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• What a great cover eh? Take a second look at it....creepy and clever. And so is the author Jo Nesbo. I picked up Headhunters thinking that it would feature Nesbo's recurring series character Detective Harry Hole. I started reading, realized that it wasn't and felt slightly disappointed. But I lost that feeling about 10 pages in. Nesbo has written an ingenious, intricately plotted stand alone thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. Roger Brown is a professional recruiter, a 'headhunter' if you will. He's not just one of the best, he is the best, as he'll tell you. And Roger likes having the best of everything. Sadly his salary does not quite match the lifestyle he's created for his wife and himself. So Roger dabbles....in art theft. Conveniently during his many recruitment interviews, he steers the discussion to art. His latest applicant, Clas Greve, has a piece of art that would leave Roger sitting pretty for the rest of his life. Roger breaks into Greve's home in search of the painting and finds much more than he bargained for......Nesbo's characterization of Roger is perfect - he comes across as a cocky, superior know-it-all, confident in his abilities to out think and out maneuver anyone and everyone. When Clas Greve begins to challenge Roger's abilities, a delicious game of cat and mouse is the result. The dialogue is quick, witty and darkly humourous. The plotting is very inventive and had me guessing until the very end.Headhunters has been made into a film in Nesbo's native Norway. The publisher's blurb on the back of the book.." Nesbo has crafted a funny, dark and twisted caper worthy of Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers" is spot on.

  5.00 out of 5

  Twink

• What's not to Love about Headhunters, a stand alone thriller by Jo Nesbo. Two hundred pages and were up and running from go. Every moment is used to mimic the first person gaze, on each fresh exciting character, forcing us readers to engage in a form of voyeurism. Nesbo's Intelligances was to even frame his novel like a complex psychological piece of art, visually he maximizes the anxiety, fear and empathy.For this particular novel, the author uses the first person narrative, and clearly has fun with his short lead character, his thoughts, ideas, image and hair play a large part, but as we really engage, almost certainly he becomes a character you love to hate.Roger Brown deals in high risk strategies, his one of Norway's leading Headhunters, executive level, his interview technique, question by steps, that are devised, not to waste his clients or mainly his own time which consist on using double bluffs. If one does succeed to pass, Roger can then play to his own advantage, to up his own commission. Information is the key to his double world, Roger interest also lays in personal information, including his clintele's artistic tastes and the nature of their investments in art.Rogers, tall and sophisticated wife comes at high maintenance, clearly in love and will never get over the fact she's in his life, here's his insecurity, his income and extra activities, can just about cover the monthly mortgage repayments. Diana is smart enough to have her own life, an art gallery and sometimes has a hand in helping Roger find the right clientele as many high flyers pass through. It just so happens she discovers Clas Greve, an ideal candidate for a current open position. Roger second meeting with Clas, informal and more than informative, Roger feels a sense of freedom. Roger would normally control all interviews, but is about to learn a valuable lesson in his own technique, which could turn out to be one of the most painful and disheartening experiences in life.I'm a long-term reader of Jo Nesbo novels. His internationally successful, having an award-winning series about Oslo police detective Harry Hole. But this stand-alone novel Headhunters continues to show his talent as a story-teller which is different from his usual style. This author never shied from clichés, because he enjoys them, and who would not, fugitives on the run, an icy blonde, thrilling plots featuring sexual undertones, depictions of murder and crime, although many mysteries function as decoys, I've always loved that. Jo Nesbo brings us into modern-day crime using state of the art technology, making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem.Manipulation playing such a big part to this particular novel, a game unfolding, with a king, a queen, a rook who can easily checkmate, with many twists, out thinking and out maneuvering, only one player can win. Story lines turn out the way the author wants them to, because in life things don't, life wont allow you to have something that perfect. For me reading this author work it allows me to use my inspiration, imagination and passion. This novel works, so much so, with a few changes for thematic elements, it is working on film too, making waves around the globe.Highly Recommended novel, clever, love its dark humour, scenes which are unforgettable and filled with excitement, one hundred percent encouraging this author to write more stand-alone novels for the future.Andrea Bowhill

  5.00 out of 5

  EmmaLadyHamilton

• Prefer his Harry Hole novels but this book is a good read, about a man Roger Brown who has it all, clever, wealthy, top man in his business, beautiful house , beautiful wife but he also leads a double life. A gripping read about a man willing to risk everything.

  5.00 out of 5

  magentaflake

• Description from Fantastic Fiction:Roger Brown is a corporate headhunter, and he's a master of his profession. But one career simply can't support his luxurious lifestyle and his wife's fledgling art gallery. At an art opening one night he meets Clas Greve, who is not only the perfect candidate for a major CEO job, but also, perhaps, the answer to his financial woes: Greve just so happens to mention that he owns a priceless Peter Paul Rubens painting that's been lost since World War II - and Roger Brown just so happens to dabble in art theft. But when he breaks into Greve's apartment, he finds more than just the painting. And Clas Greve may turn out to be the worst thing that's ever happened to Roger Brown.My Thoughts:I haven’t read a book by Jo Nesbo before but with the film coming out I ordered myself a copy from the library. Read the book then watch the film is what I like to do.I was quite surprised with how good this book is. At first I didn’t think I was going to like it. I thought Roger Brown was such a character. I couldn’t make up my mind if I loved him or hated him, whether is a good guy or bad. My feelings was constantly changing through out the book. I did think however he was very ‘James Bond’ and whatever situation he was in he could find a way out.The book is a rollercoaster of thrills and I couldn’t wait to pick the book up and I read it very quickly. There is an opening for Roger Brown to come back in futher books and if there were I would seek them out. A very worthy thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to see the film.

  4.50 out of 5

  tina1969

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