Misterioso

May 23, 2011
Originally published in Sweden in 1999, the first in Dahl's acclaimed Intercrime trilogy focuses on the A-Unit, a freshly formed elite team of six mavericks and misfits from various police units. Typical is Paul Hjelm, who was about to lose his job for the unorthodox handling of a hostage situation. The author artfully fills in the disparate backgrounds of the other four men and one woman, each of whom emerges as a substantial, nuanced character. Plot, though, is not Dahl's strong suit. A less than compelling story line, full of Stockholm street names, leaves the reader floundering in clueless murders for too long, burdened with extended lists of possibilities that don't pan out and a lot of talk about corporations and their board members, some of whom are thought to be possible targets of the media-dubbed "Power Murderer." Eventually, clues come pouring in and the pace picks up.

This 1999 police procedural from Sweden has likely been made available to American readers due to the success of Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy. And that's fine because this tale of an elite police unit formed to capture a disturbing serial killer is a dark, stylish affair, further bolstered by John Lee's precise yet earthy narration. Lee perfectly captures the story's haunting quality, generated by the lonely, flawed police investigators and the killer's strange fascination with pianist Thelonious Monk's jazz classic "Misterioso." Tiina Nunnally's smooth translation also helps keep listeners engaged as the plot thickens with secret societies and the Russian mafia. This title is a solid introduction to the author's popular Intercrime series, and American crime fiction aficionados will likely find it a treat. J.P.M. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine