The Bat: A Harry Hole Thriller is the first book in the bestselling Harry Hole series. Harry Hole is a Norwegian detective who lands in Sydney, Australia with regards to the rape and murder of Inger Holter, a Norwegian national. Invited in a diplomatic capacity, Hole's primary job is to observe and be a part of the investigation but from a distance. However, how long can Harry Hole keep out of trouble?
The plot starts at the murder of Inger Holter, a young blonde who has been raped, stifled and thrown off a cliff. Assisted by Andrew Kensington, Hole learns a great deal about the local culture. However, his sharp senses soon put him amongst the thick of things. Further, he hooks up with a Swedish barmaid who was friends with Inger leading to meetings with a number of peculiar characters ranging from pimps, prostitutes, transvestites and fighters in Sydney.
The Bat, as described, originally represents death to certain native residents of Australia. Soon, Hole and his colleagues trace similarities among other unresolved cases in and around Australia. In the quest to solve the cases, Harry and Kensington soon get associated with drug dealers, thugs and perverts.
The Bat: A Harry Hole Thriller uses a nice mix of aboriginal wisdom and mythology creating confusion about its very existence. The story also unfolds a great deal about the background of Harry Hole who is a recovering alcoholic. The book was published by RHUK in 2013 and is available in paperback.
Key Features:
- Beyond the myths, hidden meanings and strange motives of the characters, The Bat is full of action, New twists and revelations.
- Much more colorful than the other Harry Hole novels set in Norway, The Bat is the first novel in the series published in 1997, released in English a lot later.