In the small Norwegian town of Os the big players are the Opgard brothers. Local entrepreneurs, they have made it big on the backs of their rivals who haven't lived to compete. However, the sheriff is determined to see justice and battle lines are drawn.
This is a western set in the Scandinavian outback which could be real disaster. This is written by the rather wonderful Nesbo so is of course brilliant!

The sequel to The Kingdom, two brothers who over the years have murdered people in their small Norwegian town. A slow burn of a novel, corruption, revenge and bribery. The saving grace is the crisp description of the landscaoe.

I have read more by Jo Nesbo, but not the previous one in this series. I found this book to be a slog to read and picked it up and put it back down a few times . The first 30% was slow going pacewise, it did then pick up, but I had started to lose interest in the plot by then I am afraid . Lots of characters, none of which I particularly cared about . May try again at a later date .
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC, this one is not for me

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Brotherly love and revenge

The glorious tale of the Opgard brothers anti heros, their loves, lives and murders and the lengths they will go to to cover their tracks.

Slow paced, beautifully written set in the gorgeous Norwegian countryside.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the copy to review.

Sequel to 'The Kingdom' with the body count getting higher for brothers Carl and Roy Opgard. However, a local sheriff Kurt Olsen is on their trail and determined to bring them down. Great Scandi noir.

WoW Blood Ties by Jo Nesbo was another excellent book and is the sequel to The Kingdom which was excellent read as well. But this book was excellent from the very beginning till the very end. It is full of twists and turns throughout that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.......A superb read.

This author will never disappoint all his books have been a 5 star read and this one was no different!

Big Thank you to NetGalley, and Penguin Random House Publishing for my ARC.

A first Jo Nesbo book for this reviewer and one that just moved a bit too slowly to maintain a sense of interest or momentum. Other reviewers have commented that the pace picked up in the second half but sadly I didn’t get that far. The book is the second in a series, and maybe reading the first would have helped, but I just didn’t engage with characters or story line - apologies to author and publisher.

In 2020, the leading Norwegian crime author Jo Nesbo took a diversion from his Harry Hole detective novels and created The Kingdom, a Scandinavian answer to rural noir. Inside, he introduced us to Roy and Carl Opgard, brothers with some deadly secrets lying at the bottom of the cliff that edges their farmland in southern Norway. Nesbo continues the tale in Blood Ties, which is just as dark and twisted as its predecessor. Brace yourself for another instalment featuring the Opgards’ misguided morality as they leave fresh bodies in their wake.

Link to full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.com/2024/10/17/blood-ties-jo-nesbo/

As an avid reader of crime fiction and a long-time fan of Jo Nesbo, I eagerly anticipated “Blood Ties,” the sequel to “The Kingdom.” I must say, Nesbo didn’t disappoint. This book had me on the edge of my seat, flipping pages late into the night, completely absorbed in the dark and twisted world of the Opgard brothers.

A Thrilling Ride

From the moment I cracked open “Blood Ties,” I was transported back to the small Norwegian town of Os. Nesbo’s vivid descriptions made me feel like I was right there, breathing in the crisp mountain air and feeling the tension that permeates every interaction. The way he builds suspense is masterful – I held my breath at times, dreading what might happen next.

Complex Characters That Stay With You

What really got under my skin was the complexity of Roy’s character. As the narrator, he’s not your typical protagonist – he’s done some terrible things, yet I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. His internal struggles and the way he justifies his actions made me question my own moral compass. It’s rare for a character to affect me so deeply, but Roy’s voice lingered in my mind long after I finished the book.

A Setting That Comes Alive

I’ve never been to Norway, but after reading “Blood Ties,” I feel like I’ve spent time in Os. Nesbo’s ability to paint a picture of this small town, with its breathtaking landscapes and claustrophobic atmosphere, is truly impressive. As I read, I could almost feel the chill in the air and see the looming mountains.

Themes That Make You Think

What I appreciate most about Nesbo’s writing is how he weaves complex themes into his narratives. “Blood Ties” had me pondering the nature of family loyalty and the lengths we go to protect our own. It made me question how far I would go for my loved ones, which is exactly what great literature should do – make us examine our own beliefs and values.

A Different Flavor from Harry Hole

As much as I love the Harry Hole series, I found this departure refreshing. It showcases Nesbo’s versatility as a writer and proves he’s not a one-trick pony. While the change might surprise some fans, I think it’s a testament to his growth as an author.

Final Thoughts

“Blood Ties” is not an easy read – it’s dark, it’s violent, and it doesn’t shy away from the uglier aspects of human nature. But that’s precisely what makes it so compelling. It’s a book that will stay with you, challenging your perceptions and leaving you with plenty to ponder.

For me, this novel cements Nesbo’s place as one of the best crime writers out there. If you’re a fan of Nordic noir or psychological thrillers that make you think, I can’t recommend “Blood Ties” enough. Just be prepared for a few sleepless nights – both from staying up late reading and from the haunting story that will linger in your mind.

I loved reading Jo Nesbo’s latest nordic-noir, Blood Ties.

I hadn’t read the first instalment, The Kingdom, but caught up quickly with brother’s Roy and Carl’s backstory.

The story follows Roy and his brother Carl’s (a.k.a. The King of Os!) adult relationship and empire building in a small Norwegian town Os. They are unscrupulous and there’s nothing they won’t to for their business interests and to be ‘top dog’. Changing the narrative is just what they do!

Only one person, the town’s sheriff Kurt, is prepared to raise his head above the parapet and attempt to unveil the brothers for who they really are and which turns into a game of cat and mouse.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Random House UK, Vintage, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I didn’t realise this was a sequel and I think knowing the backstory between these two brothers, Roy and Carl would have been helpful.

This was an intriguing slow burn Nordic noir. In the first half of the book, we meet our MC Roy who is hardworking, solid, a loyal brother and decent employer … albeit with a penchant for murder. As the story moves on, it is clear that Roy’s relationship with his little brother has taken some disturbing turns over the years - usually in the name of protecting said brother, Carl.

I found I raced through the second half of this book and I enjoyed seeing little clever twists and big reveals finally come to light.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Vintage Books for the ARC.

Roy and Carl are back and with their return they bring their own darkness and tension this book is definitely Nordic noir .
The relationship between the brothers is dysfunctional at best and disturbing at its worst .
The sheriff knows the secrets that the brothers hide and he’s trying his best to bring them to justice .
The writing is excellent as you would expect from Nesbo and the story is certainly dark and tense and full of intrigue.
It left me wondering what would happen next and also kept me turning the pages .
A different read from Nesbo but still an entertaining one .
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage .

Basic data:
- Mystery/thriller/nordic noir
- Single POV, 1st person, single timeline
- Part of a duology (At least as of release date)

Before we start with the review I would like to mention that this is book two (in a duology) and even though the author does a great job of recapitulating everything that happened in the first book and you technically could read it as a standalone, I would suggest you read "The Kingdom" first.

Since this is a book two I don't want to enter to much in the details about the plot, but basically this duology is about two brothers that came back to a small town in Norway and became "kings" of that town, but it's never easy to maintain power when you past is full of dark secrets that are about to come out.
Since I didn't want to disclose more information about the plot I'll just list what can you expect from this book:
- Very morally gray, sinister characters
- Complicated (disfunctional) family dynamics
- Grotty atmosphere
- Constant lies, treason/tension, cover-ups, obsession, love, violence
- Biblical parallels with Abel and Cane
- Murder(s) investigation.
This book is definitely different from the Harry Hole series, but I still think it's worth the read.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

Blood Ties by Jo Nesbo is a gripping Nordic noir thriller centered around two morally gray brothers, Roy and Carl Opgard, who have killed their way to the top of their small Norwegian town. The plot is dark and twisted, with family secrets and past crimes bubbling to the surface as the local sheriff tries to bring them down.
Nesbo masterfully builds tension, and while the book starts slow, it soon becomes a compelling read with well-developed, sinister characters and a brooding atmosphere. Roy, the anti-hero, is ruthless yet oddly relatable, especially as he struggles with his loyalty to his brother Carl and his violent tendencies. The constant lies, betrayals, and cover-ups keep the story intriguing, and the family dynamics are deeply dysfunctional.
Though the crimes are revealed from the start, the cleverness lies in how the brothers manipulate situations. Blood Ties is a dark, intense, and satisfying read for fans of crime thrillers.

I enjoyed this book, a tale of two brothers who have murdered people over the years and the sheriff knows they are guilty but can't prove it. A good read slow to start but keep reading you won't regret it. Good plotting and characters as you'd expect from Jo.This is the second book in the series. Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Jo Nesbo’s book The Kingdom was a violent story centred around anti-hero Roy Opgard and the criminal machinations of Roy and his brother in the small Norwegian town of Os. That book was marketed as a stand alone crime thriller. And to some extent the story was wrapped up, tragically as expected, by the end of the book. And knowing it was a standalone meant that readers would just have to accept that a number of dangling plot threads would remain. But now Roy and his crazy, ambitious brother Carl are back, eight years later in Blood Ties and some of those dangling threads are coming back to haunt them.
When Blood Ties opens, Carl is now known as the King of Os and Roy is doing what he does best, bribing a couple of engineers to change a geological report so that the new main road will have to continue to pass through the village. Os is where Roy and his brother have built their hotel Os Spa and where Roy has plans to build an amusement park anchored by the world’s biggest rollercoaster. But the hotel is in trouble, for reasons beyond the fear that the town will be bypassed and Carl is keen to rope Roy into helping him save it. At the same time, Kurt, the local sheriff has new evidence that points to the brothers being responsible for his father’s murder as well as some other deaths close to their family property.
Roy Opgard is a classic criminal anti-hero. It is hard to agree with what he is doing, or find it moral supportable. But Roy is nothing if not honest with the reader and Nesbo makes him somewhat relatable so that readers are likely to be rooting for him, particularly when he gets into a relationship with the much younger but equally damaged Natalie. Roy may be violent but he is also loyal and loving. The relationship between Roy and Carl was always an unhealthy one but in Blood Ties, the gloves come off. And again, it is easy to take Roy’s perspective when pitted against the nihilism and ego of his brother. Readers may not like Roy or agree with his choices but Nebo makes sure they understand him and the forces that shaped him.
There are no crimes to be solved in Blood Ties, readers are taken through how every crime is committed and then covered up. The cleverness here is the way in which Roy both deals with the crimes and then corrupts people and creates contingencies which come into play when matters don’t quite panning out as he expected. And Nesbo never lets up the pressure on Roy with numerous past and present wrong deeds emerging at different inconvenient times
For those who like their crime stories on the dark side, Blood Ties is a great follow up to The Kingdom. Blood Ties is second descent into a rural community desperate to stay relevant and vital, riven with secrets and driven by petty corruption. In that respect Roy Opgard is the perfect guide to this world, always on the make, always trying to think a few steps ahead of those who are out to get him. It turns out that he was a character and a place that was well worth revisiting.

I hadn’t realized this book was a sequel, i don’t see that not having read the first book will affect your reading of this book. Not the most gripping thriller I’ve read, lots going on ultimately sibling rivalry maybe more than they’d like to admit; and a sheriff on the hunt for justice of old crimes.

Overall an okay read but not my favourite from this author.

Brilliant sequel to the The Kingdom although I would recommend reading both novels
This gripping novel continues the story off two successful brothers in a small town and a local sheriff who is determined to prove the brothers involvement in a series of murders
Jo Nesbo never fails to deliver. This suspense novel keeps twisting and turning and I read it in quick time
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it

Jo Nesbo is one of my favourite authors perhaps most notably known for the Harry Hole series but he is author of many other books equally as captivating. This being one which I am sure other fans will enjoy as much as I did. Sales of over 50 million books says it all and special praise must go to the translator for maintaining the essential Scandinavian feel to the book but retaining the feel that it was written by an English author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to ARC this book.