Roseanna: A Martin Beck Police Mystery (1) [Paperback]

Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö's first Martin Beck mystery, "Roseanna," deals with the unexpected discovery of a corpse in Motala, Sweden, when a bucket dredging machine unclogs a canal to prepare it for the spring boat traffic. On a warm and beautiful day, the bucket gobbles up not only mud but the nude body of a young woman in her late twenties. The police try to identify the victim, but since no one of her description has been reported missing, the authorities are stymied. First Detective Inspector Martin Beck of the Swedish National Police, an eight year veteran of the Homicide Bureau, rushes off to work, eager to say goodbye to his indolent wife ("Years had passed since they had really talked.") When he arrives at Motala to assist local law enforcement officials with the aforementioned case, Beck receives a gloomy report: "We haven't learned a thing [in eight days]. We don't know who she is, we don't know the scene of the crime, and we have no suspects." Beck's colleagues, Melander and Kollberg, are doing what they can to assist with the investigation, but are also getting nowhere. Although most people would throw up their hands in defeat, Beck is "stubborn and logical, and completely calm." Although he develops a terrible cold and sore throat, he continues with his routine. He and his team persist until they finally discover the name of the deceased; they then attempt to retrace her movements in the days leading up to her death.

What makes "Roseanna," first published in 1965, a groundbreaking crime novel? Sjöwall and Wahlöö write in a spare, no-nonsense style, with just the right amount of detail, no theatrics, and little violence. They humanize their detectives, depicting each with his particular problems, quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. Melander has a photographic memory and smokes smelly cigars; Kollberg is chubby and addicted to rich food. Both are highly competent. The dialogue is realistic and often dryly amusing. The authors demonstrate how unromantic and tedious police work can be, often requiring an inordinate amount of time in the pursuit of leads that prove fruitless. It is only the detectives' stubborn determination to succeed that finally leads to a resolution. Those who pursue murderers pay a huge price for their dedication. They live stressful lives, with very little time to sleep or enjoy a leisurely meal. To achieve their goal, they need the ability to observe the evidence closely and interpret it correctly. Martin Beck has both of these skills; in addition, when confronted with a complex puzzle, he uses his sharp intuition and imagination to put the jumbled pieces together. He may not be physically formidable ("He was pale and looked sallow and he had dark circles under his eyes.") or heroic, but Beck is meticulous and thorough, with an ability see the whole picture. He rarely misses the forest for the trees. Sometimes the only difference between a cold case and a satisfying conclusion is a detective's refusal to give up, even when he is confronted with a seemingly perfect crime.

This is a simple book. A crime is committed and the police, led by Martin Beck, assiduously and systematically track down the killer. As others have noted, the book is tersely written but each sentence is power-packed. As you go through the book, you get a good feel for the characters and the settings. There is enough suspense and drama to keep you riveted, but not overwhelmed. This is a gem of a police procedural in all respects.

I read an interview with Jeff Vandermeer where he mentioned this series as being an influence/inspiration for his latest novel. Vandermeer is an author who I always find interesting, so I decided to check out the first Martin Beck novel. And I'm really glad that I did.

The amazing thing for me is that Roseanna is one of the best examples of a procedural I have ever read, but one that also succeeds in making the players real and relatable. And in only 200 pages, using very tight prose! The procedural elements not only give the audience a sense of the work involved in solving a homicide, but also the tedium and frustration, the pressure and the responsibility. There's a brilliant paragraph on the very first page that illustrates the bureaucracy of life for a government worker trying to get something done. At the same time, and in the same style, Wahloo and Sjowall infuse their characters with humanity - sickness, domestic conflict, hobbies, teasing between coworkers, comfortable and uncomfortable silences.

I was excited to learn that this is the first of ten books that the authors collectively called "The Story of a Crime". I'm equally excited to dig further into that story.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 18 reviews  4.2 out of 5 stars