Natural Instinct to Kill

Do all men have the natural instinct to kill? Nesbo poses the question through the following incidents: Rakel’s murder, Bohr’s reference to himself as a freak, and Kaja’s responsibility for Sonia’s death. After it is proved that Harry was not responsible for Rakel’s death, Oleg asks Harry if he believes about the natural instinct to kill. Harry assures Oleg that he believes that people such as them are not capable of murder, but Harry appears to be merely avoiding the terrible truth that he was almost forced to accept about himself.

A variety of different characters in this novel turn out to have murdered in the past, proof that murderers often masquerade as average law-abiding citizens. Since Bjørn is Harry’s best friend and a police officer, it seems hard to believe that Bjørn would murder...