MISTERIOSO A Crime Novel

This 1999 police procedural from Sweden has likely been made available to American readers due to the success of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. And that’s fine because this tale of an elite police unit formed to capture a disturbing serial killer is a dark, stylish affair, further bolstered by John Lee’s precise yet earthy narration. Lee perfectly captures the story’s haunting quality, generated by the lonely, flawed police investigators and the killer’s strange fascination with pianist Thelonious Monk’s jazz classic “Misterioso.” Tiina Nunnally’s smooth translation also helps keep listeners engaged as the plot thickens with secret societies and the Russian mafia. This title is a solid introduction to the author’s popular Intercrime series, and American crime fiction aficionados will likely find it a treat. J.P.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2011]