Escaping From Cockroaches

When the Norwegian Ambassador in Bangkok is found in a motel room with a knife in his back, the Norwegian Government decides that only one man can solve the murder with the utmost discretion. From the moment Harry Hole arrives it becomes clear that there is far more going on for Norwegians in Thailand than anyone might have guessed...but can he solve this crime when the only evidence is the antique knife in the Ambassador's back?

The Judgemental Drunken Detective

In this second Harry Hole novel, Cockroaches, Jo Nesbo makes it clear that his protagonist is severely haunted by ghosts from his past and subsequently has a drinking problem. None of this seems to affect his ability to do his job, nor does it stop him from judging everyone else around him.

This novel was disappointing for me; I loved The Snowman, and was thoroughly creeped out by it, making me hungry for more Harry Hole thrillers. Unfortunately, this story seems to be less about the gruesome murder and more about the culture in Thailand itself. Several stereotypes plagued the narrative, including severe sexism and a hint of racism to top it off. These stereotypes were hard to ignore, and thus I lost interest in the narrative.

Why so biased?

I was speechless when I encountered so many stereotypes in the first fifty pages of Cockroaches. I lost interest in the rest of the story, and could not sympathize with Harry Hole. Unfortunately, I can't give this story anymore than 2 stars...hopefully another Harry Hole instalment will fair better.

Thanks for reading! Hopefully the rest of the books I read during my brief vacation will be more enjoyable. If you have any recommendations for vacation reads, please comment below, email me (theopinionatedbookworm@gmail.com) or follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookworm1).

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