The Bat cover art

The Bat

A Harry Hole Thriller, Book 1

 Preview
Subscribe now Free with 30-day trial
Offer ends on 14 April, 2026 at 23:59.
Prime logo
Pay ₹5/month for 2 months and ₹199/month after 2 months, Cancel anytime. Offer ends on 14 April 2026 at 23:59. Take this offer!
1 credit a month to use on any title to download and keep.
Listen to anything from the Plus Catalogue—thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts and audiobooks.
Download titles to your library and listen offline.
1 credit a month to use on any title to download and keep
Listen to anything from the Plus Catalogue—thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts and audiobooks
Download titles to your library and listen offline
₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

The Bat

Written by: Jo Nesbo, Don Bartlett - translator
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
Subscribe now Free with 30-day trial

Pay ₹5/month for 2 months and ₹199/month after 2 months, Cancel anytime. Offer ends on 14 April 2026 at 23:59.

₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for ₹820.00

Buy Now for ₹820.00

LIMITED TIME OFFER | Get 2 Months for ₹5/month

About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

*DETECTIVE HOLE IS SOON TO BE A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES**

Discover the addictive first book in the bestselling Harry Hole series.

Harry is out of his depth.

Detective Harry Hole is meant to keep out of trouble. A young Norwegian girl taking a gap year in Sydney has been murdered, and Harry has been sent to Australia to assist in any way he can.

He's not supposed to get too involved.

When the team unearths a string of unsolved murders and disappearances, nothing will stop Harry from finding out the truth. The hunt for a serial killer is on, but the murderer will talk only to Harry.

He might be the next victim.

'A stunning opening to the series' Sunday Times

'Meaty, big and bloody, this is the rock and roll of detective fiction' Financial Times

'A searing read from a chilling thriller writer' Independent

© Jo Nesbo 2012 (P) Penguin Audio 2012

 Crime Fiction International Mystery & Crime Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives World Literature

Critic Reviews

A fascinating book, filling in the gaps in Hole’s biography and telling the story of the murder case in Australia that cemented his reputation as a brilliant investigator... A stunning opening to the series
Meaty, big and bloody, this is the rock and roll of detective fiction
Nesbo is a terrific writer who knows how to build a story, taking you slowly to the top of a rollercoaster before sending you hurtling towards a solution that you never see coming
Harry Hole is fully formed as the difficult, vulnerable personality we have come to know. The evocation of Australia itself has the customary Nesbo expertise...most satisfyingly - we can now see the organic shape that Nesbo always intended his work to take
Whether a hardened Hole addict or a first-time imbiber, The Bat is sure to snare your interest with its tale of this booze-fuelled policeman
A searing read from a chilling thriller writer
Hole is a spiky character and this is the first novel to feature him. If you want to get to know this brilliant, flawed character, this is the best place to start (William Leith)
An ambitious, fun, exciting and original crime novel
The Bat is a truly captivating crime novel
The Bat is innovative and different, and the pace that Jo Nesbo creates in his debut novel makes you long for more crime novels featuring Harry Hole
No reviews yet