Wednesday, March 28, 2012

BOOK: The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjowall, Per Wahloo

The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjowall, Per Wahloo, 211 pages

Book 4 of 10 in the Martin Beck Police Mystery Series

I'm starting to get the policemen straight as I read this series, getting to understand their characteristics and relationships. During the end of November, 1967, Stockholm is struck with one of its first mass murderers - nine people are gunned down on a bus. Martin Beck and his homocide cops are set on the task, but with very little info, except that one of their own was on the bus.

This was tight, no extra words, full of welll defined characters, and the sense of Sweden in the late sixties. I'l say again how much this series reminds me of Ed McBain's 87th precinct series - the police, the subtle humor, the police procedural. I loved how all the detectives took different clues, and nearly all ended up at the same place. Very strong police procedural.
Posted by raidergirl3 at 10:13 AM

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Susan · 678 weeks ago

I read this one first, last year, as it is the one everyone talks about in the series. I enjoyed it so very much that I have gone back to the beginning and have now read the first book (but I can't remember if I've blogged about it yet! darn cold) and have the second and third on my shelf. Love this series. I really enjoy the sense of the plodding, the pain-staking putting together of evidence, of being with Beck as he puts together the clues.
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raidergirl3 91p · 678 weeks ago

It was the best of the series so far. I think part of that is because I am starting to keep all the characters straight, and getting to know them more. But the mystery was the strongest so far as well. I've got the next one home from the library to get to.
I prefer the police procedural type of mystery to cozy mysteries most of the time. Have you read 87th precinct books by McBain? They've been around a long time as well.
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Nan · 678 weeks ago

I have the first in the series, and look forward to these books!
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raidergirl3 91p · 678 weeks ago

I think you'll enjoy them Nan. I like that there are only ten books - a finite series. Plus, the Swedish commentary is fascinating. They are considered real commentary on the evolution of Swedish society in the late 60s.

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