A former low-level street tough gets tortured to death at Christmastime, setting the gloomy detectives of the Uppsala (Sweden) police force in motion to catch a killer. Meanwhile, the dead man's criminal brother starts a parallel investigation.
Kjell Eriksson's first novel translated into English is called an Ann Lindell mystery, though detective Lindell is on maternity leave during most of the action, leaving the police work to her partner Ola Haver. But Haver really isn't the main character either; with a big cast of interesting police officers the book feels most like a Swedish 87th Precinct (which Eriksson makes a nod to himself when somebody tells Haver that he is "no Carella," a reference to Ed McBain's lead detective).
I have been enjoying this boom in Scandinavian mysteries lately just for a change of pace; as opposed to hardboiled American mysteries, when a fellow policeman is abruptly killed, Haver cries and helps lead the squadroom in a discussion of changes in social and democratic trends in Sweden. Even the hardened beat cop is introspective in Uppsala. But I probably would be too, based on the casual discussions of thirty below weather and snow so deep it threatens to crack building roofs (actually a critical plot point).
Eriksson's mystery starts off a bit ruminative but soon snaps awake to a crackling conclusion. I ended up enjoying the read quite a bit and will be seeking out the next book in the series.
I checked this one out from the Morrison-Reeves Public Library in Richmond, Indiana, and stopped yesterday to put a hold on the next book by Eriksson.
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