The Cruel Stars of the Night

From Publishers Weekly

In Swedish author Eriksson's fine second ensemble procedural (after 2006's The Princess of Burundi), members of the Uppsala Violent Crime Division try to connect the dots linking the separate murders of two old men and the disappearance of a third. Eriksson eschews crackling dialogue and facile descriptions in favor of longer, slower developing profiles of the principal men and women of the police unit: Ann Lindell, Ola Haver, Sammy Nilsson, Allan Fredricksson and others. Their investigation proceeds in parallel with the story of Laura Hindersten, daughter of the missing man. Eriksson balances these stories nicely as the detectives reach for clues. Lindell, the single mother of a young boy, emerges as the most compelling investigator, but the others are also distinct individuals. The author's squad of detectives displays the kind of interdependency and fractious loyalty that endeared Ed McBain's 87th Precinct squad (Cop Hater, etc.) to fans for so many decades. (May)
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From

This second procedural to appear in the U.S. from yet another Swedish crime fiction star follows in the substantial footsteps of the critically acclaimed Princess of Burundi (2006). This time Eriksson departs a bit from the Ed McBain-like ensemble focus used in the previous book; here the point of view stays mostly with police inspector Ann Lindell as she and her colleagues investigate the murders of three seemingly unrelated men in Uppsala. The connection, unclear to the police, is immediately apparent to the reader, as Eriksson alternates point of view between Lindell and a troubled woman, Laura, whose father has recently disappeared. Dramatic irony builds as we wait for Lindell to connect the dots. Once again Eriksson displays considerable finesse in portraying the inner lives of his cast and in showing how the various inspectors attempt to cope with the strains of the job. This time, though, the alternating focus on the civilian characters is less successful, with the detailed dissection of Laura's tangled psyche proving more distracting than compelling. Still, Eriksson is a major talent, and his feel for ensemble narrative will have McBain devotees enthralled. Bill Ott
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