The masterful first novel in the Martin Beck series of mysteries by the internationally renowned crime writing duo Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, finds Beck hunting for the murderer of a lonely traveler.On a July afternoon, a young woman's body is dredged from Sweden's beautiful Lake Vattern. With no clues Beck begins an investigation not only to uncover a murderer but also to discover who the victim was. Three months later, all Beck knows is that her name was Roseanna and that she could have been strangled by any one of eighty-five people on a cruise. As the melancholic Beck narrows the list of suspects, he is drawn increasingly to the enigma of the victim, a free-spirited traveler with a penchant for casual sex, and to the psychopathology of a murderer with a distinctive--indeed, terrifying--sense of propriety..
Roseanna
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“A modern classic. . . . Lively, stylistically taut . . . Sjöwall and Wahlöö changed the genre.”
—Henning Mankell, from the introduction
"A wonderfully tough and pleasantly chilling tale . . . told without a wasted word."
—Harper's
“Superb suspense. . . . Let no mystery authority worth the appellation miss Roseanna. . . . I have never read a finer police story.” —Dorothy B. Hughes, Los Angeles Times
“Sjöwall and Wahlöö are the best writers of police procedural in the world.”
—Birmingham Post
—Henning Mankell, from the introduction
"A wonderfully tough and pleasantly chilling tale . . . told without a wasted word."
—Harper's
“Superb suspense. . . . Let no mystery authority worth the appellation miss Roseanna. . . . I have never read a finer police story.” —Dorothy B. Hughes, Los Angeles Times
“Sjöwall and Wahlöö are the best writers of police procedural in the world.”
—Birmingham Post
About the Author
Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, her husband and coauthor, wrote ten Martin Beck mysteries. Mr Wahloo, 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.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format: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.
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.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By zorba
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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.
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.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
good book
I really enjoyed this book. The plot line moved back and forth to create quite a story. That is all
Published 3 days ago by Sandra Kreitner
4.0 out of 5 stars
First Beck mystery for me....I'll read more
Have read most ot the Henning Mankell books with Wallender. Looked for another character to love and Martin Beck is that guy. Will read many more of the series. Read more
Published 2 months ago by hdofclass
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marvelous start to an Exceptional Series
This is the first book in a 10 book series by a Swedish husband and wife team. They were written and set in Sweden in the 1960s and 1970s. Read more
Published 4 months ago by BLS Carmel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant debut of the Martin Beck series
This is like a police procedural master class. It's a beautifully constructed murder mystery that goes beyond a minute focus on the principal crime to include the "warts and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Blue in Washington
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dark and brooding
If you like the dark and brooding detective novel, this is a winner. I loved this book !
The main character is imperfect, not what you would call a family man. Read more
The main character is imperfect, not what you would call a family man. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Frances McNair
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
Nice book, Precursor of the detective novel in Scandinavia this is a great book, and encvolvente surprising. I recommend. I loved this book.
Published 5 months ago by carlyle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Scandinavian mystery
The equal of Trunk Murders with a twist. So easy to become enmeshed in the culture, language, geography and lives....enjoy them all.
Published 5 months ago by R. V. Hollingshead
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than Hanning Mankell
I read this complete mystery series when they first came out and was enthralled. I decided to reread "Roseanna" again and I remember why I liked the series so much. Read more
Published 5 months ago by J. A. Mine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Mystery, Police Procedural
I intend to buy more books by this author and wanted to start with an early book. I was a good mystery and an interesting story. I look forward to more by this author.
Published 5 months ago by J. Puechner
4.0 out of 5 stars
Everybody in Sweden ...
... these days either works for IKEA or writes crime fiction. Those two items are the backbone of Sweden's economy. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Giordano Bruno
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