Leif G. W. Persson

Oh my aching heart. The title is the tell, though this reader maintained ridiculous hope throughout, just to avoid the absence of Lars Martin Johansson from the world. I have semi-believed through all the Persson books I've read that Lars is a real man. The dual threads of tragedy and humor are so wrapped together that it's tough to figure out who's more sympathetic, the nine year old girl who is raped and murdered, or the 67 year old detective who knows that this cold case will be both his show more salvation and his ending. His unspoken thoughts about everything are truly a hardly secondary character. This series had eight books but you can begin anywhere. Just start. One of the top 5 mystery series ever. show less

The Sword of Justice – A Bäckström Classic

I had heard of Bäckström first via the American drama of the same name, which has Americanised the stories. Picking up Leif GW Persson’s latest Bäckström story I wanted to read the original version and in The Sword of Justice, I was not disappointed. My best advice would be to avoid the TV series and read the books, a far better experience.

Detective Superintendent Evert Bäckström was to be woken early with the news that would make the show more best day in his life, his team woke him to inform him that gangster lawyer Thomas Eriksson had been murdered. He even turns up and has a wander around the crime scene and cannot believe how much of a good day it is going to be.

There is not much positive about Bäckström as a person, he is fat, lazy and not respected by his colleagues who is also lecherous, racist, sexist, homophobic and on the take. All these faults should not make him a success, but at the same time all the cases he is involved with seem to get solved. With all these faults he is still a hero of Swedish Policing to the general public with his own fans forum who he likes to exploit for his own aims.

He is leading the investigation in to the murder of Thomas Eriksson and at various points in the story he is looking at the mafia, biker gangs and crooks all people Eriksson has defended and offended in the past. When an art collector tells him of an art collection, that has links to the last Tsar and in particular a Faberge music box, Bäckström sees an opportunity for self-enrichment while solving the crime.

With all the twists and turns this is an excellent example of Swedish Noir at its finest, and this may be the third book in the Bäckström series, this book would be able too standalone and still be a wonderful read. At times you cannot help but be flabbergasted at what Bäckström that makes him a truly loathsome person, at the same time how he is able to get away with things.

We see a man, who guides the investigation from a far letting everyone else do the hard work, but by using his connections with the rich and powerful, line his own pocket on the back of others. He does not care whose toes he treads on, even if it is the Security Police and the Royal Palace.

Bäckström is a character we should really dislike but he breathes a breath of fresh air in to the Swedish Noir genre and you cannot help but enjoy him. Leif GW Persson has created a monster and uses humour to offset that, and his writing is completely engrossing. It is easy to see why Persson is recognised as a master crime writer.

A Truly loathsome, disgusting anti-hero, Bäckström should not work, but he does and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Brilliant story, great detective anti-hero and humour throughout the book a true masterpiece and bound to become a classic.

I would like to thank the published for the ARC for an honest review. show less

Lars Martin Johansson is a sixty-seven year old former Swedish police officer who held important supervisory positions, including head of the National Crime Unit, before he retired. Unfortunately, his poor health habits have caught up with him. One day, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital. After he regains consciousness, he undergoes a battery of tests. The news is not good. His doctors warn Johansson that he must lower his blood pressure, lose a considerable amount of weight, keep show more his cholesterol in check, avoid stress, drink alcoholic beverages sparingly, and engage in an exercise program. He is less than thrilled with this unwelcome advice.

"The Dying Detective," by Leif GW Persson, adeptly translated by Neil Smith, is a top-notch work of psychological suspense. The author vividly depicts his intriguing cast of characters; his prose is imaginative, evocative, and enriched by whimsical dialogue and biting wit. Readers who can tolerate the novel's leisurely pace will be drawn into Johansson's unsettled world. We observe Lars as a bewildered, exhausted, and frustrated patient in the Karolinska Hospital. Later, he recuperates at home, but chafes under the restrictions that his physicians have imposed on him. However, when someone presents Lars with an unsolved murder—an unidentified perpetrator assaulted and smothered nine-year-old Yasmine Ermegan in July of 1985—he becomes obsessed with identifying the girl's killer.

Twenty-five years have passed since Yasmine's death, and law enforcement officials have made no progress in solving the crime. With the help of a large and accommodating support system, Johansson looks at the files related to the case and conducts interviews with anyone who has relevant information to share. Ignoring the fact that he is supposed to be convalescing, Lars relentlessly pursues every lead and uncovers fresh evidence that, he hopes, will lead to a breakthrough.

Johansson is a mess. Because of his illness, he says whatever pops into his head, no matter how inappropriate. He shouts at his beloved wife and utters profanities. He suffers from frequent headaches, tightness in his chest, and extreme mood swings. Nevertheless, he persists in his quest with the help of his best friend, Bo Jarnebring, and others. Finally, with a bit of luck and a great deal of insight, he cuts through layers of deceit that have obscured the truth for decades. Persson concludes his tale with a stunning finale that leaves us wondering: "Was justice served?" show less

Detective Superintendent Evert Bäckström is arrogant and profane; greedy and corrupt; and a glutton who is also something of a functioning alcoholic. Not to mention that he is a male chauvinist who has contempt for persons of color and those born in Finland. On the other hand, Bäckström is a savvy and resourceful detective whose cynicism and talent for deceit give him a window into the personalities of like-minded reprobates. In "The Sword of Justice," translated from the Swedish by Neil show more Smith, Leif G. W. Persson showcases Bäckström's selfishness, unscrupulousness, and disregard for others people's rights and feelings. This antihero is even cruel to his pet parrot, Izak, whom he would love to strangle.

The humor is tasteless and mean-spirited, and the insanely convoluted plot involves art fraud, theft, vengeance, a mob figure, assorted thugs, politicians, and member of the royal family. Bäckström delegates a host of tasks to his subordinates, but does little work himself. He takes long breaks and leisurely lunches, and enjoys occasional erotic interludes that are completely devoid of affection. This time around, Bäckström is in charge of looking into the apparent murder of a dodgy attorney who died under mysterious circumstances. The cops interview witnesses, ask for tips from the public, and scrutinize the victim's activities, financial affairs, and numerous associates.

At over seven hundred pages, this novel is a tough slog. The author bombards us with forensic minutiae, games of cat and mouse, endless twists and turns, and most upsetting of all, Bäckström's rude remarks and underhanded shenanigans. The story's entertainment value stems from its politically incorrect witticisms and the history lesson it provides about a priceless artifact that Fabergé fashioned for Tsar Nicholas II. "The Sword of Justice" is a jaded look at individuals with no moral compass who brutally inflict harm on others in order to further their own interests. This unusual work of fiction is a colorful and critical look at Sweden's criminal justice system, but it is too meandering and unpleasant to be every reader's cup of tea. show less