The Man on the Balcony

It is Stockholm, 1967, the so-called "summer of love." A mysterious man stands on a balcony watching children play below. A neighbor reports him to the police, who file and forget the incident. An audacious mugger terrorizes the citizenry and, oh yes, children are being murdered. Written 40 years ago by husband-and-wife team Sjšwall and Wahlšš, this third in the Martin Beck mystery series remains timely and relevant. Tom Weiner recounts the gruesome crimes in this canny police procedural without making them sensational. Weiner's rendition of Beck and his assortment of overworked, underpaid colleagues is colorful and understated. His intelligent, objective narration details the seemingly disparate puzzle pieces until they make a terrible sense. A real treat for mystery lovers. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine