Detective Hole review: A thriller with characters and plot twists that had me firmly gripped
Tobias Santelmann as Detective Hole
Whoever called it  (Netflix) has never been to Ireland. It’s hard not to look at the title and go ‘Detective Me-Hole’. But that would be our loss, because this Scandi-noir thriller from the pen of Jo Nesbo is a cracker.
It has the feel of Cracker, the 1990s crime procedural with Robbie Coltrane. Harry Hole (pronounced Who-La, so get over yourself) is a flawed detective straight out of the recipe book. Off the drink, can’t keep a girlfriend, blaming himself for the death of a partner during a car chase in a five-year-old case. But this works because the acting is on human scale, while the plot keeps upping the stakes.
The pressure is on straight from the opening scene, where Hole is watching CCTV footage of an old bank robbery, where the teller is told she has 60 seconds to deliver the cash or she gets shot. She’s a few seconds late. She gets shot. It’s a shock, but from then on you expect bad things to happen to nice people.
So when Hole’s partner and close friend goes to follow a lead at a cabin in the woods, you fear the worst. And it comes to pass, thanks to Hole’s nemesis and fellow cop, Tom Waaler. He is like a classic jock, the good-looking guy who bullied you in school. Meanwhile, Hole is the quiet guy who stood up for you.
It’s basic stuff, but it can be gripping when it’s done properly, and it’s done properly here. That’s because every character is allowed to breathe. They could all support their own spin-off series.
Hole’s doomed partner is lovely and funny, so we care when Waaler kills her in the woods. His new girlfriend Rakel is a good person, Hole’s relationship with her son is painfully awkward as two shy people try and make a connection.
There are some nice touches. The new cop on secondment from Sweden can memorise thousands of faces and it’s impossible to ignore her fringe. Hole’s psychologist lies on the couch drinking whiskey during therapy sessions, which must be a great help to a recovering alcoholic. Everyone is ridiculously good looking because we are in Scandinavia. And for some reason, Harry Hole drives an ancient Ford Escort.
But mainly I was gripped by the malice coming from Waaler. Just when you think he’s done enough terrible things, he does another one. Hole can’t catch him at it because he’s on the slide again after his partner is killed. The plot twists and turns through episode two as well, with more stunning-looking characters to keep you entertained. Give this a watch.
