The Man Who Went Up in Smoke

Mystery and crime fiction are the true spice and thrill for readers. And the detective protagonists have a big fan following with series and parts doled up by authors to keep the readers hooked. Sherlock Holmes is the lead with British crime series taking a lead globally, Byomkesh Bakshi is my indian favorite and gives the global ones a run for money, and then we have Martín Beck, the Scandinavian and true to his cultural stereotype is a subtle, simple, hard working, uncomplicated man. He has the soul of a police man who likes to think and find the loose threads to weave the story of what may have happened. 

Isn’t that what a true crime detective is who can think of the correct permutation and combination of things which would have actually happened and able to connect people, events and motives to weave a possible theory and then go about proving it really happened. Martin Beck series have their own flavour with the not so obvious Butler as the killer but someone remotely linked and found when all other leads go a dead end. After reading and liking ‘The Laughing Policeman’ and ‘Roseanna’ you get a some idea of how crimes in Scandinavia are different from those in America and British counterparts. 

These books were originally written in Swedish and based in 1960s in the post war era when Europe was recovering. The translators do a great service to the readers by providing us an opportunity to read world class authors in native languages. And this time I tried the audiobook mode and on YouTube which have crossed the public domain limits. These people who give voice to these books and create amazing audio creations are equally great story tellers. 

And even though you think that you wouldn’t remember the words, this limerick from Winston Churchill, quoted in the book has stayed with me. I love me a few witty English limericks!