Headhunters

by Jo Nesbo

(2011)

Publisher: Vintage Crime

Roger Brown is a corporate headhunter, and he’s a master of his profession. But one career simply can’t support his luxurious lifestyle and his wife’s fledgling art gallery, and he has a secret. While his commissions pay him well, Brown finds himself living a luxurious lifestyle; one that requires a second and more lucrative paycheque. During interviews, Brown finds himself fishing for personal information about candidates, particularly surrounding their art collections.

At an art opening one night he meets Clas Greve, they hit it off and seem destined to work together. Greve has his eye on a Norwegian technology company and hopes Brown can work his magic and place Greve in the CEO’s chair. He is not only the perfect candidate for a major CEO job, but also, perhaps, the answer to his financial woes: Greve just so happens to mention that he owns a priceless Peter Paul Rubens painting that’s been lost since World War II—and Roger Brown just so happens to dabble in art theft. But when he breaks into Greve’s apartment, he finds more than just the painting.

And Clas Greve may turn out to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to Roger Brown.