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sandin954's review
3.0
The two Amsterdam police detectives are called in when a woman’s body is found in her houseboat. The interplay between the two cops is a lot of fun.
constantreader471's review
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book and rate it a solid 4 stars out of 5. I received it through NetGalley from Soho crime. Soho crime is celebrating 25 years of publishing international crime fiction with a reading challenge. I'm reading my way through Janwillem van de Wetering over the next two months.
This is book 2 in the Grijpstra & de Gier series. Maria van Buren, a high class prostitute, is found murdered aboard a boat in an Amsterdam canal. She is originally from Curacao in the Caribbean.
How Grijpstra, de Gier and their boss, the commissaris, solve this murder makes an interesting and enjoyable read. There is a trip to Curacao, witchcraft, some tedious legwork-- checking alibis and some serendipity conversations which lead to the ingenious murderer. Grijpstra and de Gier are quirky detectives, not above stopping work in the middle of the day and going to de Gier's apartment to sit and relax.
Some quotes: "Society is all balls. A lot of egotists thinking of themselves only. Insects locked in a bottle and all they can do is bite each other."
"He used to remind me of a tumbleweed."
This is book 2 in the Grijpstra & de Gier series. Maria van Buren, a high class prostitute, is found murdered aboard a boat in an Amsterdam canal. She is originally from Curacao in the Caribbean.
How Grijpstra, de Gier and their boss, the commissaris, solve this murder makes an interesting and enjoyable read. There is a trip to Curacao, witchcraft, some tedious legwork-- checking alibis and some serendipity conversations which lead to the ingenious murderer. Grijpstra and de Gier are quirky detectives, not above stopping work in the middle of the day and going to de Gier's apartment to sit and relax.
Some quotes: "Society is all balls. A lot of egotists thinking of themselves only. Insects locked in a bottle and all they can do is bite each other."
"He used to remind me of a tumbleweed."
jakewritesbooks's review
4.0
(3.5) First one I've read in this series. I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the detectives and the focus on police work in Holland. Was leaning towards 3 stars as the killer was eye-rollingly obvious but I liked the way it ended and decided to stick it with four.
skinnypenguin's review
2.0
It was a little strange. Maybe because it is a foreign writer and from the 70s and I just didn't get the cultural feel.
evila_elf's review
4.0
Characters of Grijpstra and De Gier continue to be awesome. I found myself not caring about the mystery very much though, and just sitting back and watching the characters on their misadventures. But I didn't mind that, too much.
Book unfortunately did get a little slow when the characters were not present, though.
Book unfortunately did get a little slow when the characters were not present, though.
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