Borkmann's Point [Hardcover]

Chief Inspector Van Veeteren is vacationing when his superior calls to ask him if he could assist the Kaalbringen police department in solving the murders of an ex-con and a wealthy real-estate mogul, both of whom have been murdered with an ax. Bored and restless, the methodical Van Veeteren readily agrees, happily applying his considerable wealth of knowledge and experience to tracking the killer down. To Van Veeteren, it is only a matter of time before the killer is caught--the Chief Inspector believes deep down that he will recognize the murderer once he encounters him. His confidence is misplaced, however, as the investigation drags on for several weeks without uncovering a single promising lead.

A well-respected author in Sweden, Nesser, whose books have been published in fifteen countries, is not well known in the United States; in fact, Borkmann's point (which is actually Nesser's second novel) is the first of his books to be published in America. This state of affairs should change quickly though, as Borkmann's Point should easily win him numerous fans. Although it has a fairly familiar plot, the book distinguishes itself through its terse but thorough studies of the parties involved in the investigation, from Van Veeteren, to his various colleagues on the police force, and to the killer himself. As revealed through alternating vignettes, their personalities and thought processes shine through, creating a feeling of intimacy between the reader and Nesser's cast, a feeling that will turn into a longing for more once the last page is turned.

According to the trade statistics I have seen, the Swedish economy is almost completely driven by exports. In 2005 export trade accounted for almost 45% of Sweden's gross domestic product. Although I'd always thought this export trade was dominated by manufactured and primary goods I'm now coming to the (lighthearted) conclusion that the export of crime novels from Sweden must be one of its emerging export sectors. I've spent a good deal of time in recent months reading the Inspector Martin Beck series by the team of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo (including "The Laughing Policeman" and "Roseanna") and the Inspector Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell (including "The Dogs of Riga" and "The Man Who Smiled"). Just when I thought I'd explored the entire body of Swedish crime fiction I came across Hakan Nesser's "Borkmann's Point" which is styled as "An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery" and felt compelled to see how it measured up to the other series. Although I enjoyed "Borkmann's Point" I found it somewhat less enticing then either the Beck or Wallander series.

"Borkmann's Point" is set in the coastal town of Kaalbringen. The protagonist, Inspector Van Veeteren, has been sent to help the (presumably) less-skilled local police in its investigation of two brutal axe murders. The victims appear to have no connection to each other. The story lines follow two parallel paths: Van Veeteren's investigation and his relationship with the local police force. Each story line is developed competently but neither the evidence-gathering nor the development of Van Veeteren's relationship with the locals really captured my imagination.

What I found most interesting in Borkmann's Point was the setting. Unlike Sjowall/Wahloo and Mankell, "Borkmann's Point" is not set in Sweden but in a fictional city, Kaalbringen, in a country in which the characters appear to have Dutch, German, Swedish, and Danish names. In other words, Nesser seems to have created a generic European country for purposes of his fiction.

On the plus side, "Borkmann's Point" is a well-written, thoughtful novel. Despite the gruesome murders that propel the story, "Borkmann's Point" is focused more on the process of police work, the art and arduousness of investigation and detection, rather than on a pillar-to-post thriller. The very title of the book, once it is explained about halfway through the book, is in itself a clue for both Van Veeteren and the reader as to the process of crime-solving. It is a fascinating point and one that should intrigue many readers.

On the minus side, I never really felt vested in the lives of the main characters in the books. I enjoyed the interplay between Van Veeteren and the local police force, particularly his evening spent drinking wine and playing chess with the local police chief but it wasn't so engaging that I hung on every word.

I'll probably give the next book in the series a look to see if Van Veeteren grows on me or not. Until then, I can give "Borkmann's Point" only a modest "thumbs up". L. Fleisig

Nesser is a fine storyteller with a well-sketched hero named DCI Van Veeteren. This is story of serial murder, and the method is quite brutal--a sweeping blow from an ax to the back of the neck. No one has any idea who, in the small Swedish city of Kaalbringen, would do such a thing or why.

Van Veeteren is a lonely bugger whose wife has died (or left him, I can't remember which). He broods when he's alone and seems quite introspective even in company, although he has a quirky and laid back sense of humor. He enjoys good music, as his car stereo (but not his car) is quite luxurious. Who doesn't like a detective who listens to Sibelius while on a major manhunt? A suspect who looks forward to a warm fire on a cold night, listening to a Heyman quintet?

When you read a lot of police procedurals, as I do, you always appreciate a little thoughtfulness from your detective, as Van Veeteren muses on the autumn of his life:

"...did there come a point, he started to wonder, beyond which we no longer look forward to something coming, but only to getting away from what has passed? Getting away. Closing down and moving on, but not looking forward to starting again. Like a journey whose delights decrease in direct proportion to the distance traveled from the starting point, whose sweetness becomes more and more bitter as the goal comes closer."

Kurt Wallander would hang out with Van Veeteren, and that's enough for me. Laurie Thompson is a veteran translator who skillfully got Wallender to us in beautiful English, and he is in mid-season form with this material. Give Hakan Nesser a try--I know I'll read the next book I can get my hands on!