Harry Hole () is the main character in a series of crime novels written by Norwegian author Jo Nesbø. The name is derived from Old Norse Hólar, the plural form of hóll, meaning "round and isolated hill." Harry's surname is also the name of a historic Norwegian town (Hole, Norway) with a heritage that goes back to the Viking Age.

Hole is drawn as a brilliant, introverted, and obsessively driven detective. He has few friends and often clashes with colleagues, but his work and skill are so widely known and respected that he is considered a specialist, leading him to sometimes consult on cases in other cities and countries. Throughout the novels, he sometimes uses unorthodox and illegal methods in his investigations. A common focus of the novel series is Hole's struggles with alcoholism and depression, as well as how his mental health suffers as a result of his morally questionable actions and the brutal nature of the crimes he investigates. The novel series eventually shows Hole recognizing the harmful nature of his work and increasingly problematic behavior, prompting him to leave the police force. Despite this, later novels show Hole continually finding reason to return to Oslo and assist new criminal investigations, despite his own initial reluctance and the protests of his loved ones.

Critics liken the personality of Harry Hole to those of the famous literary detectives such as Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Jules Maigret, and Nero Wolfe. According to Jo Nesbø himself, the character is inspired by and a tribute to Michael Connelly's character Harry Bosch. The novels are frequent bestsellers.

Character

thumb|upright|[[Michael Fassbender (pictured in 2015) portrays the main protagonist Harry Hole in the 2017 film adaptation of the seventh novel entry, The Snowman]]

Harry Hole is introduced in The Bat as a police officer with the Oslo Crime Squad. Born in 1965, Harry's mother, a descendant of the Sami people, dies due to cancer while he is in his twenties. Harry never has a close relationship with his father Olav, a former teacher, but is deeply attached to his younger sister Søs, who has Down syndrome. Taxi driver Øystein Eikeland is an old school friend of Harry's and one of the few people he is close to. Introverted and prone to depression, Hole is a chain-smoker alcoholic when first introduced, though he later recognizes his addiction and is considered a recovering alcoholic in later books. His encounters with assassins, corruption, and serial killers throughout the novels often strengthen his cynical views and his desire to escape reminders of his experiences and traumas.

Harry Hole's home address is in Sofies Gate in Bislett, located in the author's own home city of Oslo. Many of the stories involve extensive background details and descriptions of real locations such as the actual Oslo Police Department headquarters. Hole regularly interacts with city residents and immigrants from a variety of ethnic and social backgrounds. Many of the novels feature his favorite "watering hole," Restaurant Schrøder (Schrøder's, for short) in St. Hanshaugen.

Along with standard police training, Hole undertakes specialized training in interrogation techniques and firearms at the FBI. His problematic and often unsocial behavior, as well as his obsessive tendencies during investigations, brings him into repeated conflict with his superiors and some colleagues. Bjarne Møller, head of the Oslo Police Department, often shields Hole from being fired, believing he is a brilliant detective and vital to certain investigations. This repeated protection results in Harry feeling loyal and close to Møller. Others in the police department whom he comes to trust as friends include Beate Lønn and Bjørn Holm (both in the forensics division), Katrine Bratt (a Bergen detective who helps secure specialist information), and Gunnar Hagen (Harry's former senior officer prior to Phantom). Hole's skills become renowned enough that he is considered a specialist, leading him to be sought for occasional consultation by authorities in other cities and countries. In the first novel, The Bat, he travels to Sydney, Australia to aid the Australian police (who refer to him as "Harry Holy"). as Harry Hole, with Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ronan Vibert, Val Kilmer and J.K. Simmons.

Television

Nesbø himself adapted the fifth Hole novel The Devil's Star as a series for Netflix, with Øystein Karlsen directing. Tobias Santelmann portrayed Harry Hole.

References

  • Jo Nesbø's UK website