1944: In the trenches outside Leningrad, at the Eastern Front, a handful of Norwegians in German military uniforms fight for a sacred cause: a free Norway. They come from completely different social and political backgrounds. The boldest of them all, Daniel Gudeson, falls dead from a bullet and his body is buried in a mass grave. Shortly thereafter, in a military hospital in Vienna, an injured man is hospitalized under the name Daniel Gudeson. There he will find love in the person of Helene, a nurse. When the injured man receives orders to head to the southern part of the Eastern Front, that is a one-way ticket to death, he and Helene will plan their escape.

1999: An old man wanders the streets of Oslo. Just before, his doctor has informed him that he has a few months left to live. He reflects on World War II. He knows that he has one last mission to complete before he dies. Harry Hole mistakenly shoots an American secret agent during President Clinton's visit to Norway. While awaiting his humiliating dismissal from the police force, Hole is transferred to the anti-terrorism unit (also known as POT) and receives a promotion. He is shoved into a dark office and flips through reports on low-priority cases. However, the case that lands in his hands is particularly intriguing: a gang of arms dealers likely has ties with old and new Nazis. A World War II veteran from the Eastern Front is found murdered, and Harry Hole uncovers evidence that connects him not only with the present and recent past but also with the near future, and that is the most alarming aspect...

Awards The Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize 2000 Best Norwegian Crime Novel Ever Written [Norwegian Book Clubs]

Reviews With cinematic speed, Jo Nesbo creates captivating imagery, a plot distinguished by its precision and detail, and thrilling characters. He combines the war saga with a thriller, comfortably leading readers from violent episodes to romantic and passionate scenes. A clever book. USA Today

You must read it. The New York Post

One of the most exciting inspectors in modern crime literature. Library Journal (USA)

This book uses the passions of the present to support a deeply disturbing argument: when we silence history, it is as if we provoke it to repeat itself... A well-written and multi-layered thriller. New York Times Book Review (USA)

Excellent novel, ambitious in conception, masterful in execution, and mature in its understanding of people and events. We could even describe it as political as it addresses the rise of fascism in Norway but also everywhere... The redbreast is a remarkable reflection on how the lowest human instincts survive from generation to generation and manifest themselves criminally as political action... Washington Post (USA)