Oslo is the main setting for Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole crime novels.
Harry Hole is a Norwegian police detective created by author Jo Nesbø. He is based in Oslo and investigates cases that often extend beyond Norway, while the city remains central to his personal life, police work and recurring relationships.
The first Harry Hole novel, The Bat, was published in Norway in 1997. It sends Hole to Australia, but later books more frequently use Oslo as a major setting. Nesbø combines procedural investigation with psychological crime fiction and long-running character development.
The city’s geography is part of the series’ atmosphere: urban neighborhoods, harbors, winter conditions and nearby landscapes all contribute to its changing mood. Harry Hole should not be confused with Swedish detective Kurt Wallander, Danish investigator Carl Mørck or Finnish fictional police characters.