3.5
The Laughing Policeman
ByPublisher Description
The incredible fourth novel in the Martin Beck mystery series by the internationally renowned crime writing duo Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, finds Martin Beck heading a major manhunt in pursuit of a mass-murderer. With a new introduction by Jonathan Franzen: "I've read The Laughing Policeman six or eight times. Each time I reach the final twist on the final page, I shiver afresh."
On a cold and rainy Stockholm night, nine bus riders are gunned down by a mysterious assassin. The press portrays it as a freak attack and dubs the killer a madman. But Superintendent Martin Beck thinks otherwise—one of his most ambitious young detectives was among those killed—and he suspects it was more than coincidence. Working on a hunch, Beck seeks out the girlfriend of the murdered detective, and with her help Beck reconstructs the steps that led to his murder. The police comb the country for the killer, only to find that this attack may be connected to a case that has been unsolved for years.
On a cold and rainy Stockholm night, nine bus riders are gunned down by a mysterious assassin. The press portrays it as a freak attack and dubs the killer a madman. But Superintendent Martin Beck thinks otherwise—one of his most ambitious young detectives was among those killed—and he suspects it was more than coincidence. Working on a hunch, Beck seeks out the girlfriend of the murdered detective, and with her help Beck reconstructs the steps that led to his murder. The police comb the country for the killer, only to find that this attack may be connected to a case that has been unsolved for years.
Download the free Fable app
Stay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
Rate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
Curate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesStay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building toolRate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tagsCurate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities68 Reviews
3.5
vale🪷
Created 19 days agoShare
Report
“è un bellissimo giallo e romanzo poliziesco, che tratta una storia piuttosto complicata ma molto intrigante: un omicida apparentemente senza alcun motivo apre il fuoco su un autobus, uccidendo tutti i passeggeri. Ciò che mi è piaciuto di più è che di fatto questa storia si ricollegherà ad un vecchio caso irrisolto, rendendo tutta la narrazione molto tesa.
Alcuni personaggi però mi sono sembrati davvero fastidiosi e costruiti non benissimo, per cui ogni tanto mi bloccavo proprio nella lettura. Rimane un ottimo libro che si legge abbastanza velocemente!!”
Victoria V.
Created about 1 month agoShare
Report
“Unsatisfying police work due to lack of engagement of the characters. A lot of unfinished sentences or non-continuous sequences that seem like filming cuts but that don’t make sense when reading a book.. Book title is also irrelevant to the story. Could have been a great storyline but ruined by the writing style.”
hafogelberg
Created 3 months agoShare
Report
“This couple is hitting their stride with this title. Overall, I think they do better with more complicated plots. This one is a bit of a tragi-comedy. We suffer the loss of a familiar cast member, and for the first time, the writers' senses of humor are allowed to peek around the edges of the narrative. Being Swedes and of a fairly terse generation, and with at least one of them previously employed in journalism, it's taken a little time for the badinage to get to a level where it is evident to a reader outside the culture. It's a nice addition. The usual suspects are becoming ever more familiar as the series goes on, and this is an unexpectedly engrossing plot.”
Terrie P
Created 4 months agoShare
Report
“2.5 stars
Usually I enjoy Nordic mysteries but this one left me bored. A very routine mystery that I actually had a difficult time following. There were SO many Swedish street names and people names that it was impossible to follow it. I listened to the story and wonder if I would have been able to follow it better if I saw the combo of letters of a street or person's name instead of hearing it spoken.
Regardless, it wasn't a very engaging story.”
John Burford
Created 11 months agoShare
Report
About Maj Sjowall
Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, her husband and coauthor, wrote ten Martin Beck mysteries. They plotted and researched each book together then wrote alternate chapters. The books were written over a ten year period and carefully planned to allow for gradual character development and evolving social commentary as the series continued. Mr Wahlöö, who died in 1975, was a reporter for several Swedish newspapers and magazines and wrote numerous radio and television plays, film scripts, short stories, and novels. Maj Sjöwall is also a poet.
Other books by Maj Sjowall
Start a Book Club
Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!FAQ
Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?
Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?
How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?
Do you sell physical books too?
Are book clubs free to join on Fable?
How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?
Similar Books
Save to a list
0
/30
0
/100
Private List