Sweden's export trade in crime novels continues

books:


	• Borkmann's Point: An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery Hakan Nesser Vintage, 2007 - 336 pages average customer review:based on 17 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Interesting story, obvious conclusion

The author continues the recent trend in police procedurals of whatever nation to flesh out the personal lives of the several police personnel involved, not just the chief protagonist. This grounds the story and makes it more believable. But is there anyone who doesn't figure out "who dunnit" before the first third of the book is over? I hope to read some of Nesser's other books to see if the conclusion is always so obvious--I understand it isn't--so will give him another chance. But still, a good read.

The author beguiles the mind

In this well-reviewed mystery, Nesser introduces an inspector of solid character and an acute intellectual presence. Yet, the plot does not fit the denoument--there is just a bit too much slipperiness between clues held back and the final solution. The character and the evocative writing are enough for me to try another one, though.

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Enough chills for any thriller fan

An axe murderer is on the loose in the quiet seaside town of Kaalbringen. After the gruesome deaths of two victims, the unorthodox but gifted Inspector van Veeteren, who is holidaying nearby, is asked to step in to assist the local police force. Hours of information gathering and interviews appear to achieve nothing, and soon the axe murderer strikes again.

With the entire community in a paroxysm of fear, and the retirement date of the Kaalbringen police chief looming, van Veeteren and the investigation team desperately seek to establish some link between the three victims. Is there a rationale behind the murders or are they dealing with the random killings of a lunatic? Will he strike again?

The situation threatens to escalate beyond control when one of the police team disappears. Van Veeteren concludes that 'Borkmann's Point' (named after a mentor of his) has been reached--the point where sufficient information is available to provide the solution, and where any more information may obscure it. He must now apply all of his experience and instinct to secure the all-important breakthrough.

Borkmann's Point is an edgy, intelligent thriller that slowly builds in tension and finally accelerates rapidly towards the shattering and startling climax. The narration switches between the different members of the investigation team: the languid pair of van Veeteren and police chief Bausen; the pedantic Kropke, the dynamic Beate Moerke; and occasionally into the mind of the axe murderer.

The hard work and frustration of a difficult police investigation is communicated in a very realistic manner. The interplay between the different characters and personalities in the investigation team provides the story with a very human, and occasionally very humorous, backdrop. This is a top-notch thriller, with an intricately woven plot that is immensely satisfying, and strangely touching, in its resolution.

Armchair Interviews says: An elegant and ingenious whodunit any thriller fan would love.

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Sweden's export trade in crime novels continues

According to the trade statistics I have seen, the Swedish economy is almost completely driven by exports. In 2005 export trade accounted for almost 45% of Sweden's gross domestic product. Although I'd always thought this export trade was dominated by manufactured and primary goods I'm now coming to the (lighthearted) conclusion that the export of crime novels from Sweden must be one of its emerging export sectors. I've spent a good deal of time in recent months reading the Inspector Martin Beck series by the team of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo (including "The Laughing Policeman" and "Roseanna") and the Inspector Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell (including "The Dogs of Riga" and "The Man Who Smiled"). Just when I thought I'd explored the entire body of Swedish crime fiction I came across Hakan Nesser's "Borkmann's Point" which is styled as "An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery" and felt compelled to see how it measured up to the other series. Although I enjoyed "Borkmann's Point" I found it somewhat less enticing then either the Beck or Wallander series.

"Borkmann's Point" is set in the coastal town of Kaalbringen. The protagonist, Inspector Van Veeteren, has been sent to help the (presumably) less-skilled local police in its investigation of two brutal axe murders. The victims appear to have no connection to each other. The story lines follow two parallel paths: Van Veeteren's investigation and his relationship with the local police force. Each story line is developed competently but neither the evidence-gathering nor the development of Van Veeteren's relationship with the locals really captured my imagination.

What I found most interesting in Borkmann's Point was the setting. Unlike Sjowall/Wahloo and Mankell, "Borkmann's Point" is not set in Sweden but in a fictional city, Kaalbringen, in a country in which the characters appear to have Dutch, German, Swedish, and Danish names. In other words, Nesser seems to have created a generic European country for purposes of his fiction.

On the plus side, "Borkmann's Point" is a well-written, thoughtful novel. Despite the gruesome murders that propel the story, "Borkmann's Point" is focused more on the process of police work, the art and arduousness of investigation and detection, rather than on a pillar-to-post thriller. The very title of the book, once it is explained about halfway through the book, is in itself a clue for both Van Veeteren and the reader as to the process of crime-solving. It is a fascinating point and one that should intrigue many readers.

On the minus side, I never really felt vested in the lives of the main characters in the books. I enjoyed the interplay between Van Veeteren and the local police force, particularly his evening spent drinking wine and playing chess with the local police chief but it wasn't so engaging that I hung on every word.

I'll probably give the next book in the series a look to see if Van Veeteren grows on me or not. Until then, I can give "Borkmann's Point" only a modest "thumbs up". L. Fleisig

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middle of the pack

A perfectly fine read, but there are just so many better Swedish mystery writers out there--like Henning Mankell.

reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4

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