MURDER IN AMSTERDAM

by Baantjer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 1993

Two more minimalist procedurals for Amsterdam manbunter Inspector DeKok (DeKok and the Somber Nude, p. 1089). In the first, ""DeKok and the Sunday Strangler"" (1965), the phlegmatic hero has to figure out who killed two prostitutes, and why, in time to save the life of a third--while also finding a few moments to pluck a longtime acquaintance from the streets and bring her back to her parents. In ""DeKok and the Corpse on Christmas Eve"" (1975), the contents of Ellen Vries's pockets after she's strangled and dumped into a canal reveal her identity, her romantic entanglements, and eventually her killer. The translation is telegraphic to a fault, though you may wonder if anybody would greet every development, as DeKok does, with ""Excellent, really excellent."" Both stories, however short on ingenuity, are very easy to take. But DeKok is no Maigret. (The publisher has scheduled for 1993 some 14 other US editions of ""Baantjer/DeKok: titles.)

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1993

ISBN: 189076857X

Page Count: 216

Publisher: "New Amsterdam(11205 Bellmont Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030)"

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1992

Categories: FICTION