Jo Nesbø

Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian crime writer known for his significant contributions to the Nordic noir genre. His novels, including "Headhunters," "The Night House," and the Harry Hole detective series, have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 51 languages. Before becoming a full-time author, Nesbø graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics with a degree in economics and business administration and worked as a freelance journalist and stockbroker. He first gained public attention as the singer, rhythm guitarist, and principal songwriter of the country-pop band Di Derre, whose second album achieved commercial success in Norway.

Nesbø's literary career began with the publication of "The Bat," the first novel in the Harry Hole series. The novel received the Riverton Prize for best Norwegian crime novel and the Glass Key prize for best Nordic crime novel. The series follows Harry Hole, a detective with the Crime Squad and later the National Criminal Investigation Service, whose investigations take him from Norway to other countries and who struggles with alcoholism and personal challenges. Nesbø achieved international recognition with his fifth novel, "The Devil's Star." He has received the Riverton Prize twice, for "The Bat" and "Knife," as well as the Riverton Honor Prize.

In addition to the Harry Hole series, Nesbø has written several stand-alone books, including the novella "The White Hotel" and the novels "Headhunters" and "The Son." The movie adaptation of "Headhunters" won a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film and is Norway's highest-grossing film. Nesbø also contributed a retelling of Macbeth as part of the Hogarth Shakespeare project, presenting a crime noir version of the tragedy. In "The Night House," he adapts classic horror film elements in a story about a teenage outcast and a haunted telephone booth. Nesbø has also written a series of children's books, beginning with "Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder."

Nesbø's work has been adapted for the screen, including the Norwegian crime drama television series "Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole," based on the Harry Hole novels, specifically "The Devil's Star." Nesbø adapted all nine episodes and serves as showrunner on the series, which premiered worldwide on Netflix. His standalone novel "Wolf Hour" was shortlisted for the Riverton Prize and selected as one of six titles for the Spring Book Club Picks by the Richard and Judy Book Club in the UK. Nesbø continues to be a prominent figure in contemporary crime fiction, with ongoing projects in both literature and television.