Laughing Policeman (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

Fourth in the series of downbeat police procedurals featuring the archetype of lugubrious detectives, Martin Beck, and better than the previous three - which are still worth a read. The co-authors (they separately wrote whole chapters but it's impossible to see the join) hit their stride: Beck's work-life balance issues are getting heavier, whilst his sidekick Kollberg is ever more uxorious. ...more

Fourth in the series of downbeat police procedurals featuring the archetype of lugubrious detectives, Martin Beck, and better than the previous three - which are still worth a read. The co-authors (they separately wrote whole chapters but it's impossible to see the join) hit their stride: Beck's work-life balance issues are getting heavier, whilst his sidekick Kollberg is ever more uxorious. The dynamics of the squad room are explored more fully than previously - Naked Gun it ain't but it's funny for Sweden - while the central theme of a collective loss of faith in Sweden's model social democracy is given further play. Chuck in some Vietnam War demos, some murder, drugs and what is quaintly termed 'nymphomania' and Sven's your dark, brooding, avuncular presence.   hide