Customer Reviews

Outsider in Amsterdam

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been wanting to read these books for a while and finally found the time to dig into this first one on a long flight to Europe. Perfect setting for reading any of van deWetering's books. These novels are thoroughly European and I loved the way the characters spoke and interacted. I especially enjoyed the pervasive air of morality throughout the book. So many of contemporary thrillers lack that essential element. The novelist makes good use of his obvious Buddhist beliefs and sprinkles some quite beautiful thoughts (when de Gier meets the father of a female suspect take extra time to linger over his philosophy. It's utterly engaging and memorable) throughout this story of the search for the killer of a murdered spiritual adviser and some smarmy drug dealing in 1970s Amsterdam. This book also contains the first villain with a conscience I've ever encountered in all my decades of mystery reading. I look forward to completing the series.

I picked up this novel because I was reminiscing about Amsterdam, rather than out of a desire to read a mystery. It was exactly what I was looking for. Van De Wetering's descriptions of the city are crisp and well defined and his characters are intriguing and convincingly written. It was a good mystery as well. The motivations of all the characters seemed true enough, and for this, the novel could just as well be classified as literature. The translation maintains European syntax, so the Dutch character of work is not lost. It was a fun little novel, and great mind candy. The next day I bought two more of the series. If you need something, quick, light and exotic to read this is a good one. It's always nice to read about someone else's city.

A thoroughly engaging and well-written mystery. The first in a series of mysteries pairing Amsterdam detectives Grijpstra & DeGier, this novel enchants and hooks the reader from the very beginning. The story is first class and will be enjoyed by lovers of the genre, but it's the interaction and dialogue between the two protagonists that makes this book such a gem. At times philosophers and often humorous, these characters are a welcome addition to the readers' life and the good news is: there's more where this comes from. Check it (them) out and you won't be disappointed. Highly Recommended for those who enjoy mysteries and top-quality literature in general.

I've been reading a lot of Nordic authors (mostly Swedish) lately, and this was a nice addition. Loved how the relationship between the 2 detectives was developed, and also the humor that was injected intermittently. What I did not appreciate, however, was the ridiculous number of typos in the Kindle edition I was reading. Almost 2 per page throughout the entire book. And when I say "typo", I don't mean punctuation - sometimes a person's name is spelled 3 different ways, in 3 consecutive sentences; the word "die" (presumably Dutch?) is used repeatedly instead of "that"; the word "whore" is used in lieu of "where"; I could go on, but we'd be here all day. I cant believe they would release - and sell - something in this condition; the quality equals a book you'd get for free through Project Gutenburg. It got so annoying I took to highlighting them all! I wonder if the print edition also has tons of typos? It was very distracting, and made it difficult to follow the story at times (because I had to re-read sentences to figure out what the author was trying to say).

If you appreciate fiction that exposes you to nonfiction aspects of foreign cultures, you will like these books. For example, if you liked the Sjowall/Wahloo Swedish mysteries, you'll like this series, too. (Just as "deep" analyzing human existence via crime, but not so dark -- in part because Stockholm in the 70's was socialist gray, and Amsterdam was a lot more colorful!) Similarly, if you like Melville's Japanese mysteries, you'll like this series. (If it *has* to be about Japan, get this author's book "Inspector Saito's Small Satori" instead.)

Normally I hate reviews that summarize, but since the editorial review above just says "launching Cahners series", here is an excerpt from the flyleaf of the original 1975 printing:

"... here is the first of a delightful new series of detective novels by a Dutch writer who combines a background in Zen philosophy with his experience on the Amsterdam police force. The owner of a sleazy restaurant-cum-commune in the old quarter of Amsterdam is dead; his body hangs from a rafter, at first glance a suicide, at second a murder. The police call in Detective Grijpstra, a mild-mannered, middle-aged family man with tired feet and a bemused soul, and his partner, de Gier, a bachelor with a philosophical turn of mind who shares his modish apartment with a wayward Siamese cat and occasion such women as are not allergic to it. The clues are plentiful enough to be puzzling and lead to a juicy variety of suspects and helpers including a native Papuan -- former member of the Dutch Constabulary in New Guinea, the 'outsider' of the title. The plot is as full of unexpected twists and turns as Amsterdam itself, the climax is exciting, and the conclusion will surprise and satisfy connoisseurs of detective fiction as well as loving observers of human nature."

This book follows two Amsterdam detectives, as they investigate a hanging, reflect on their lives and other matters, make fun of each other, and try to keep hard drugs off Amsterdam.

The fine line between hash and heroin is explored, and this might make the book interesting to readers from the U.S. or other countries where marijuana is criminalized like hard drugs.

The construction of the dialog and the characters' thought-trains is outstanding. De Gier's jokes at Grijpstra by themselves make the read worthwhile. Both characters are drawn as very, very human. You follow their thoughts and simple motives and ordinary lives, and you can't help loving them.

The only character that doesn't ring quite true is the Outsider himself, the person from Papua New Guinea; he seems somewhat superhuman. However, this character is drawn with great respect, from the author, as well as from the detectives' point of view. I found it quite charming, the European author and his European characters dealing with an extraordinary character from their former colony.

Before ending the review, I can't resist quoting some of the thoughts of our cop friends.

Hiding in a bush in dog poop waiting to catch a good-looking drug dealer, de Gier thinks to himself: "I hope he attacks me. I'll trip him up and break his nose. That beautiful nose in the handsome face. He can bleed a little this time." Then he catches his errant thoughts and thinks: "but I'll only go for him if he provokes me."

Explaining why he's leaving a beautiful woman, de Gier says to his three superior officers, in a dejected voice: "She wants me to leave my cat." The superiors laugh.

Grijpstra the family man, talking to his superior on the phone and looking at his wife's head, says "Yes sir" on the phone and thinks: "Why do curlers have to be pink? Why not brown? If they were brown they would blend with her hair, I wouldn't notice them so much, and I would be less irritated. I wouldn't have such a foul taste in my mouth. My stomach wouldn't cramp. I wouldn't have to worry about ulcers. My wife wouldn't forget to buy medicine for me because I wouldn't need to take medicine. I would be a happier man."

(My evil self thinks: Ha! Any man who lived with a woman will understand that one!)

Grijpstra, at a Chinese restaurant looking at a nervous Chinese waiter, probably an illegal immigrant, thinks: "I wonder what he's hiding? No papers, that's for sure. And a friend of the criminal Lee Fong. Perhaps I should drop a hint at the Aliens department." And then he thinks: "Perhaps not. There's enough trouble in the world."

Vivid and realistic characters, very pleasant novel!

I bought this book because I needed something to read while flying to a business meeting. I was intrigued because it took place in Amsterdam, a place I loved, but haven't visited since the 80's. Its a wonderful mystery, full of great characters and flawed heroes. I like it so much I bought two more of Van De Wetering's books on my return home.

Piet Verboom is found hanging from a beam in his sixteenth-century gabled house on a quiet narrow street in Amsterdam. Verboom was the leader of something called the Hindist Society, and the house contains a shop, a bar and a restaurant. His staff were followers in the society and were paid nothing. Verboom was turning a tidy little profit and had quite the lifestyle for himself. Why would he throw a rope over a beam and hang himself? The two Dutch policemen assigned to the case, Adjutant Grijpstra and Sergeant de Gier, don't think he did. Fortunately a person renting space in the house, Jan Karel van Meteren, is very observant and very helpful. With van Meteren's aid, hopefully they will solve the case without putting too many miles on their Volkswagen:

"This road doesn't go to Aerdenhout," said Grijpstra.

"Ah yes. We'll take a turning to the left."

"There are no turnings on the left on this road."

"Then we'll turn around," de Gier said happily.

"You should watch where you're going."

"So should you."

They found the right road, they found Aerdenhout, but they didn't find the mental home. Eventually they found the police station and were shown the right way.

"If the civilians knew how silly their police are they would commit more crimes," Grijpstra said.


Originally published in 1975, Outsider in Amsterdam really didn't feel dated to me, although I do have to admit that my cell phone is seldom turned on which probably doesn't make me the best of judges. The pacing of the book seemed a bit ponderous, and it was difficult to pinpoint the reason. Van de Wetering lived in Maine for many years, so blaming a translator isn't feasible. Possibly the slowness could just be a case of an author thinking in one language and writing in another. Most readers can only dream of having a problem like this.

Whatever the cause, the slowness was only a minor annoyance because the author serves up a veritable feast: the city and culture of Amsterdam itself, two wonderful characters in Grijpstra and de Gier, and a likable villain. In this book, it's not so much a matter of "who" done it, but "how" he did it... and is he going to get away with it? Lately I've been reading of too many bad guys for whom I've only felt disgust. It was fun to read about one I came very close to admiring.

Outsider in Amsterdam is a good start to the adventures of Grijpstra and de Gier. I intend to follow the series to its end.

Yeah, yeah, I know: this is a very European book and I'm not a European so I wouldn't understand; and the protagonists were witty and gentle; and the villain had a conscience; etc. etc. But this curious police procedural fails as a compelling read. With a wonderful setting like Amsterdam, you'd think the author would have conveyed some of the atmosphere of that fine city. He didn't. His descriptions of people and places were soul-less. The chatter between the two detectives often was inane. Just as often, they acted like Keystone kops. The story was marginally interesting, but at no point did I feel excitement or suspense. I realize that de Wetering has written a significant body of work and has legions of fans. I guess I'm just not one of them. Sadly, I felt the "Outsider in Amsterdam" was, in this case, me.

"Outsider in Amsterdam" is the first novel in the Gripstra and de Gier mystery series, and a very good beginning to that very excellent crime series it is. The story line is plenty interesting, but as is generally the case with this author's books, it is the characters that make the book outstanding reading. The collection of players here includes the wonderfully quirky crime warriors, Adjutant Gripstra and Sergeant de Gier, an arthritic police commissioner and nervous chief inspector, a hipster murder victim, the victim's curvaceous wife, the victim's octogenarian and thoroughly gaga mother, a clutch of young counter-culture slackers, a Laurel and Hardyesque criminal duo, a Papuan ex-SWAT team member now serving as an Amsterdam meter maid, and last, but not least, the city of Amsterdam itself.

There is an abundance of humor, pathos and human insight laced through the entire length of "Outsider..." plus enough of a solid mystery to keep the reader intrigued to the end. A fun read that will probably lead to a full-on addiction to the series for anyone coming on Gripstra and de Gier for the first time.