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The Demon of Dakar (Ann Lindell Mystery #7)
Already a huge star in Europe and the Nordic countries, Kjell Eriksson has American critics also raving, with almost every review studded with words like "stunning," "chilling," "suspenseful," "haunting," and "brilliant." In The Demon of Dakar, Ann Lindell and her motley crew of colleagues are faced with a most bafflin...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
April 29th 2008
by St. Martin's Minotaur
(first published 2005)
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PROTAGONIST: Investigator Ann Lindell
SETTING: Uppsala, Sweden
SERIES: 3 of 3
RATING: 2.75
Slobodan Andersson is a rather unlikely restaurateur. He's opened a few places in Uppsala, Sweden, none of which have done very well, until his latest venture, the Dakur. This restaurant serves as the epicenter of the book, with all of the main characters having some kind of connection to its operation, either through working in its kitchen or as a part of some nefarious busines...more
SETTING: Uppsala, Sweden
SERIES: 3 of 3
RATING: 2.75
Slobodan Andersson is a rather unlikely restaurateur. He's opened a few places in Uppsala, Sweden, none of which have done very well, until his latest venture, the Dakur. This restaurant serves as the epicenter of the book, with all of the main characters having some kind of connection to its operation, either through working in its kitchen or as a part of some nefarious busines...more
The Demon of Dakar is a police procedural set in Uppsala, Sweden where the author makes his home. Ann Lindell is a detective inspector in the violent crimes division of the Uppsala Police, and she's also a single mom of one little boy.
Although the action of this novel takes place in Sweden, it begins with the story of Manuel Alavez, who is on his way from Mexico to Sweden to visit his brother Patricio. Patricio and his brother Angel got caught up in a drug-smuggling operation; Ang...more
Although the action of this novel takes place in Sweden, it begins with the story of Manuel Alavez, who is on his way from Mexico to Sweden to visit his brother Patricio. Patricio and his brother Angel got caught up in a drug-smuggling operation; Ang...more
This is an interesting mystery, far more interesting than the predictable tales of Guido Brunetti in Donna Leon's Venetian mysteries, for instance. Nonetheless, I imagine Kjell Eriksson's mysteries have been somewhat eclipsed by the posthumous success of Stieg Larsson's sprawling novels. What both share is a focus on a strong female protagonist, though Erikkson's Ann Lindell differs markedly from the dark and somber Lisabeth Salander of Larsson. Sadly, Erikkson is also served very poorly by h...more
Yes sirree Bob, another writer of gloomy Swedish police procedurals! I've read this and the Princess of Burundi and another one.
They are very good. Like Ed McBain, you learn something about the repeating cast of cops. Also like McBain, you don't learn too much.
The plots are twisted and a little on the savage side, and Eriksson doesn't wrap it up in a neat package. (Those kooky Scandinavians and their darn ambiguity.)
Check it out
Oh, by the way, one ...more
They are very good. Like Ed McBain, you learn something about the repeating cast of cops. Also like McBain, you don't learn too much.
The plots are twisted and a little on the savage side, and Eriksson doesn't wrap it up in a neat package. (Those kooky Scandinavians and their darn ambiguity.)
Check it out
Oh, by the way, one ...more
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Eriksson is growing on me. I didn't much like the princess of Burundi for all of its acclaim, I felt it just had to many characters, too many points of view. The cruel stars of the Night was more focused and Eriksson's principle character Ann Lindell became more three dimensional. While Demon of Dakar was a bit unfocused, with none of the various plot threads being entirely resolved I found myself liking all of the voices in the novel more and more. I am looking forward to the next one in th...more
With a police detective story from Sweden, it is inevitable to make comparisons with Henning Mankell's novels -- and The Demon of Dakar shares some of their strengths, but doesn't quite measure up overall.
This novel, like Mankell's, is less a conventional who-done-it and more a multifaceted slice of life in Sweden with a murder or murders knitting the narrative together. Thus the character of Detective Ann Lindell is probed in all its dimensions in the book, just as policeman Kurt...more
This novel, like Mankell's, is less a conventional who-done-it and more a multifaceted slice of life in Sweden with a murder or murders knitting the narrative together. Thus the character of Detective Ann Lindell is probed in all its dimensions in the book, just as policeman Kurt...more
Krista
rated it
I enjoyed the third (translated) book in the Ann Lindell series better than the first two books in the series. It took awhile for the story to ramp up. I think the author spent too much time introducing minor characters, but once I got past that I was engrossed by the story.
Eriksson ventures out of Sweden by including a couple of Zapotec indians from the Oaxaca region of Mexico as major characters. I liked learning more about these characters. It was more of a thriller than a ...more
Eriksson ventures out of Sweden by including a couple of Zapotec indians from the Oaxaca region of Mexico as major characters. I liked learning more about these characters. It was more of a thriller than a ...more
Doug
added it
Ann Lindell and her crew are trying to find the of a character who has a history with a restaurant owner. Eriksson explores the relationships between the people at the restaurant, the police characters, and the brothers from Mexico. The crimes seem incidental but work as a way to keep the story together. Of course with the Swedish author the world is sort of dark.
Eriksson has crafted a complicated but easily followed story about a poor Mexican coffee farmer who travels to Sweden to see his brother, who is in prison, and find out how his other brother was killed. Both had been lured into easy money by a druglord. Eriksson's deft touch illuminates both the plight of the poor in Mexico and the savagery of the illegal drug trade.
Sage Streck
added it
This has been my least-favorite Kjell Eriksson book thus far. The plot was unengaging, and I felt as though Eriksson tried to concentrate on too many main characters at the same time. I did not find the villian credible at all, and I lost interest quickly. I honestly had trouble getting through the whole story--it was very disappointing.
I like this genre, and this one was pretty good. It started off a bit slow but kept up steady pace thereafter. The fun part is that it's kind of like reading an Ikea catalogue - the items that seem to have seemingly nonsensical names are actual Swedish words and places. Any story that has you rooting for the bad guys is pretty convincing.
I'm a big fan of Swedish crime novels – but Kjell Eriksson's have always seemed the least compelling of the lot. For a while I thought this one would be different: its many strands of plot, the unpretentious writing, the almost-interesting characters. But by the end it had come apart like a graham cracker in hot cocoa.
Where to begin...there were so many typos in this particular book that I was very distracted from the story itself. Not sure if the translator or the editor is to blame. Maybe both? As for the story...if it was meant as a mystery/suspense or crime-thriller, it missed the mark. Not a complete waste of time, just not as good as I had hoped for.
Swedish mystery with the most satisfactory (as opposed to satisfying)ending of any mystery I have read in recent memory---and there have been alot of them with uniformly disappointing endings. For that reason alone I would recommend this book; the characters are also well-drawn and the plot a bit ordinary.
I'm not as sure what to make of this one. Like the Princess of Burundi, it was a well-structured mystery with interesting characters but it tended to drag in the middle and then wrapped up very quickly. However, it was the Epilouge that had me totally flummoxed. It really came out of nowhere and I have evry little idea what to make of it. Not totally dissapointed that I got this from the library.
Narrated by Henry Strousier. I think I didn't fully appreciate this book. Had I read the other books in the detective Ann Lindell series, it might have had more of an impact on me. As the synopsis says, there are shades of gray in this book without clear resolutions.
Another good police story, not really a mystery since the reader knows whodunnit. I like that the story is peopled with well thought out characters and the plot moves along bringing all the subplots together. The end leads you to believe another book is on the way.
Reema
added it
I did not enjoy this one nearly as much as his previous three books. I think I enjoy the relationships and processes of the detectives themselves rather than all the exposition and back story that this book seemed to be heavy on. Took a long time to get to the detecting.
Excellent example of the genre--where the bad guys are not always as bad as they seem, some of the good guys are not so good, and not everyone gets caught....good interweaving of the story, and goes beyond the Swedish borders to tell the story.
"He joined in her laughter and thought that it was the first time he laughed in Sweden" (224-225).
"He only felt bewildered by the fact that there were so many realities. All over the world, people were standing at the edges of fields, by deserts and lakes, in front of home and graves. Or else they were resting in bed or on a sleep mat, alone, or with their beloved by their side. Many were on their way somewhere, restless of full of anticipation.
"Everywher...more
"He only felt bewildered by the fact that there were so many realities. All over the world, people were standing at the edges of fields, by deserts and lakes, in front of home and graves. Or else they were resting in bed or on a sleep mat, alone, or with their beloved by their side. Many were on their way somewhere, restless of full of anticipation.
"Everywher...more
I liked the way the stories of so many characters intertwined, bringing people from several other countries to Sweden. The kitchen patter is really cool. Dakar Restaurant is the focal point of this excellent book.
Something (minor) was lost in the translation to English I think, but this was good, and is apparently one of three books with the same lead detective. Multiple story lines coming together in one crime.
Not as good as the first two in the series. It is missing something, that I can't quite place my finger on. It is an excellent book overall but not the same caliber as the first two.
Yeah-I discovered a new mystery writer via a reading friend. I love books set in Sweden and this one is set in Uppsala, a city a have visited a few times. Excellent story.
Relatively complex plot for a crime novel. Enjoyable but vast swathes of the plot and most of the characters remained undeveloped for me.
Of the three books I have read by this author, This is the one I have enjoyed the most. If you want a tidy ending, this book is not for you!
I read all the wahloo mysteries and found this one both similar and enjoyable. I'll be looking for more.
Janet
added it
A bit hard to follow all the characters and places when they are all unfamiliar names. Quite a story!
The jacket blurb reveals that there is no mystery in this mystery - it is made clear who did the murders fairly early on. So the main question is whether two of the characters escape (from Sweden) or not.
Most of the characters other than the police are immigrants or foreign visitors. That aspect makes this more interesting than if these characters were all Swedes (and is central to the story).
At certain points the detectives seem almost secondary to the story - I don't...more
Most of the characters other than the police are immigrants or foreign visitors. That aspect makes this more interesting than if these characters were all Swedes (and is central to the story).
At certain points the detectives seem almost secondary to the story - I don't...more
I couldn't finish it. I wasn't getting into it.
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Karl Stig Kjell Eriksson is a Swedish crime-writer, author of the novels The Princess of Burundi and The Cruel Stars of the Night, the former of which was awarded the Swedish Crime Writers' Academy Best Swedish Crime Novel Award in 2002. They have both recently been translated into English by Ebba Segerberg.
Series:
* Ann Lindell Mystery
More about Kjell Eriksson...
Series:
* Ann Lindell Mystery
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