Harry is the protagonist of The Snowman and the entire Harry Hole series. He is considered the preeminent police investigator in Norway and is famous for his success. In addition, he is the only investigator in Norway that has been trained specifically to investigate serial murders, after undertaking extensive training with the FBI in Chicago. Despite his success, at the beginning of The Snowman, Harry describes himself as “a skinned polar bear: a muscular but shockingly gaunt predator” (18). However, he follows this statement by declaring, “Not that it actually mattered,” giving insight into his depressed mental state (18).

Although Harry is a successful investigator, he is less successful in his personal life. In The Snowman, Harry struggles with his sobriety and maintains a sexual relationship with his ex-girlfriend Rakel, who is happily coupled with someone else. But there are some bright spots in his personal life, too, such as his close relationship with Oleg, Rakel’s son, which positions Harry as a positively paternal figure, and helps to illuminate What Makes a Father. In the novel, Nesbø brings Harry’s professional and personal lives together as the Snowman targets Harry through Rakel and Oleg. Harry also taps into his personal relationships if it will help him solve the case, as when he uses his friend Tresko, the poker player, to deduce whether Arve Støp is lying.