From Booklist
The success of Henning Mankell in the U.S. has started a mini-avalanche of Swedish crime fiction in this country. Whereas Mankell builds his series around one hero, a world-weary cop forced to confront the racism of a new multicultural Sweden, Eriksson takes his cue from Ed McBain, portraying a group of investigators very much in the 87th Precinct vein (a minor character here chastises one of the detectives with the remark, "You're no Carella," alluding to McBain's top cop.) The action revolves around the murder of an unemployed welder in the small town of Uppsala, a man universally liked and admired for his avoidance of the criminal underworld that has snared his brother. Eriksson jumps between the various detectives investigating the murder and the family of the victim, agonizing over the seemingly motiveless crime. With Christmas approaching, an unshakable melancholy descends on cops and criminals alike, as Eriksson evokes "the gap between people's dreams and the potential to get off track." Solid procedural plotting overlaid with a sensitive rendering of inner lives and emotions held in check beyond the breaking point.
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2 comments:
I loved the reference to McBain and Carella in the book. It did remind me of the 87th Precinct books, which is a complement.
I keep reading so many good things about Swedish crime fiction but have yet to pick up a book. I'm going to add this to my TBR list and see if my library has it. Thanks!
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