The Inspector and Silence
by Håkan Nesser
Inspector
Van Veeteren, jaded from his years doing police work, contemplates
retirement. Even his vacation will not bring him a well-deserved
break. When a young girl is reported missing by an anonymous
phone call, the inspector is called in on the case to investigate the
Pure Life sect near Sorbinowo. When questioned,
no one at the camp admits to the disappearance of the girl or that she
was ever there. When the adolescent girl's body is found near the
Pure Life camp, the case becomes more complicated. The girl was
raped and strangled. As the police investigate, the statements
given by mysterious anonymous woman caller suggests she knows more than
she is telling. Will Inspector Van Veeteren and company be able
to solve the case when those who could help remain silent?
In THE INSPECTOR AND SILENCE, the fifth novel in the series, Hakan
Nesser creates an intriguing mystery. Who is the caller and
what relationship does she have to the crime? The portrait of the
cult leader, often seen from the eyes of the Pure Life members not only
in what they say but also what they do not say, drives the mystery's
force indirectly. As the mystery proceeds, the solution to
the crime becomes more obvious to the reader. The chief interest
of this mystery is not so much the mystery detours as in seeing it
through the character of Inspector Van Veeteren. Cynical from
years of police work and philosophical in his thoughts, Inspector Van
Veeteren is a refreshing change of pace for the mystery lover who seeks
something a little different than the typical mystery fare. He is
not always likable in his actions or approach, and yet, somehow, he
still draws a reader to him. His thoughts on crime and crime
solving add interesting insights into the mystery. The author's
description of the landscape and particularly the climate take a reader
into the scene of the novel quite well. The summer heat magnifies
the level of irritation, making a nice parallel at times with
characters' moods and internal thoughts. Even in translation, the
prose reads well. THE INSPECTOR AND SILENCE is a very good choice
for police procedural lovers craving a different kind of sleuth and
prose, both brooding, and oddly humorous.
Publisher: Pantheon (June 14, 2011)
An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery
Translator: Laurie Thompson
Author
website
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
Review Courtesy of Amazon Vine
|
|
