--- description: Find out why 'The Redbreast' by Jo Nesbø made the list. title: The Redbreast: The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta365bd011bbaa7e2/698a407d86f68e14006f2c78/TheRedbreast.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Oct 03, 2023 # The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close  In many ways, _The Redbreast_—the third novel in Norwegian writer [Jo Nesbø’s](https://time.com/5953382/climate-change-tv-movies/ "undefined") best-selling _Harry Hole_ series—is as much of an enthralling crime thriller as it is an epic war novel. Here, hard-headed detective Harry Hole is tasked with monitoring neo-Nazi activity in modern-day Oslo when someone mysteriously purchases an expensive, sought-after gun, known as the Marklin Rifle, from the black market. Subsequently, as more murders of dishonored soldiers that conspired with Nazi Germany are discovered, Hole uncovers a dangerous conspiracy where Norway’s violent past and restless future collide. Switching from Hole’s journey to the frontlines of World War II, the 2000 novel cleverly turns the detective trope on its head, asking the reader to hold all of the pieces while Hole desperately tries to turn over every stone and catch the killer. Its unflinching look at the violence and effects of war, as well as its vivid character development, has garnered _The Redbreast_, which was translated into English by Don Bartlett in 2006, numerous accolades and awards including the 2000 Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize for Best Novel of the Year, and has also cemented Nesbø as one of the most exciting Scandinavian crime writers to date. _—Rachel Sonis_ **Buy Now:** _The Redbreast_ on [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/4973/9780061134005 "undefined") | [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3EguV4L "undefined") The Redbreast: The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-mystery-thriller-books/6309207/the-redbreast/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-mystery-thriller-books/6309207/the-redbreast/"},"headline":"The Redbreast","datePublished":"2023-10-03T11:56:19.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-03T00:20:53.540Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/collections/best-mystery-thriller-books/6309207/the-redbreast/","keywords":["Books"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta365bd011bbaa7e2/698a407d86f68e14006f2c78/TheRedbreast.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"creator":"TIME Staff","articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta365bd011bbaa7e2/698a407d86f68e14006f2c78/TheRedbreast.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-mystery-thriller-books/6309207/the-redbreast/","name":"The Redbreast"}}]}] ```