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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
A lot
Significant violence including killings; the protagonist is on a revenge mission
Language
Some
Strong language in translation
Sexual Content
Barely any
Brief sexual content
Substance Use
A lot
Drug addiction is central to the protagonist's situation
Emotional Intensity
Some
Themes of corruption, institutional betrayal, and the cost of revenge
What this book is about
Sonny Lofthus has been in prison for years, confessing to crimes he didn't commit in exchange for drugs. When he learns the truth about his father's death, he escapes — not to run, but to hunt. Nesbø's standalone (outside the Harry Hole series) is a cold, propulsive Scandinavian thriller with a genuinely unusual structure.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Graphic violence
Drug addiction themes
Revenge narrative
Reader Verification
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