The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjöwall

The Fire Engine That Disappeared

Martin Beck Police Mystery #5

Maj Sjöwall with Per Wahlöö, Joan Tate

288 pages first pub 1969 (view editions)

fiction crime mystery dark mysterious medium-paced
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The ideal reader for The Fire Engine That Disappeared is one who relishes the slow-burn tension of a mid-century Stockholm apartment under police watch erupting into sudden, lethal violence and then savoring the cerebral satisfaction of a cryptic suicide note that drags the investigating detective into the mystery itself.

Description

Gunvald Larsson sits carefully observing the dingy Stockholm apartment of a man under police surveillance. He looks at his watch: nine minutes past eleven in the evening. At that same moment, the house explodes, killing at least three people. Chie...

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Community Reviews

3.81
based on 400 reviews

Moods

mysterious: 93%

dark: 60%

tense: 33%

adventurous: 26%

funny: 13%

challenging: 6%

lighthearted: 6%

reflective: 6%


Pace

11% of readers chose fast
72% of readers chose medium
16% of readers chose slow
fast
medium
slow

Plot or character driven?

43% of readers chose Plot
50% of readers chose A mix
6% of readers chose Character
Plot
A mix
Character

Strong character development?

25% of readers chose Yes
16% of readers chose Complicated
58% of readers chose No
Yes
Complicated
No

Loveable characters?

58% of readers chose Yes
25% of readers chose Complicated
16% of readers chose No
Yes
Complicated
No

Diverse cast of characters?

25% of readers chose Yes
75% of readers chose No
Yes
No

Flaws of characters a main focus?

25% of readers chose Yes
41% of readers chose Complicated
33% of readers chose No
Yes
Complicated
No

Content Warnings

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