Headhunters

By: Jo Nesbo, Don Bartlett - translator

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

Roger Brown has it all. He's the country's most successful headhunter. He has a beautiful wife and a magnificent house. And to maintain this lifestyle, he's also a highly accomplished art thief.

At a gallery opening, his wife introduces him to Clas Greve. Not only is Greve the perfect candidate for a position with one of Roger's high-profile clients, he is also in possession of 'The Calydonian Boar Hunt' by Rubens, one of the most sought-after paintings in the world.

Roger sees his chance to be rich beyond his wildest dreams and starts planning his boldest heist yet. But soon, he runs into trouble - and this time money is the least of his worries...

Critic reviews

Nesbo is a master storyteller, gripping the reader from the first page and ratcheting up the suspense in a thrilling finale with several satisfying twists.

Keeps the twists and shocks coming hard and fast

A relentless and breakneck tale that keeps the reader hungrily turning the pages for more

A gripping read... I got lost in this book and hours skipped by as the chapters got shorter, more tense and the pace quickened to an almost unbearable crescendo... A thoroughly satisfying read

With echoes of The Thomas Crown Affair, spectacular storytelling and a beautifully judged super-twist, it confirms Nesbo's place at the pinnacle of thriller writers and, inevitably, a film version will be with us next year. It's that good (Geoffrey Wansell)

This book is one you absolutely have to read... The outrageous storytelling is so stimulating, it makes James Ellroy look like a boy scout and Bret Easton Ellis like a sunday school boy

The reader is glued to the pages like gum to the street... Nesbo has accomplished an easily digested, but nevertheless brilliant and elegant thriller

Don't miss this thriller from the UK's second biggest-selling fiction author about an ambitious art thief

A masterclass in obfuscation and psychological parrying... Roger is a well-crafted, morally dubious character who remains oddly likeable owing to a nifty line in bitter observations... After recent events, no one can be in any doubt of Norway's dark side and Nesbo wisely juxtaposes Oslo's shiny veneer with its rotten elements. Equally, the parallels between artistic worth and corporate value are neatly levied... Nesbo has that rare talent for turning the tables on readers, confounding expectations and revealing on what is intended

An accomplished novel from a first-rate author

Headhunters

Would you listen to Headhunters again? Why?

I will probably listen in a few years time when I have forgotten the plot!

What other book might you compare Headhunters to and why?

This is not an easy book to categorise. While being a thriller, it has an unusual flow and bridges the gap with a more serious novel format.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Intrigued/engrossed me.

stupendous read

If you could sum up Headhunters in three words, what would they be?

intelligent good plot. wove several timelines together. great judge of character. great twists

What did you like best about this story?

good plot. good life insights

Which character – as performed by Sean Barrett – was your favorite?

several good

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

no

Jo Nesbo Headhunters

If you could sum up Headhunters in three words, what would they be?

Excellent story - scandinavian sophistication. Excellent narrating by Sean Barrett.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Unexpected developement of the story.

What does Sean Barrett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Close to own reading.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he discovered that his wife was cheating on him.

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to reading/listening to the next Job Nesbo story.

Nesbo's black humour reigns

What made the experience of listening to Headhunters the most enjoyable?

Sean Barretts narration as always is the perfect voice for Nesbo's anti-heros

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Time differential between the deaths in the apartment not being considered seriously by the police was a weak link in the plot.

Have you listened to any of Sean Barrett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes excellent as always.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

A slight smile at the end when the twist is revealed.

Any additional comments?

I read this whilst suffering withdrawal symptoms from finishing the last Harry Hole novel 'Phantom' Some of the extreme escapes require the reader to suspend belief but on the whole Another excellent effort from Nesbo and Barrett the perfect team!

success is skin deep!

Just how difficult it is to stay ontop, we who are not so brilliantly successful can forget any envy - High flyers crash hard.