Member Review

I am a big fan of Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series and remember enjoying an earlier standalone novel of his. Unconnected to the much-loved series, Blood Ties is the sequel to The Kingdom and looks to be the concluding part of a duology.

Roy and Carl Opgard are tied by blood, not only because they are brothers but also because of the several deaths they have caused. Carl is dashing and audacious, and likes to think of himself as the King of Os, a small mountain town in Norway, where he owns a swanky hotel and other properties. Roy, the elder one, is reticent and intelligent, and does what needs to be done without much fuss. He owns a gas station and has an ambitious plan to build an amusement park with an iconic roller coaster. Both Carl and Roy have a ruthless streak and have never hesitated to play dirty, though Roy has his own moral compass that takes him to difficult places. The brothers’ thriving lives are getting complicated fast, with a proposed tunnel threatening to divert the traffic away from Carl’s hotel, and the local sheriff’s unrelenting efforts to pin a few old murders, including that of the sheriff’s own father, on them. Feeling a strong sense of loyalty towards Carl due to their twisted past, Roy fights to protect his kid brother, at times even from himself, but things get to a point where loyalty alone will not be enough.

Blood Ties, despite its serious body count, is far different from the Harry Hole series due to its sweeping range, proof of Nesbo’s versatility. The characters, big and small, are superbly etched, with personalities complex and realistic. Roy, Sheriff Kurt Olsen, and Natalie Moe are especially memorable. The storytelling is languid by the standards of the Harry Hole series, but it is compelling enough to resist putting the book down. The plot feels like a winding mountain road with tight turns and unexpected obstacles, which Nesbo’s characters navigate fascinatingly. The first-person narration in Roy's voice has the right measure of emotions, humour, and articulation, and is immensely enjoyable. Though it is the second novel featuring the Opgard brothers, I had no problems reading it as a standalone. Aided considerably by Robert Ferguson’s top-notch translation, Blood Ties is a splendid ride that will interest all thriller fans.

I am extremely thankful to Alfred A. Knopf / Penguin Random House for the digital review copy of Blood Ties through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.