Legendary author Jo Nesbø talks running Detective Hole show, his own brushes with the law, and why Harry Hole is his soulmate

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Jo Nesbø’s life has mirrored his crime novels in a unique way – he was once charged with two bank robberies and one count of indecent exposure. This gives him a particularly personal connection to the world he writes about.

The author of the popular Harry Hole series – now a hit Netflix show – recounts being mistakenly arrested in Oslo. He explains that a police car drove onto the sidewalk and officers immediately ordered him to turn around and put his hands against a wall. It turned out there had been a recent bank robbery nearby, and he happened to be wearing the same clothing as the robber. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the first time this had happened to him – a similar incident occurred in Brazil as well.

The 65-year-old Norwegian author, who has sold over 60 million books, has led a remarkably diverse life. Before becoming a bestselling writer, he was a professional soccer player, the frontman for a popular band, and a skilled rock climber – even completing a challenging climb at age 59. Now, he’s adding another role to his resume: show-runner, with the debut of the TV series based on Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole this week. He admits this opportunity came later in life, explaining, ‘I just wanted to be involved in a large-scale project like this. I wouldn’t have done a movie, but a TV series felt right.’

When I asked him why the adaptations differed so much, he explained that the original novel felt more like a lengthy, expansive story than something that could fit into a typical two-hour film. However, I suspect his past experience with Hollywood might also be a factor. His previous Harry Hole mystery, The Snowman, starring Michael Fassbender and Rebecca Ferguson, was released in 2017 to negative reviews and didn’t resonate with audiences. Nesbø admits, “I saw an early version and had a feeling it wouldn’t appeal to everyone.”

He’s a very clever guy – a former journalist and economist, as well as everything else – and he anticipated everyone would ask his opinion about the movie for the next year. To avoid that, he decided not to see it at all! Instead of attending the premiere, he went rock climbing.

Being the lead on the Netflix series means he’s firmly in charge, and he doesn’t shy away from making decisions. He jokes that his fellow musicians probably see him as a bit of a control freak who’s used to having things his way. He readily acknowledges that most of the show’s crew are experts in their fields, and he often finds they improve upon his original ideas – usually bringing something even better to the table.

Although he’s enjoying having more say this time, Jo Nesbø says the added influence hasn’t changed him. He assures fans he won’t interfere with the upcoming film and TV adaptations of his books, including ‘Blood on Snow’ with Benedict Cumberbatch and ‘London,’ starring Oscar Isaac and directed by Ben Stiller. “Ben Stiller doesn’t need to worry about me getting involved,” Nesbø says.

I have a feeling Ben Stiller might be losing some sleep after seeing what Joaquin Phoenix has done with Detective Hole. This case is seriously gripping – it throws our hero against a dirty cop inside his own police force, and the plot just keeps twisting and turning, never letting you breathe. The author actually described the character as someone you wouldn’t call after a weekend with him – you’d need a month to recover! He’s that intense.

Jo Nesbø admits to a surprising connection with his flawed detective, Harry Hole, even identifying him as a sort of soul mate. After writing about a character for so many years – the first book came out in 1997 – he says it’s inevitable that the author infuses parts of themselves into the creation. He explains that you naturally gravitate towards a character you understand and with whom you share common ground, like similar tastes and a sense of humor. Ultimately, Nesbø suggests that he created a complex character who, like himself, isn’t perfect, and that shared imperfection forms the basis of their connection.

I don’t struggle with inner darkness like Harry does. He’s much more drawn to troubling thoughts and experiences than I am, and I haven’t dealt with addiction in the same way he has. But everyone has some kind of habit or compulsion they rely on. When I asked Jo Nesbø what his was, he politely declined to answer, saying he didn’t have to reveal that.

Authors

Ed GrenbyAssociate Editor, TopMob

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2026-03-16 20:50