Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole – Review | Netflix Series

DETECTIVE HOLE on Netflix is a crime thriller series with nine episodes. It’s based on Jo Nesbo’s serial killer novel featuring detective Harry Hole. This is nothing short of a glorious redemption for the author and character after the mess that was The Snowman. After this first season, you’ll be hungry for much more. Read our full Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole season 1 review here!

DETECTIVE HOLE is a Netflix series based on the crime thriller novel by Jo Nesbo (or Jo Nesbø, if we’re to write his name accurately). This first season, which should be the first of many seasons, has nine episodes that are between 45 minutes and an hour in runtime. Everything from the casting to that delicious Nordic Noir vibe makes this Netflix production a gorgeous viewing experience.

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All nine episodes of season 1 were watched for this review. Mostly because I could not stop watching and simply had to get to the end of it. Remarkably (as a Scandinavian), I still have not read any of Jo Nesbø’s many novels. After watching The Snowman, I lost all desire to begin on his book series about Harry Hole, but now? Well, now I’m very excited to get started on his books!

Continue reading our Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole season 1 review below. Find all nine episodes on Netflix from March 26, 2026.

A classic whodunnit serial killer story

With Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole, we’re getting a classic anti-hero with Harry Hole (Tobias Santelmann). He is a recovering alcoholic who may just be the best detective in Norway, but also struggles with his own demons. Not unlike the character from the Danish crime thriller Department Q, though Harry Hole is still quite different from Carl Mørck (or Carl Morck in Netflix’s Dept. Q).

Much of the plot in season 1 of this new crime thriller series deals with two police officers who are very different. We have Harry Hole on the one side, and the corrupt detective Tom Waaler (Joel Kinnaman) as his colleague and adversary. The usual clear lines of ethics and the justice system are quickly blurred when these two go head-to-head.

Not least, as they both want to catch a serial killer, who is clearly toying with the police.

Finally, we get to meet the real Harry Hole

I have to say that I am not the least bit surprised that Jo Nesbø has opted to be the screenwriter for this series adaptation. I mean, after the mess of The Snowman, I wouldn’t let anyone else be in charge of my stories or characters either. As the creator of this Netflix series, I imagine Jo Nesbø ensured that he would have a lot more control. And the result is something magnificent.

And hey, I like Michael Fassbender as much as anyone, but keeping the story in Norway, yet having the characters speak English (sometimes with an indeterminate Scandinavian accent), was not a great choice. It has never made sense to me when anyone opts for this hybrid solution.

With Harlan Coben’s crime thrillers, the stories are often set in New York, but that hasn’t kept adaptations from being placed in Poland, France, Spain, or the UK. Why is this done the other way around? If people insist on keeping English the default language, then move the story to an English-speaking country. Or just allow the characters living and working in Norway to speak Norwegian.

Okay, rant over, my point is simply that with Detective Hole, we’re getting to meet the real Harry Hole. A Norwegian detective working out of the capital of Norway, Oslo, and speaking Norwegian. Tobias Santelmann is perfect as Harry Hole. Not the most likable person, but a brilliant detective and a loyal friend. Well, when he’s not drinking, obviously. As an alcoholic, this is never a good thing.

Also, Joel Kinnaman (who can currently be seen in Imperfect Women on Apple TV as well) is amazing as his Swedish colleague, who you’ll want to punch in the face before long. He is such a creep and extremely self-absorbed, but at the same time, he also wants to make a difference. That much is clear!

The Scandinavian cast of Detective Hole 

In Detective Hole, you will meet many very interesting and intriguing characters. The cast consists of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish actors, so if you’ve watched any Scandinavian Netflix productions (or just Scandinavian movies), you will recognize many of the actors in this new Norwegian Netflix series.

Even in the smallest of roles with just a line or two.

I’ve already mentioned Tobias Santelmann (Kon-Tiki, The Last Kingdom) as Harry Hole and Joel Kinnaman (Peacemaker, Altered Carbon) as Tom Waaler, and both are amazing in their respective roles. As much as I usually like Joel Kinnaman in most of his roles, I have never loathed him quite the way I do when he’s Tom Waaler. Kudos to Joel Kinnaman.

Other familiar faces include Ingrid Bolsø Berdal (La Palma, Westworld), Eili Harboe (Thelma), Anders Danielsen Lie (The Night Eats the World), and Jesper Christensen (“Mr. White” in several James Bond movies). Also, Kelly Gale (Uglies), Peter Stormare (Until Dawn), Arthur Hakalahti (War Sailor), Ane Dahl Torp, Ellen Helinder (Exit), and Pia Tjelta (Don’t Call Me Mama).

Watch Season 1 of Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole on Netflix

The creator of this new Netflix crime thriller series is Jo Nesbø himself. As in, the author of the book and the screenwriter of the nine episodes in this new series. Again, after seeing what happened with The Snowman, it’s obvious that this was the right choice. Jo Nesbø has managed to create a brilliantly intense and engaging series based on his own characters and plots.

Season 1 (and there should be at least a season 2, if not five) is based on the novel “The Devil’s Star“. I predict a well-deserved surge in the sales of all of Jo Nesbø’s books about Detective Harry Hole. Deservedly so. “The Devil’s Star” is the fifth installment in the Harry Hole series. For the record, “The Snowman” was based on book seven.

Directors of the nine episodes of this first season in the Detective Hole series are Anna Zackrisson (Deliver Me) and Øystein Karlsen (Lilyhammer). This is a very complete season, but there are still many unanswered questions and new mysteries being teased at the end. Do not leave that ninth episode too quickly. There is an end-credit scene waiting for you!

Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole is on Netflix with season 1 from March 26, 2026.

Details

Creator & Screenwriter: Jo Nesbø
Directors: Øystein Karlsen and Anna Zackrisson
Cast: Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman, Pia Tjelta and Ellen Helinder

Courtesy of Netflix © 2024