The Locked Room - Martin Beck, Bk 8 Author:Maj Sjowall, Per Wahloo, Paul Britten Austin (Translator) The "locked room" murder mystery is, of course, the classic detective problem, and by repetition the problem has now become something of a joke. So Sjowall and Wahloo have made it the centre of their most amusing story to date. In their previous stories they have treated most members of Sweden's police force with comparativel... more »y little respect; but here they have built up to riotous episodes wich equal the old Keystone Cops in zany farce.
The locked room murder is, in itself taken seriously enough, with the top detective, Martin Beck, as readers will recall, was gravely wounded at the climax of The Abominable Man, There was doubt whether he would survive. We are thankful to report that he has survived and after a long convalescence is on the job again. To ease him back gently, he has been asked to investigate what is seemingly a routine suicide - but it turns out to be the most baffling case of his career.
And while he quietly probes into the extraordinary murder of a man whom no one appears to have a motive to kill, and yet has been killed most mysteriously, the rest of the Stockholm force are caught up in a hilarious hunt for a gang of bank robbers - the specialty and passion of 'Bulldozer" Olsen, chief of the Special Squad.
How Beck's meticulous investigation into the locked room murder and Olssen's grandiose plans to catch the bank robbers come together, most ingeniously and unexpectedly leads to the surprising climax.
A new and altogether delightful aspect of Sjowall and Wahloo has been revealed here. Hitherto their police investigations have been on the grim side, but now they prove to us that they can be immensely funny too.« less