Netflix is turning a Harry Hole book into the mystery series Detective Hole – I just hope it’s better than the movie adaptation’s 7% Rotten Tomatoes score

Tobias Santelmann as Harry Hole whose face is turned towards the camera in Detective Hole.
(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix announced new mystery thriller series Detective Hole back in May, which is based on Jo Nesbø’s series of crime novels about the legendary detective Harry Hole. While the serial killer whodunnit sounds seriously chilling, I just hope it doesn't meet the same fate as the movie adaptation of The Snowman, which has 7% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Book-to-screen adaptations have been a big win with the best streaming service, with the likes of Mindhunter, Ripley, and the new A Good Girl's Guide to Murder all becoming some of the best Netflix shows. So it's no surprise that the streamer has decided to make another Netflix Original series from the works of one of the greatest storytellers in crime fiction, Jo Nesbø. 

But it's not the first time Nesbø's book has been adapted for the big screen, with Michael Fassbender playing the role of Hole in the 2017 movie flop The Snowman, which received a dire 7% Rotten Tomatoes score. In The Snowman, Hole tracks down a serial killer in Oslo who builds snowmen at their crime scenes. 

Vox savagely reviewed The Snowman as "the most transcendently awful movie I expect to see in 2017," so I just hope that Detective Hole will have a better appeal in this new Netflix series coming out in 2026.

The Snowman - In Theaters October 20 - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTube The Snowman - In Theaters October 20 - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTube
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What will Detective Hole be about?

Detective Hole will centre on Harry Hole, a renowned yet tormented detective who goes up against his long-time rival and corrupt police officer Tom Waaler, while a serial killer terrorizes Oslo.

The official Netflix plot reads: "As the two navigate the blurred ethical lines of the criminal justice system, Harry must do all he can to catch a serial killer and bring Waaler to justice before it is too late."

After announcing Tobias Santelmann as Harry, Joel Kinnaman as Tom, and Pia Tjelta as Rakel Fauke, Netflix has now revealed the rest of the Detective Hole cast, with Peter Stormare, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Kåre Conradi, Simon Berger, Fridtjov Såheim and Eili Harboe all onboard to star in this Nordic noir series.

Also joining them are: Atle Antonsen, Manish Sharma, Henriette Steenstrup, Jesper Christensen, Kristoffer Joner, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Linn Skåber, Jonas Strand Gravli, and Sonny Lindberg, amongst many more.

It's definitely looking promising that Detective Hole may join my list of favorite detective series alongside The Sinner, Baptiste, and Luther.

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Grace Morris
Entertainment Writer

After graduating with a degree in Writing and Film Studies, Grace dived into the world of entertainment where she started writing all about the must-watch shows and movies at What To Watch. Now Grace is on her next writing adventure at TechRadar, where she uses her expertise to help readers keep up to date on the biggest TV shows and movies in the ever-changing world of streaming. If she’s not writing about her passion for entertainment, you’ll find her watching reality shows while feasting on chocolate.