This book was so excessive. It felt like it was just throwing everything blindly at the wall to see what stuck, and funnily enough, that's exactly how the investigation went too. Harry Hole and company must have arrested half a dozen people for these murders before finally getting down to the last (and most obvious) suspect. Like who else could it have been at that point? Half the cast had either already been arrested or was dead. For the book itself, there were too many characters and too many moments in the past we flashed back to, sometimes with random characters. Keeping up with what mattered to the story was kind of a struggle.

Also, this book was really sexist. Every woman was either a whore (as the language in the book) or a victim. Most were both. In addition, they were also emotionally unstable and throwing themselves at the protagonist constantly. I've read a lot of crime books where individual cops or especially the killer have a hatred of women, but it felt like that hatred permeated throughout the entire book. It was really vile to read. It probably would have ruined the experience of the book for me, but I was already having a pretty miserable time.

And okay, can we please talk about the mold guy? The one who randomly knocks on this cop's door and claims there's mold he can't see that he will remove for free? Harry Hole, investigator extraordinaire, doesn't do a background check. Doesn't check this guy's business card or his website. Doesn't ask the neighbors he's supposedly been working for or for a second opinion. Barely remembers his name. But still gives him a spare key and tells him to have at it. Because logic?

I didn't enjoy this. I can see where people would like the excessive quality of this writing style, though. It's not my thing, but I can see where it would work for some people. The sexism was rough, though. There are plenty of better crime thrillers that don't hate women.