William Shakespeare's “The Tragedy of Macbeth” was first staged in the year 1606. Thespians, for superstitious reasons, have always referred to it as “the Scottish play,” fearing that uttering the title inside a theater would bring doom to any production. The play centers on a young solider, Macbeth, who comes upon a coven of witches that predict he will be king of Scotland one day. He was a general to King Duncan at that time, but loved the idea of assuming the throne himself.

Macbeth is driven by a greedy and self-absorbed wife, Lady Macbeth, and calls both Banquo and Macduff friends. Since the play is a tragedy, things do not end well for the bulk of the characters. It is this very famous source material that Nordic author Jo Nesbø has chosen to emulate in his assertively titled novel, MACBETH. Nesbø is a top-notch crime writer best known for his terrific Harry Hole series. In 2017, we finally saw one of those books made into a film when THE SNOWMAN starring Michael Fassbender and an all-star cast released.

"What Nesbø does best in his retelling of MACBETH is to make readers forget that there was any actual source material to inspire him. This allows for the novel to work on different levels without the need for comparison..."

Nesbø's MACBETH is a stand-alone novel set in the 1970s. Similar to how the FX series "Sons of Anarchy" played out Shakespeare in the world of California motorcycle gangs, this book directly channels all of the players from Shakespeare's play and sets them adrift in a modern setting. We are introduced to a corrupt and run-down industrial town and Chief Commissioner Kenneth, who allowed things to get into that state during his long reign. Brought in to replace Kenneth after his death is Duncan, who himself has an interesting past as the son of an organized crime boss.

Under Duncan is a team that includes the brash head of SWAT, Macbeth, a driven man who is fueled by several personal vices and paranoid tendencies. His wife, Lady, is an interesting woman who may not always have her husband's best interests in mind when the opportunity for personal gain is in play. On the other side of the table are two rival drug lords. The more lethal one is Hecate (ironically the name of the Queen of the Witches in Shakespeare's play), a master manipulator who feels that the idealistic means of Duncan are all wrong for their town. He and his cronies initially seek to bring Duncan down by focusing on his weaknesses. When that plan does not work, they take another, more extreme route --- they get Macbeth to take out Duncan himself and thereby climb the political ladder.

To convince Macbeth to do their bidding will not be easy, and it will necessitate eliminating those closest to him on the force. With Hecate and his crew putting on the pressure, and Lady doing her best to push her husband on the home front, it is just a matter of time before Macbeth either comes to a harsh decision or is pushed permanently over the edge.

What Nesbø does best in his retelling of MACBETH is to make readers forget that there was any actual source material to inspire him. This allows for the novel to work on different levels without the need for comparison, and it does indeed stand on its own merits as a gritty crime drama. Things do not follow the Shakespearean formula exactly, but that's where Nesbø's imagination and ability to create memorable characters come into play, making for a fun read.