone from Nesbø (The Son) set in 1970s Oslo. His boss, drug kingpin Daniel Hoffmann, has an unusual assignment for Olav: “He wanted me to fix his wife.” Olav sets up surveillance on the beautiful Corina Hoffman from a hotel across the street and watches her let a man into the apartment. It’s someone she clearly knows, but the man’s first action is to strike her, then he sleeps with her, and Olav figures she’s being blackmailed. Olav, whose sympathies shift to Corina, hopes to save her and double-cross his boss in a plot reminiscent of a 1940s American noir novel. A damaged loner, Olav is full of contradictions, but he’s more intelligent and emotional than he’ll admit, which gives the book a bit of humanity and humor. Nesbø fans will enjoy this slender story, though newcomers may find it altogether too macabre. Agent: Niclas Salomonsson, Salomonsson Agency (Sweden).