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michael5000's review against another edition
4.0
The last-for-me Martin Beck book is as satisfying as others in the series, another grimly amusing hard-boiled police procedural from Sweden's underbelly.
A lot of the fun, reading these novels 50 years on, is noting the contrast between their basic theme -- that the world is going to hell in a violent, soulless handbasket -- with the subsequent decades of, by the standards of our planet, unprecedented peace, prosperity, and opportunities for individual self-realization. What felt like righteous clear-eyed social critique at the time, now sounds more than a little like your surly neighbor who can't handle the damn kids these days with their cells phones and tattoos and loud music.
A lot of the fun, reading these novels 50 years on, is noting the contrast between their basic theme -- that the world is going to hell in a violent, soulless handbasket -- with the subsequent decades of, by the standards of our planet, unprecedented peace, prosperity, and opportunities for individual self-realization. What felt like righteous clear-eyed social critique at the time, now sounds more than a little like your surly neighbor who can't handle the damn kids these days with their cells phones and tattoos and loud music.
smemmott's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, and Sexual violence
senkahawke's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
johnnyb1954's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The series of books are intended to show different aspects of police work, crime, and society in Sweden in the 60s - 70s. There are serious problems of increasing crime and militarization of police. The authors then descend into portraying the police as farcically incompetent, except for Beck and a few of his associates.
In addition the books have always depicted the tedium of the police investigation and the results coming from persistence along with some luck. But in this book the coincidence factor is just too great. And the tedium is too drawn out with several unnecessary scenes.
The opening murder scene totally disregards the humanity of the victim.
The synopsis of the book tells about two crimes that are apparently overlapping. But the second one - that involves the titular Cop Killer - doesn’t occur until 60% of the book has gone by.
Beck thankfully has finally been relieved of his constant sniffles and stomach problems (which are more annoying to the reader than Beck) because he is in a happy relationship. But the references to his lady friend are incidental and as nothing to the story or character development.
This is the penultimate and very least interesting installment of an otherwise great series. I hope the last one gets better.
In addition the books have always depicted the tedium of the police investigation and the results coming from persistence along with some luck. But in this book the coincidence factor is just too great. And the tedium is too drawn out with several unnecessary scenes.
The opening murder scene totally disregards the humanity of the victim.
The synopsis of the book tells about two crimes that are apparently overlapping. But the second one - that involves the titular Cop Killer - doesn’t occur until 60% of the book has gone by.
Beck thankfully has finally been relieved of his constant sniffles and stomach problems (which are more annoying to the reader than Beck) because he is in a happy relationship. But the references to his lady friend are incidental and as nothing to the story or character development.
This is the penultimate and very least interesting installment of an otherwise great series. I hope the last one gets better.
etakloknok's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tcorder's review against another edition
1.0
1 1/2 stars.
Personally, I'm scratching my head over all of the great reviews for this book. I admit that it starts off fairly well with the murder of a divorced woman who's body is hidden in the woods and the subsequent search for her killer. Unfortunately, about half way through the book the authors suddenly start up an, apparently, completely different story about two youths involved in a shoot-out with police and the search for one of the survivors of that incident.
It is at this point that they take the long way around, by way of Coincidenceville, to tie the two threads together and solve the mystery of who committed the murder at the beginning of the book. Add to this the schizophrenic feel of the final few chapters - it's a murder mystery, no it's a police procedural, no it's a man-hunt, no it's a slapstick farce, no it's a diatribe against the Swedish police who are nothing more than a bunch of lazy bastards/thugs/incompetents - and what started out being a well-written, engaging mystery turns into a forced, unbelievable, disappointing mess.
Personally, I'm scratching my head over all of the great reviews for this book. I admit that it starts off fairly well with the murder of a divorced woman who's body is hidden in the woods and the subsequent search for her killer. Unfortunately, about half way through the book the authors suddenly start up an, apparently, completely different story about two youths involved in a shoot-out with police and the search for one of the survivors of that incident.
It is at this point that they take the long way around, by way of Coincidenceville, to tie the two threads together and solve the mystery of who committed the murder at the beginning of the book. Add to this the schizophrenic feel of the final few chapters - it's a murder mystery, no it's a police procedural, no it's a man-hunt, no it's a slapstick farce, no it's a diatribe against the Swedish police who are nothing more than a bunch of lazy bastards/thugs/incompetents - and what started out being a well-written, engaging mystery turns into a forced, unbelievable, disappointing mess.