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Detective Varg #0.8
The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists
Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an inquiry on behalf of his own family. Is such a thing ethical? Adding to Ulf’s moral discomfort is the fact that he does not exactly see eye to eye with his younger brother Bjorn—a leading player in one of Sweden’s rightwing parties, the Moderate Extremists. Still, family is family, so Ulf finds himself working to uncover the mole leaking secrets to a rival party, the Extreme Moderates. All of this in addition to his responsibilities to the Department, which include investigating a case of cat-related sabotage. As always, it’s up to Ulf to close the case . . . even if he encounters unexpected resistance from the victims themselves.
From literary master McCall Smith, this is a bewitching short foray, witty and warm, into Scandinavian mystery—Nordic Blanc, that is, not Nordic Noir.
RUNNING TIME ➼ 2hrs. and 6mins.
©2019 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2019 Recorded Books
From literary master McCall Smith, this is a bewitching short foray, witty and warm, into Scandinavian mystery—Nordic Blanc, that is, not Nordic Noir.
RUNNING TIME ➼ 2hrs. and 6mins.
©2019 Alexander McCall Smith (P)2019 Recorded Books
Audible Audio
First published February 26, 2019
1004 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read
About the author
Alexander McCall Smith
673 books12.7k followersAlexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
February 3, 2020
Delightful and charming as always, Mr. McCall Smith rambles and philosophises, this time in Sweden with the rather wonderful Detective Ulf Varg.
I was pleased that the audiobook taught me how to pronounce Varg and it is not as it is spelled. I really like Ulf and hope that love will come his way one day. He deserves someone special. I also hope that he eventually gets a real crime (sensitive of course) to get his teeth into. Both cases in this story seem to fizzle out.
This is probably a book for McCall Smith devotees like me. If you came into this as your first book by him you might be somewhat perplexed. And what did happen to the kittens???
I was pleased that the audiobook taught me how to pronounce Varg and it is not as it is spelled. I really like Ulf and hope that love will come his way one day. He deserves someone special. I also hope that he eventually gets a real crime (sensitive of course) to get his teeth into. Both cases in this story seem to fizzle out.
This is probably a book for McCall Smith devotees like me. If you came into this as your first book by him you might be somewhat perplexed. And what did happen to the kittens???
February 4, 2019
Alexander McCall Smith almost always charms me, and The Case of the Moderate Extremists is no exception. The title alone is lovely. I’m not sure where this one fits in, but it seems to be part of a nascent series set in Malmo, Sweden featuring Detective Ulf Varg who heads the “Department of Sensitive Crimes”. This one is really the length of a novella. The crimes are not particularly serious, but the story features McCall Smith’s typical quirky characters and thoughtful human observations. It seems like a promising series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2019
This is a quirky & charming short story from the author of the “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series & many other books.
Ulf Varg is a detective with the Malmo PD but you’ve probably never heard of his unit. He heads up the Dept. of Sensitive Crimes & their case load is a little…uh…unconventional. Take his current investigation. At a recent Cat Show, someone introduced a purebred Burmese named Duchess to a scruffy tomcat from the wrong side of the tracks. Needless to say, the resulting litter is the talk of feline aficionados everywhere & Duchess’ owner wants the evil matchmaker brought to justice.
Meanwhile, Ulf has a more personal case to handle. His brother Bjorn is a politician & leader of the Moderate Extremists. Someone in his party has been leaking confidential info to their rivals, the Extreme Moderates. Can Ulf quietly flush out the mole?
On top of all this, Ulf has problems at home. His dog Martin may be sliding into depression again & it’s possible he may have to undergo another round of psychotherapy. Ah, it never rains but it pours.
You’ve probably gathered by now this is not your typical police procedural. If you’re looking for a gritty tale of violent crime, keep walking. This is an easy going cozy full of understated humour & gentle insights into the human condition. The “crimes” are almost incidental. It’s much more about the players & all the little things that make up a life. At about 45 minutes, it’s a quick read that serves as a primer for the full length novel due in April. Fans of McCall Smith’s disarming characters & elegant prose will quickly take to Ulf & want to follow up with “The Department of Sensitive Crimes”.
Ulf Varg is a detective with the Malmo PD but you’ve probably never heard of his unit. He heads up the Dept. of Sensitive Crimes & their case load is a little…uh…unconventional. Take his current investigation. At a recent Cat Show, someone introduced a purebred Burmese named Duchess to a scruffy tomcat from the wrong side of the tracks. Needless to say, the resulting litter is the talk of feline aficionados everywhere & Duchess’ owner wants the evil matchmaker brought to justice.
Meanwhile, Ulf has a more personal case to handle. His brother Bjorn is a politician & leader of the Moderate Extremists. Someone in his party has been leaking confidential info to their rivals, the Extreme Moderates. Can Ulf quietly flush out the mole?
On top of all this, Ulf has problems at home. His dog Martin may be sliding into depression again & it’s possible he may have to undergo another round of psychotherapy. Ah, it never rains but it pours.
You’ve probably gathered by now this is not your typical police procedural. If you’re looking for a gritty tale of violent crime, keep walking. This is an easy going cozy full of understated humour & gentle insights into the human condition. The “crimes” are almost incidental. It’s much more about the players & all the little things that make up a life. At about 45 minutes, it’s a quick read that serves as a primer for the full length novel due in April. Fans of McCall Smith’s disarming characters & elegant prose will quickly take to Ulf & want to follow up with “The Department of Sensitive Crimes”.
April 8, 2019
This short story ebook felt very meh
February 28, 2019
“If there was one thing you learned in the Department of Sensitive Crimes it was that the obvious solution was often misleading. Life was obvious, yes, but behind the obvious, the self-evident, there lay any number of other lively possibilities.”
The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists is a kindle short in the Detective Varg series by popular British author, Alexander McCall-Smith. Swedish Detective Ulf Varg first appeared in the 2013 Valentine’s Day short story, Varg in Love. Now part of the Department of Sensitive Crimes, he works with a staff of three and deals with a number of interesting cases. Currently, his attention is on the apparent sabotage of the pre-sold litter of a pure-bred Champion Burmese owned by a breeder of Oriental cats, who has provided a list of likely suspects.
Meanwhile, Ulf’s younger brother, Bjorn, head of the right-wing Moderate Extremists Party, asks for his help. This creates a bit of a dilemma, as Bjorn’s political beliefs in no way align with his own. But his brother is after advice about a leak in the Party: information is somehow getting out to the Extreme Moderates Party. Before Ulf can do more than consider the situation, he learns something from an unexpected source.
Readers familiar with McCall Smith’s other detective series will agree that these books are not read for the crime solving aspect. Indeed, in this case, much of the policing is a little tongue-in-cheek. Rather, he uses them as an opportunity to comment on human behaviour, and to share his gentle philosophy with musings and observations like those that follow.
“People put far too much store on figures these days. They want inputs and outputs and so on, but what does any of that actually mean? Does it have any bearing - any bearing at all – on whether an outcome is good, bad or indifferent? Does it?” and
“There was a tendency, particularly amongst public figures, to confuse the categories of mistake and wrongdoing. People who had been caught out doing something egregiously wrong would often refer to having ‘made a mistake’. This made their actions seem less reprehensible; after all, mistakes are human, and usually pardonable.”
As well as using amusing and intriguing chapter titles (The Criminal Use of Laxatives, Merino Underpants), McCall Smith allows his characters to discuss or contemplate: conceptual art; the drawbacks of electric cars; overfishing; bring struck by a meteor; and errant brothers. The story also features Sweden’s only lip-reading dog. Delightful, as always.
The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists is a kindle short in the Detective Varg series by popular British author, Alexander McCall-Smith. Swedish Detective Ulf Varg first appeared in the 2013 Valentine’s Day short story, Varg in Love. Now part of the Department of Sensitive Crimes, he works with a staff of three and deals with a number of interesting cases. Currently, his attention is on the apparent sabotage of the pre-sold litter of a pure-bred Champion Burmese owned by a breeder of Oriental cats, who has provided a list of likely suspects.
Meanwhile, Ulf’s younger brother, Bjorn, head of the right-wing Moderate Extremists Party, asks for his help. This creates a bit of a dilemma, as Bjorn’s political beliefs in no way align with his own. But his brother is after advice about a leak in the Party: information is somehow getting out to the Extreme Moderates Party. Before Ulf can do more than consider the situation, he learns something from an unexpected source.
Readers familiar with McCall Smith’s other detective series will agree that these books are not read for the crime solving aspect. Indeed, in this case, much of the policing is a little tongue-in-cheek. Rather, he uses them as an opportunity to comment on human behaviour, and to share his gentle philosophy with musings and observations like those that follow.
“People put far too much store on figures these days. They want inputs and outputs and so on, but what does any of that actually mean? Does it have any bearing - any bearing at all – on whether an outcome is good, bad or indifferent? Does it?” and
“There was a tendency, particularly amongst public figures, to confuse the categories of mistake and wrongdoing. People who had been caught out doing something egregiously wrong would often refer to having ‘made a mistake’. This made their actions seem less reprehensible; after all, mistakes are human, and usually pardonable.”
As well as using amusing and intriguing chapter titles (The Criminal Use of Laxatives, Merino Underpants), McCall Smith allows his characters to discuss or contemplate: conceptual art; the drawbacks of electric cars; overfishing; bring struck by a meteor; and errant brothers. The story also features Sweden’s only lip-reading dog. Delightful, as always.
February 11, 2025
The full length stories are better. This was a short one - two and a half hours for the audiobook
June 6, 2019
Ok....Alexander McCall Smith is now firmly ensconced as one of my favorite authors. His No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series is charming. I'm sorry I didn't start reading it long before now! And the first Detective Varg book, The Department of Sensitive Crimes, is witty and humorous. I jumped at the chance to read this Varg short story as well. It was as perfect a start to my day as my cup of mocha coffee.
Detective Ulf Varg is the senior officer in the Department of Sensitive Crimes. They investigate....well....sensitive crimes. Unusual cases that just don't fit into regular police investigation. The strange. The weird. The seemingly mundane, yet perplexing. Things like a show cat introduced to a ratty ginger tom cat by a nefarious person or persons unknown resulting in a litter of questionable kittens.....a chef who adds high doses of laxatives to the meals of politicians he doesn't like....a traitorous mole in a fringe political party that is sharing party platform and agenda secrets with another equally ridiculous fringe party. Unusual cases....sometimes silly cases....but ones that must be looked into. There is also lots of lovely side banter between the officers in the department. They talk about the chances of being hit by a meteorite, overfishing of tuna, the beauty of vintage Saab cars, the psychology of depressed dogs, and Bergman films. The end result is a humorous, witty, and entertaining story.
Don't expect the usual investigative suspense novel when it comes to Detective Varg. This series is really literary fiction with a sprinkling of investigation and lots of light-hearted wit. Read this series for the wit and humor....just go with the flow. Varg and his department are a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the ever popular Scandinavian crime novel. I got an even bigger kick out of this story because I'm currently listening to a very serious Harry Hole (Jo Nesbo) audio book and kept thinking about what Harry Hole would think about the Moderate Extremist party and a litter of kittens with questionable genetics. :) I think he would have a very large drink, smoke a couple cigarettes, and just go home to watch television.
Great story! Very enjoyable! I can't wait for the next book in the new Varg series. :)
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this short story from Knopf Doubleday via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Detective Ulf Varg is the senior officer in the Department of Sensitive Crimes. They investigate....well....sensitive crimes. Unusual cases that just don't fit into regular police investigation. The strange. The weird. The seemingly mundane, yet perplexing. Things like a show cat introduced to a ratty ginger tom cat by a nefarious person or persons unknown resulting in a litter of questionable kittens.....a chef who adds high doses of laxatives to the meals of politicians he doesn't like....a traitorous mole in a fringe political party that is sharing party platform and agenda secrets with another equally ridiculous fringe party. Unusual cases....sometimes silly cases....but ones that must be looked into. There is also lots of lovely side banter between the officers in the department. They talk about the chances of being hit by a meteorite, overfishing of tuna, the beauty of vintage Saab cars, the psychology of depressed dogs, and Bergman films. The end result is a humorous, witty, and entertaining story.
Don't expect the usual investigative suspense novel when it comes to Detective Varg. This series is really literary fiction with a sprinkling of investigation and lots of light-hearted wit. Read this series for the wit and humor....just go with the flow. Varg and his department are a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the ever popular Scandinavian crime novel. I got an even bigger kick out of this story because I'm currently listening to a very serious Harry Hole (Jo Nesbo) audio book and kept thinking about what Harry Hole would think about the Moderate Extremist party and a litter of kittens with questionable genetics. :) I think he would have a very large drink, smoke a couple cigarettes, and just go home to watch television.
Great story! Very enjoyable! I can't wait for the next book in the new Varg series. :)
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this short story from Knopf Doubleday via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
August 26, 2022
I listened to this as an audiobook. This is the author of No 1 Ladies Dectective Agency Series, and this wittiness comes through on these short stories.
Duration for audio is 2 hrs, 30 minutes.
Although more of a "serious series" funny nevertheless.
Watch out for the lightbulb moment, some people are dimmer than dim, lol.
Merino underpants were discussed, lol ..... ewwww, 4 pairs, lol, not for my liking!
Genre, - cosy mystery, short story, crime & thriller, mystery detective
Well worth listening to.
Duration for audio is 2 hrs, 30 minutes.
Although more of a "serious series" funny nevertheless.
Watch out for the lightbulb moment, some people are dimmer than dim, lol.
Merino underpants were discussed, lol ..... ewwww, 4 pairs, lol, not for my liking!
Genre, - cosy mystery, short story, crime & thriller, mystery detective
Well worth listening to.
May 16, 2019
This charming short story introduces Alexander McCall Smith's Swedish-set series featuring Detective Ulf Varg (Wolf Wolf). I loved "The Department of Sensitive Crimes," but I thought this story was even better. I'm looking forward to more books in this series.
June 11, 2020
3.5★
A bit over a year later, I thought I'd check back in with Detective Ulf Varg of Malmo Police's Department of Sensitive Crimes. This short story takes me a little bit backwards in the timeline (from the first full-length novel) but that wasn't a problem. Overall, I thought it was quite good. Here we have Ulf working with his colleague, Anna, on a police matter and on his own (but with sage advice provided by Anna) on a family matter. Both wrapped up nicely and with a dose of character development and some backstory for the ongoing characters. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, which was less than 3 hours in total.
Recommended to readers who are following the series.
A bit over a year later, I thought I'd check back in with Detective Ulf Varg of Malmo Police's Department of Sensitive Crimes. This short story takes me a little bit backwards in the timeline (from the first full-length novel) but that wasn't a problem. Overall, I thought it was quite good. Here we have Ulf working with his colleague, Anna, on a police matter and on his own (but with sage advice provided by Anna) on a family matter. Both wrapped up nicely and with a dose of character development and some backstory for the ongoing characters. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, which was less than 3 hours in total.
Recommended to readers who are following the series.
February 8, 2019
This short story introduces us to Alexander McCall Smith's latest quirky character, Ulf Varg.
Ulf is a senior member of the Department of Sensitive Crimes, which investigates unusual cases. His current case concerns sabotage ...of a purebred cat. The owner wants justice for her feline who was caged with a tomcat resulting in a litter of undesirable kittens and ruining the good name of the cat breeder herself.
Ulf's greatest asset is his thoughtful observation of people and their behavior. This asset leads to a lot of uncomfortable situations in his personal life. He's secretly in love with his partner, Anna, who is (seemingly) happily married.
Outside the office, Ulf is uncomfortable when asked to look into his brother Bjorn's right-wing political party, the Moderate Extremists, who appear to have a mole in their midst. Ulf does not see eye-to-eye with his brother about politics and may not have the answer Bjorn would like to hear.
"If there was one thing you learned in the Department of Sensitive Crimes it was that the obvious solution was often misleading. Life was obvious, yes, but behind the obvious, the self-evident, there lay any number of other lively possibilities." *
This cozy story is a fun introduction to Ulf Varg (who will be formally introduced in the upcoming novel The Department of Sensitive Crimes) with a cozy light-hearted mystery and a cast of charming characters that I look forward to learning more about!
Thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists is scheduled for release on February 26, 2019.
*Quote included is from a digital advance readers copy and is subject to change upon final publication.
Ulf is a senior member of the Department of Sensitive Crimes, which investigates unusual cases. His current case concerns sabotage ...of a purebred cat. The owner wants justice for her feline who was caged with a tomcat resulting in a litter of undesirable kittens and ruining the good name of the cat breeder herself.
Ulf's greatest asset is his thoughtful observation of people and their behavior. This asset leads to a lot of uncomfortable situations in his personal life. He's secretly in love with his partner, Anna, who is (seemingly) happily married.
Outside the office, Ulf is uncomfortable when asked to look into his brother Bjorn's right-wing political party, the Moderate Extremists, who appear to have a mole in their midst. Ulf does not see eye-to-eye with his brother about politics and may not have the answer Bjorn would like to hear.
"If there was one thing you learned in the Department of Sensitive Crimes it was that the obvious solution was often misleading. Life was obvious, yes, but behind the obvious, the self-evident, there lay any number of other lively possibilities." *
This cozy story is a fun introduction to Ulf Varg (who will be formally introduced in the upcoming novel The Department of Sensitive Crimes) with a cozy light-hearted mystery and a cast of charming characters that I look forward to learning more about!
Thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists is scheduled for release on February 26, 2019.
*Quote included is from a digital advance readers copy and is subject to change upon final publication.
February 26, 2019
I read the first book in the Department of Sensitive Crimes when it was published in December and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have read all of Alexander McCall Smith’s Ladies’ Number 1 Detective Agency series, and the entire 44 Scotland Street books, as well as many of his other books.
This short 88-page book serves as an introduction to the author’s new series. He writes cozy stories which charm the reader with much wit, wisdom, a philosophy of values, and good humour.
I cannot give this novella any higher than a 3-star rating. Its short length didn't give enough insight into the workings of the Department of Sensitive Crimes. Book 1 in the Detective Varg series is a better introduction to this unique department. With the exception of Detective Varg, we don't learn much about his colleagues here.
Unlike the dark, disturbing, and popular Scandinavian noir, McCall Smith’s take on Swedish crime is gentler and more relaxing. Unusual, and even insignificant crimes are passed on to this department. Varg has two cases in this book, but with no definite solution, except for Varg and coworker, Anna, discussing what they believe happened.
My recommendation is to go directly to the first book in the series. I am impatiently awaiting further books in the delightful Department of Sensitive Crimes (Detective Varg) series.
This short 88-page book serves as an introduction to the author’s new series. He writes cozy stories which charm the reader with much wit, wisdom, a philosophy of values, and good humour.
I cannot give this novella any higher than a 3-star rating. Its short length didn't give enough insight into the workings of the Department of Sensitive Crimes. Book 1 in the Detective Varg series is a better introduction to this unique department. With the exception of Detective Varg, we don't learn much about his colleagues here.
Unlike the dark, disturbing, and popular Scandinavian noir, McCall Smith’s take on Swedish crime is gentler and more relaxing. Unusual, and even insignificant crimes are passed on to this department. Varg has two cases in this book, but with no definite solution, except for Varg and coworker, Anna, discussing what they believe happened.
My recommendation is to go directly to the first book in the series. I am impatiently awaiting further books in the delightful Department of Sensitive Crimes (Detective Varg) series.
February 16, 2019
This is a short novella in the new Swedish detective series McCall Smith is writing about the Department of Sensitive Crimes. This is a really off beat group and they investigate crimes that really don't belong anywhere else. This one involves two cases. One is a tom cat who ends up mating with a purebred. Was it sabotage? The other involves Ulf's (department head) brother and the chicanery in his extremely odd political party.
I really enjoyed this, in fact better than the debut novel. It has the making of a good series and I plan on reading more.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.
I really enjoyed this, in fact better than the debut novel. It has the making of a good series and I plan on reading more.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.
September 29, 2019
A start to a new series. I am in love with his Isabella Dolhouse series, but I hope this one will be great too.
It is difficult to rate short stories that are going to lead to a longer book. This is an interesting concept and I look forward to seeing where it goes.
It is difficult to rate short stories that are going to lead to a longer book. This is an interesting concept and I look forward to seeing where it goes.
March 11, 2019
Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often tasked with the job of solving cases of unusual nature. In this novella, he finds himself handling 2 puzzling cases which he tries to solve along with his compatriot Anna. The cases aren't as complex as you would imagine but somehow the narration manages you to keep you absorbed in it. The detective Ulf's character was sketched nicely, especially his background which gives you a glimpse of the kind of person he is. I have read a couple of British mysteries, American Mysteries etc but never a Scandinavian one. So it was refreshing to read a quick mystery novel that offered a slice of the Swedish life. The twists were quite unexpected and I think that is what is expected from any mystery book. So it deserves 4 stars for sure.
So, Why not 5 stars??
//Minor Spoiler Alert//
The cases seem to untangle on their own before Detective Ulf even tried to deduce the suspect in both the cases. Although it let down me a bit, the penultimate turn of events was quite fresh and new. So I'd recommend you to read it provided that you don't expect Ulf to showcase his wit and brilliance every time you flip the page.
So, Why not 5 stars??
//Minor Spoiler Alert//
The cases seem to untangle on their own before Detective Ulf even tried to deduce the suspect in both the cases. Although it let down me a bit, the penultimate turn of events was quite fresh and new. So I'd recommend you to read it provided that you don't expect Ulf to showcase his wit and brilliance every time you flip the page.
December 4, 2024
Further adventures of Detective Varg and the Department of Sensitive Crimes, but not as warm or funny as the first. The Moderate Extremists vs the Extreme Moderates. I'd like to see more of the first.
July 1, 2024
A bit too slight, but I did like it; more gentle philosophising whilst working out a puzzle.
February 4, 2019
Ulf Varg is a member of Malmö's Department of Sensitive Crimes who seems to be dependent on other peoples ideas as to how to basically solve the crimes that he has been given. He is ambushed by his brother into finding out who is responsible for giving ideas away to other governmental parties. Then he is given a cat case that he needs to solve. He is working with Anna on the cat case where he needs to find out who put a tom cat in with her show cat and the result was kittens that didn't sell. He is in love with Anna but she has a husband and two little girls. What happens is that he has a show down with the cat people and everyone takes the blame. Also with his brother, he explains that his wife doesn't want him in politics any more and his brother takes the blame. Everything is resolved except Ulf is not happy not knowing what is the truth. I's also a noir tale where Ulf is left alone with hisself. It makes for a great short read.
May 26, 2020
Having read the second book of the series first, I knew just what to expect and again enjoyed my visit with Ulf Varg and his world. I look forward to more as this provides a very different reading experience in the world of "crime" which, in this case, is pretty much non-existent.
The chapter headers in themselves are amusing and indicate what kind of content can be expected, e.g. "The Criminal Use of Laxatives" or "Merino Underpants."
It has been so many years since I tried this author's "lady detective" series and I have no memory of liking those books. Maybe I've changed? I will have to go back and try one.
For now, I love Ulf Varg and want more of "The Department of Sensitive Crimes."
Not sure why Penguin doesn't thoroughly edit as there were at least 4 prepositions missing in my copy of book. Now that is a crime!
The chapter headers in themselves are amusing and indicate what kind of content can be expected, e.g. "The Criminal Use of Laxatives" or "Merino Underpants."
It has been so many years since I tried this author's "lady detective" series and I have no memory of liking those books. Maybe I've changed? I will have to go back and try one.
For now, I love Ulf Varg and want more of "The Department of Sensitive Crimes."
Not sure why Penguin doesn't thoroughly edit as there were at least 4 prepositions missing in my copy of book. Now that is a crime!
March 17, 2019
This was my first experience of Alexander McCall Smith's work and certainly not the last. ''The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists'' is an amusing, witty story that is hard to strictly assort in just one genre, as it falls under a variety of different categories, such as crime fiction, comedy and literary fiction. Ulf Varg is one well-outlined main character who works as a police officer in the Department of Sensitive Crimes in Stockholm. The cases that he, along with his small team of colleagues, takes sometimes seem bizarre and implausible but the point of this short story is not its plot intricacy and strength but the compelling prose of the Scottish author. You will laugh, ponder on crucial personal and social issues, and above all you will be genuinely entertained by this little gem of a novella. Alexander McCall Smith was added to the -many- writers that I want to further study and I can recommend it without any reservation to anyone, even to those who are not fans of the crime fiction genre. 5/5 stars!
June 10, 2022
Ulf and Anna investigate a cattery, where the kittens were born on the wrong side of the blanket. Was the orange Tom placed there deliberately? In the meanwhile, Bjorn, Ulf's brother, asks him to look into a leak in Bjorn's political party. The first time I've ever heard of Marino wool underwear. I had no idea this was a thing.
September 3, 2019
Short and sweet, this quick read gives us another glimpse of Detective Ulf Varg and his interesting cases. I chuckled often while reading this, and wished it were longer.
October 6, 2021
This was a nice prequel to the Detective Varg series. It's set in Malmo, Sweden. Even though it involves a police unit, it's more of a cozy mystery than a Police Procedural. On to book #1 now.
December 26, 2025
Always love these Varg books
October 11, 2022
Quite a good book but he didn’t impress me.
January 3, 2023
Loved it!!!
October 20, 2019
This series is pure gold, better than any soap opera. Imagine Monty Python’s Flying Circus only less slapstick, more sedate, and earnest... Which might be a poor example, upon reflection. A better one might be “Mr. T”, the quirky Flemish television series about a criminology professor with issues. (Currently being broadcast by my local PBS station.) Humorous, but the humor so dry it’s practically toast.
Action and humor in the Varg series is even more subtle. Ulf Varg is a senior police detective whose department investigates unique, often oddball crimes. He is so Scandinavian that a subtle wink may be all you get to indicate humor; lines are delivered deadpan.
On the sign over his parking space at work “some nameless wit” painted “No Norwegians to park here”, which always made Ulf smile. (You have to understand the long-standing rivalry between Norwegians and Swedes... Like I said, the humor is subtle.)
There are three different cases to solve here (the same way the author structures his next book in the series). The cat case fell flat for me, but the other two were fairly entertaining. Ulf’s younger brother Bernd is the leader of the “Moderate Extremist” party, who want to make Sweden less ‘soft’, less a welfare state. Their ‘extremism’ is that they want to sell all the abstract art in the National Art Museum, and spend more on police and the Army. (This policy greatly offends Ulf because he loves modern art.) The mystery is that someone inside Bernd’s party is leaking their plans to the enemy camp—the Extreme Moderate Party. (A wink surely by the author, referring to the plethora of political parties in Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe.)
McCall Smith’s strength is his characters. Even Ulf’s dog has personality: Martin has been deaf since birth. so Ulf taught him to read lips—now famous as “the only dog in Sweden able to read lips”. But Mrs. Högfors, Ulf’s neighbor who watches Martin while Ulf is at work, tells Ulf one day that Martin is depressed, and Ulf worries that Martin will need psychotherapy.
Ulf is no stranger to melancholy, having gone through divorce. In addition, he (and Bernd) spent three weeks every summer of their youth at the stately home of their wealthy uncle Maksimilian. He loved to spoil them, but had one condition: they had to watch a Bergman film every night after dinner. (Nightmares ensued.) The uncle also had a live-in girlfriend, so the boys probably saw more than they should. Maksimilian may have been a poor role model, but he left Ulf his classic Saab from the ‘70s, which Ulf treasures.
Anna Bengtsdotter, the other detective in Ulf’s office, also loves Ulf’s car. She and Ulf have remarkable rapport as well, and both have a secret weakness for the other.
The other characters in Ulf’s office:. Erik Nyquist and Carl Holgersson. Erik the clerk is no brainiac and has no professional ambition because his true passion is fly-fishing. He lives, eats and breathes fishing, and his colleagues often chuckle among themselves about his obsession.
Carl Holgersson is the son of a famous Swedish Lutheran theologian whose deep voice has become such a national phenomenon that adverts are spoken in the same tone, ponderously, each word weighted with solemnity. Swedes everywhere stop to listen whenever he speaks.
Finally, there is psychotherapist Dr Svensson, whom Ulf has seen for some time. He has the unfortunate tendency to express his own opinions during sessions, which Ulf tolerates because that’s just who he is. Dr. Svensson appears only briefly here, but will feature more prominently in Book 1.
I loved this book for its characters, and look forward to reading the rest of the series. The dry humor may not appeal to everyone, but it will to those who have lived in Scandinavian countries or know Scandinavians, including those of Scandinavian extraction who live elsewhere, e.g., in the Upper Midwest of America.
Action and humor in the Varg series is even more subtle. Ulf Varg is a senior police detective whose department investigates unique, often oddball crimes. He is so Scandinavian that a subtle wink may be all you get to indicate humor; lines are delivered deadpan.
On the sign over his parking space at work “some nameless wit” painted “No Norwegians to park here”, which always made Ulf smile. (You have to understand the long-standing rivalry between Norwegians and Swedes... Like I said, the humor is subtle.)
There are three different cases to solve here (the same way the author structures his next book in the series). The cat case fell flat for me, but the other two were fairly entertaining. Ulf’s younger brother Bernd is the leader of the “Moderate Extremist” party, who want to make Sweden less ‘soft’, less a welfare state. Their ‘extremism’ is that they want to sell all the abstract art in the National Art Museum, and spend more on police and the Army. (This policy greatly offends Ulf because he loves modern art.) The mystery is that someone inside Bernd’s party is leaking their plans to the enemy camp—the Extreme Moderate Party. (A wink surely by the author, referring to the plethora of political parties in Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe.)
McCall Smith’s strength is his characters. Even Ulf’s dog has personality: Martin has been deaf since birth. so Ulf taught him to read lips—now famous as “the only dog in Sweden able to read lips”. But Mrs. Högfors, Ulf’s neighbor who watches Martin while Ulf is at work, tells Ulf one day that Martin is depressed, and Ulf worries that Martin will need psychotherapy.
Ulf is no stranger to melancholy, having gone through divorce. In addition, he (and Bernd) spent three weeks every summer of their youth at the stately home of their wealthy uncle Maksimilian. He loved to spoil them, but had one condition: they had to watch a Bergman film every night after dinner. (Nightmares ensued.) The uncle also had a live-in girlfriend, so the boys probably saw more than they should. Maksimilian may have been a poor role model, but he left Ulf his classic Saab from the ‘70s, which Ulf treasures.
Anna Bengtsdotter, the other detective in Ulf’s office, also loves Ulf’s car. She and Ulf have remarkable rapport as well, and both have a secret weakness for the other.
The other characters in Ulf’s office:. Erik Nyquist and Carl Holgersson. Erik the clerk is no brainiac and has no professional ambition because his true passion is fly-fishing. He lives, eats and breathes fishing, and his colleagues often chuckle among themselves about his obsession.
Carl Holgersson is the son of a famous Swedish Lutheran theologian whose deep voice has become such a national phenomenon that adverts are spoken in the same tone, ponderously, each word weighted with solemnity. Swedes everywhere stop to listen whenever he speaks.
Finally, there is psychotherapist Dr Svensson, whom Ulf has seen for some time. He has the unfortunate tendency to express his own opinions during sessions, which Ulf tolerates because that’s just who he is. Dr. Svensson appears only briefly here, but will feature more prominently in Book 1.
I loved this book for its characters, and look forward to reading the rest of the series. The dry humor may not appeal to everyone, but it will to those who have lived in Scandinavian countries or know Scandinavians, including those of Scandinavian extraction who live elsewhere, e.g., in the Upper Midwest of America.
March 16, 2019
The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists is a Vintage Short by author Alexander McCall Smith. Swedish Detective Ulf Varg is a member of The Department of Sensitive Crimes. His younger brother, Bjorn, leader of the Moderate Extremist Party suspects someone is leaking their ideas to the media as well as to their political rivals, the Extreme Moderates and wants Ulf to suss out the traitor. Ulf has mixed feelings since he doesn't support the party and he's not sure it would be ethical for him to investigate but, on the other hand, it is his brother asking so what to do.
Meanwhile, he is called in to deal with an odd (and rather funny) case in which a raggedy old Tom cat was placed into the carrier of a prize winning Burmese cat named Duchess IV. Nature having taken it's course, the snobbish owner of said Burmese wants the perpetrator of this heinous crime caught and duly punished.
I found the story, for the most part, charming and humorous but also somewhat frustrating. Like most of Smith's books, it is less about the cases in the story and more about the human condition, in this case the mysteries of love and the humour to be found in people's relations with political parties. However, I have never been a huge fan of short stories and this a good example of why. There's too little time to really get to know the characters well enough to care about them. Also, the ending seemed abrupt and left both cases feeling unresolved.
Still, overall, I did enjoy it enough to recommend it at least to fans of the author and I will definitely be reading the first fulll-length novel in the series, The Department of Sensitive Crimes.
3.5
Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Meanwhile, he is called in to deal with an odd (and rather funny) case in which a raggedy old Tom cat was placed into the carrier of a prize winning Burmese cat named Duchess IV. Nature having taken it's course, the snobbish owner of said Burmese wants the perpetrator of this heinous crime caught and duly punished.
I found the story, for the most part, charming and humorous but also somewhat frustrating. Like most of Smith's books, it is less about the cases in the story and more about the human condition, in this case the mysteries of love and the humour to be found in people's relations with political parties. However, I have never been a huge fan of short stories and this a good example of why. There's too little time to really get to know the characters well enough to care about them. Also, the ending seemed abrupt and left both cases feeling unresolved.
Still, overall, I did enjoy it enough to recommend it at least to fans of the author and I will definitely be reading the first fulll-length novel in the series, The Department of Sensitive Crimes.
3.5
Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
September 14, 2019
This novella introduces Swedish Detective Ulf Varg, who investigates “sensitive crimes”. In this case, Varg is simultaneously investigating a cat breeding scandal, and a leak in his brother’s political conservative organization. I was pleasantly surprised by this story. The title gave me the impression that there might be a supernatural element, but it’s actually more like a parody of the Scandinavian Noir genre. Some of the satire may have been lost on me as I don’t generally read that genre. I liked the novella format, and the humorous glimpse into Swedish life. The writing and characters are compelling enough to make me want to try the first book in this series. A fun new mystery from a renowned author, and I’m curious to see where the series leads.
March 24, 2019
Filled with insights...I'm looking forward to this new book (possible series) from my man, Alexander McCall Smith. (What happened to the kittens?)
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