Some time ago I was in the market for a new mystery to read -several, actually, since I like having more than one on hand. I'd worked from lists of award winners and "best mystery" lists the last several times I shopped, and I decided to use a different strategy this time. I went to my favorite local book store, looked through their mystery section, and picked some likely looking candidates. 2 books in the Nesser Inspector Van Veeteren series were part of my haul that day.
Borkmann's Point is the first in this series by Hakan Nesser to be published in the U.S. Published in Sweden in 1994, it came to America in 2006. This is interesting and readable, does a good job of integrating character development with the plot, and moves along nicely. I enjoyed this one well enough and look forward to the other one I bought. After that I doubt I'll seek out more with this main character. I'm not as interested in Van Veeteren as I have been in other mystery series lead characters, and the book doesn't give me other reasons to look for more from him (at $15 a piece) rather than keep sampling from other authors.
On the more positive side, Basque separatists figure briefly in the plot, and that was unexpected.
from the back of the book:
Internationally bestselling author Hakan Nesser makes his U.S. debut with this riveting tale of murder and suspense that reveals the deep humanity of the characters portrayed even as it sends chills up the spine.I am not impressed that the word "riveting" appears twice in this blurb. I join a growing company of the "not impressed":
Chief Inspector Van Veeteren is called to the sleepy coastal town of Kalbringen to assist the local police in the investigation of two recent ax murders. Soon the case turns from bad to worse when another body turns up and one of Van Veeteren's colleagues, a young female detective, disappears without a trace. Now Van Veeteren must find the killer, and, he hopes, his colleague, before anyone else comes to harm. Riveting and intellectually satisfying, Borkmann's Point unfolds like a chess match where each move could prove deadly.
The book won the award for Best Swedish Crime Novel. Euro Crime has several reviews. Reviewing The Evidence says the book shows its age.
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Oh no, sorry, not exactly riveting, is it? I have no idea what is with this hyping up Swedish crime novelists, I find them all pretty bad. Except one, and that´s Åsa Larsson. She is translated to English: The Savage Altar, and three more. Can´t vouch for the translation, but she is in a class of her own.
ReplyDeleteAnd have you read Reginald Hill? His Dalziel&Pascoe-series is wonderful. I would also warmly recommend Laurie R King, American crime novelist.
i've made a note of the larsson book and will look for it the next time i'm at the bookstore. thanks for the suggestion. :)
Deletei've seen 1 episode of the dalziel & pascoe mystery series, but i don't watch much tv and lost track of it. i didn't realize it was based on a book series. i will definitely check out reginald hill. i've got laurie king's beekeeper's apprentice on my list to look for but haven't read anything by her yet. thx!
Oh yes! The Mary Russell-books are great!
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