Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Pantheon (2019), 240 pages
Description
"The detectives who work in Malmo Police's Department of Sensitive Crimes take their job very seriously. The lead detective, Ulf Varg, prioritizes his cases above even his dog's mental health. Then there are detectives Anna Bengsdotter, who keeps her relationship with Varg professional even as she realizes she's developing feelings for him . . . or at least for his car, and Carl Holgersson, first to arrive in the morning and last to leave, who would never read his colleagues' personal correspondence--unless it could help solve a crime, of course. Finally, there's Erik Nykvist, who peppers conversations with anecdotes about fly fishing. Along with an opinionated local police officer named Blomquist, the Department of Sensitive Crimes takes on three extremely strange cases. First, the detectives investigate how and why a local business owner was stabbed . . . in the back of the knee. Next, a young woman's imaginary boyfriend goes missing. And, in the final investigation, Varg must determine whether nocturnal visitations at a local spa have a supernatural element. Using his renowned wit and warmth, Alexander McCall Smith brings a unique perspective on Scandinavian crime. Equal parts hilarious and heartening, The Department of Sensitive Crimes is a tour de farce from a literary master"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Clara53
After Botswana and Scotland (and the immense appeal of those series), McCall Smith goes to Sweden in this debut installment of his new series! Here, as well, he continues to be a perspicacious student of human nature. The new protagonist, Ulf Varg, the detective in Sensitive Crimes Division,
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possesses undeniable magnetism. His small team of co-workers completes the picture - each one with his/her own individual quirks of personality and life story. A charming side theme on dogs. And a very witty, humorous, and quite credible take on how easy it is for many of us to get off track and onto other subjects while conversing. In general, in this day and age, it's a relief to read McCall Smith and see that in human affairs so much is not really a tragedy but just the way life is... Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
Just like comfort food, there is comfort books, and McCall Smith excels in writing them. Quirky characters who are quite real and interesting plot turns make this an enjoyable read. And like his other books, the philosophical and moral issues encountered by the characters reflect those of the
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readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member mlhershey
Quirky but enjoyable. Swedish version of McCall's African detective.
LibraryThing member janerawoof
Quick, humorous, and enjoyable, a gentle parody of the Scandinavian noir genre of mysteries. This involves a team of Swedish policemen [and -woman] who investigate "sensitive crimes". These are ones not investigated by the regular police department. The team is led by Detective Ulf Varg [Wolf Wolf]
Highly recommended.
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and a policewoman with two clerks. A talkative [usually about nothing of consequence] policeman from another department aids them. Each has a whimsical personality. Any solutions to the cases-- the first a stabbing behind a victim's knee, another involving an imaginary boyfriend and a third concerning strange goings-on at a spa owned by the cousin of the Police Commissioner -- are not as important as the attempts to solve the cases, the interpersonal relationships, and philosophizing, which is often poignant. A delightful treat of, as the author has termed it: "Scandi blanc."Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member bookboy804
Excellent! All the hallmarks of another wonderful Alexander McCall Smith series: humour, humanity, quirky characters and situations, lovely writing. Makes me smile all over. In an age of bullies and buffoons, McCall Smith provides a civil, safe space of gentle humor and humanity.
LibraryThing member dsc73277
Superb light entertainment. I've never been primarily interested in crime fiction as means of exploring evil or wrong-doing. One of the things I like about some "police procedurals" is what they reveal about hierarchical and bureaucratic work places, often ringing true about working life in other
"Somewhere in the organisation, high in its upper reaches, were minds that churned out page after page of guidance notes, instructions and policy statements. Most of these were filed and forgotten; seldom did they make any difference to the way in which people carried out their duties. But the procedure for procedures had to be gone through, in accordance with further procedural guidelines."
This was an acual "laugh out loud" moment for me, so much so that I can even forgive the 'crime' (in my view) of starting a sentence with "but".
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contexts. That's why I particular enjoyed this humorous section:"Somewhere in the organisation, high in its upper reaches, were minds that churned out page after page of guidance notes, instructions and policy statements. Most of these were filed and forgotten; seldom did they make any difference to the way in which people carried out their duties. But the procedure for procedures had to be gone through, in accordance with further procedural guidelines."
This was an acual "laugh out loud" moment for me, so much so that I can even forgive the 'crime' (in my view) of starting a sentence with "but".
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LibraryThing member SheilaDeeth
My husband loves Nordic noir, so I thought perhaps I should try a book of Nordic light, as told by Alexander McCall Smith. Poking gentle fun at the genre, the story introduces a detective with “issues,” his married love interest, bizarre crimes, and a posse of foolish teenagers. Plus there’s
Dialog is stilted in the most civilized manner, and behaving Swedishly might have something to do with being civil to other people. Ulf Warg is most certainly civil, even when profiling cars and investigating barracks. He also enjoys flashes of brilliance, solves the occasional crime, has sympathy for the aggrieved, and loves his dog. Sometimes he uses words that might not be pc, but he’ll correct them; he’ll discuss what words should have been used; and all will be well in the end.
I like McCall Smith’s Ladies’ Detective Agency and Scotland books, and I enjoyed this one too. Whether I’ll get hooked on the series remains to be seen.
Disclosure: I was waiting for the paperback to come out.
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a dog whose health might be in danger, strange neighbors, and the inevitable tortuous pathways. The path by which you have come, we learn, “is, of course, the path that you can always trust to take you back to where you belong.” So yes, there are fascinating aphorisms too.Dialog is stilted in the most civilized manner, and behaving Swedishly might have something to do with being civil to other people. Ulf Warg is most certainly civil, even when profiling cars and investigating barracks. He also enjoys flashes of brilliance, solves the occasional crime, has sympathy for the aggrieved, and loves his dog. Sometimes he uses words that might not be pc, but he’ll correct them; he’ll discuss what words should have been used; and all will be well in the end.
I like McCall Smith’s Ladies’ Detective Agency and Scotland books, and I enjoyed this one too. Whether I’ll get hooked on the series remains to be seen.
Disclosure: I was waiting for the paperback to come out.
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LibraryThing member John_Warner
If you have read and enjoyed this author’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, I believe you will enjoy the inaugural entry in the Detective Varg series. I only read the first novel in the aforementioned series, but the type of crimes appear similar to what I remember. The crimes
These quirky cases are augmented by even quirkier conversations between Varg and a local loquacious police officer who has never met a topic that he doesn’t have an opinion. I found these conversations to be the best part of the book. The novel was okay, but I doubt I will read any further books in this series.
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investigated in both are not heinous crimes such as serial killer or brutal murders of passion. For example, in this novel, Detective Ulf “the Wolf” Varg investigates three potential crimes. One is the stabbing of a kiosk owner in the back of his knee by an unseen assailant. The second involves the investigation into the disappearance of an imaginary woman’s boyfriend. The final investigation may have supernatural underpinnings as the suspect has a propensity of howling during the full moon.These quirky cases are augmented by even quirkier conversations between Varg and a local loquacious police officer who has never met a topic that he doesn’t have an opinion. I found these conversations to be the best part of the book. The novel was okay, but I doubt I will read any further books in this series.
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LibraryThing member annbury
I read this novel because a) I liked most of the author's "Ladies Detective Agency" books, and b) I like Nordic noir. Some of the good things about the author's earlier books are still in evidence. The characters are interesting, and (mostly) likable, there is an undertone of humor, and the writing
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is good. But a lot of the charm of the "Ladies Detective Books" had to do with their setting in Botswana, an unusual and interesting locale. Sweden is also interesting, but for many detective fanciers -- myself included -- it is hardly unusual, nor does it seem to me that the author has much to add on the topic. More fundamentally, the book is less a novel than a series of short (and overlapping) stories linked by common characters. The stories aren't consequential, and the whole doesn't add up to more than the sum of its parts. Not quite a waste of time, but something of a disappointment. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tatoosh
It would be misleading to outline the plot of “The Department of Sensitive Crimes” because the plot is not particularly important. Rather, “Sensitive Crimes” is a literary work in which character development and intricate description are the primary goals.
It’s true that some crimes are
“Sensitive Crimes” falls between a straightforward and a stream of consciousness narrative, but it closer to the latter. Characters, their thoughts, incidental details, and other esoterica are the primary focus. For example, when asked a question the respondent may provide a few words of the answer, followed by a couple of paragraphs to a couple of pages of digression before the rest of the response is provided.
An interesting but puzzling feature of the book is the manner in which the Swedish characters are depicted. They seem obsessively horrified that they might possibly say or do something that would make another person uncomfortable. This fear often occupies their thoughts and influences their actions. I’ve been to Sweden but my interactions with Swedes were not extensive nor intimate enough for me to determine whether this is a literary conceit or a genuine feature of the typical Swedish personality.
In any event, the “The Department of Sensitive Crimes” is a bit of a bore and I’m not inclined to read another by this author.
It’s true that some crimes are
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“investigated:” a stabbing in the back of the knee, a mistaken missing person report, a fraudulent missing person report, and mysterious noises at a spa. The actual investigations are described in minimal detail, however, and the author evinces little interest in the mysteries or their solution.“Sensitive Crimes” falls between a straightforward and a stream of consciousness narrative, but it closer to the latter. Characters, their thoughts, incidental details, and other esoterica are the primary focus. For example, when asked a question the respondent may provide a few words of the answer, followed by a couple of paragraphs to a couple of pages of digression before the rest of the response is provided.
An interesting but puzzling feature of the book is the manner in which the Swedish characters are depicted. They seem obsessively horrified that they might possibly say or do something that would make another person uncomfortable. This fear often occupies their thoughts and influences their actions. I’ve been to Sweden but my interactions with Swedes were not extensive nor intimate enough for me to determine whether this is a literary conceit or a genuine feature of the typical Swedish personality.
In any event, the “The Department of Sensitive Crimes” is a bit of a bore and I’m not inclined to read another by this author.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Digital audiobook narrated by David Rintoul
From the book jacket: In Malmo, Sweden, the dedicated detectives who investigate “special” cases are members of an elite squad known as the Sensitive Crimes Division. The first case: a man stabbed in the back of the knee. Next: a young woman’s
My reactions:
Gosh, but I enjoy visiting with Alexander McCall Smith’s characters! This is somewhat of a farce of police procedurals. Detective Ulf “the Wolf” Varg and his team certainly have “interesting” cases. He is the head of this unit but is ably assisted by Anna Bengtsdotter (who loves Varg’s car … and possibly Varg, himself), Carl Holgersson (who actually likes to complete paperwork … go figure), and Erik Nykvist (who seems more interested in fly fishing than detecting). There is no case too strange or confusing for this team. I particularly liked the case of the missing imaginary boyfriend!
David Rintoul does a find job of narrating the audiobook. He brings these characters to life and strikes just the right balance between seriousness and tongue-in-cheek commentary.
From the book jacket: In Malmo, Sweden, the dedicated detectives who investigate “special” cases are members of an elite squad known as the Sensitive Crimes Division. The first case: a man stabbed in the back of the knee. Next: a young woman’s
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imaginary boyfriend goes missing. And in the final investigation: eerie secrets that are revealed under a full moon may not seem to supernatural in the light of day. No case is too unusual, too complicated, or too, well, insignificant for this squad to solve. My reactions:
Gosh, but I enjoy visiting with Alexander McCall Smith’s characters! This is somewhat of a farce of police procedurals. Detective Ulf “the Wolf” Varg and his team certainly have “interesting” cases. He is the head of this unit but is ably assisted by Anna Bengtsdotter (who loves Varg’s car … and possibly Varg, himself), Carl Holgersson (who actually likes to complete paperwork … go figure), and Erik Nykvist (who seems more interested in fly fishing than detecting). There is no case too strange or confusing for this team. I particularly liked the case of the missing imaginary boyfriend!
David Rintoul does a find job of narrating the audiobook. He brings these characters to life and strikes just the right balance between seriousness and tongue-in-cheek commentary.
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LibraryThing member triscuit
McCall Smith brings his keen eye for cultural manners and attitudes to Sweden, and 2 very different policemen who work in a specialized division, solving oddly difficult crimes. As akways with this author, a kind and funny book with characters I'd love to meet.
LibraryThing member hardlyhardy
Alexander McCall Smith, that master of soft-boiled crime novels, began a new series in 2019 with the publication of “The Department of Sensitive Crimes,” set not in Botswana or Scotland but Sweden.
It never becomes clear exactly what constitutes a "sensitive crime," but Ulf Varg (a name that
Varg and Anna Bengtsdotter, one of his detectives, are in love with each other, a fact complicated by the fact that Anna is married. They are both honorable enough to keep their relationship strictly professional, yet their true feelings for each other have a way of leaking through. Although he much prefers the company of Anna, Varg must sometimes work with a talkative uniformed officer named Blomquist, whom by the end of the novel is made an official part of his team. Varg is simply too polite to raise an objection.
As in the author's other novels, the story meanders at an easy pace. No one ever seems to be in a rush. Sensitive crimes will apparently wait until someone gets around to them. Insight and intuition mean more than actual evidence.
All this is quite pleasurable, perhaps not as much fun as the Precious Ramotswe stories but good enough to entice many readers back for more.
It never becomes clear exactly what constitutes a "sensitive crime," but Ulf Varg (a name that
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means "wolf wolf," we are told) and his team investigate cases involving a man stabbed behind the knee, a young woman suspected of killing her imaginary boyfriend and a possible werewolf. These cases are handled with relative ease, so as with McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, the main interest becomes the lives of the detectives themselves.Varg and Anna Bengtsdotter, one of his detectives, are in love with each other, a fact complicated by the fact that Anna is married. They are both honorable enough to keep their relationship strictly professional, yet their true feelings for each other have a way of leaking through. Although he much prefers the company of Anna, Varg must sometimes work with a talkative uniformed officer named Blomquist, whom by the end of the novel is made an official part of his team. Varg is simply too polite to raise an objection.
As in the author's other novels, the story meanders at an easy pace. No one ever seems to be in a rush. Sensitive crimes will apparently wait until someone gets around to them. Insight and intuition mean more than actual evidence.
All this is quite pleasurable, perhaps not as much fun as the Precious Ramotswe stories but good enough to entice many readers back for more.
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LibraryThing member g33kgrrl
What a very weird book. Just so much.... filler.
LibraryThing member jeanbmac
I'm so glad we have another series by Alexander McCall Smith. This one featuring the male, Swedish equivalent of Botswana's Mma Ramotswe. Keep them coming, Mr. Smith. Both detectives exemplify the best of human nature, and the books are uplifting are a joy to read.
LibraryThing member BrianEWilliams
My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for my review copy of this eBook. The comments below are my own.
This is the debut for a new series by the prolific Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. The story is set in present day Sweden and features a branch of a local police force
The department is staffed by Ulf Varg and three colleagues: Anna, Carl and Erik. Blomquist, a cop from the regular police force is a recurring presence in the book. All are well drawn and have their individual quirks, as do most of the people encountered in the story. Varg does a good job of narrating the story and he is a likeable protagonist. It's a good ensemble for a continuing series.
This story uses McCall Smith's trademark structure of a series of related episodes, more than a simple flow of consciousness but not the usual "beginning, middle and end" story progression. That is an attractive strength of Smith's stories, including this one. A weakness in this story is the "ending", which is not really an ending. A couple of the resolutions of episodes in the story are frankly puzzling. Closing the book you might think;|"What was that all about?". In my case I initially thought there was a missing chapter or two at the end, but a double check did not turn up any. I found it an unsatisfactory and disappointing conclusion.
I can recommend the book on the basis that anything McCall Smith writes is worthwhile reading, although some of his work is better than this book.
This is the debut for a new series by the prolific Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. The story is set in present day Sweden and features a branch of a local police force
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called the Sensitive Crimes Department. It takes cases from other branches of the force which are deemed to need complicated investigation. The department is staffed by Ulf Varg and three colleagues: Anna, Carl and Erik. Blomquist, a cop from the regular police force is a recurring presence in the book. All are well drawn and have their individual quirks, as do most of the people encountered in the story. Varg does a good job of narrating the story and he is a likeable protagonist. It's a good ensemble for a continuing series.
This story uses McCall Smith's trademark structure of a series of related episodes, more than a simple flow of consciousness but not the usual "beginning, middle and end" story progression. That is an attractive strength of Smith's stories, including this one. A weakness in this story is the "ending", which is not really an ending. A couple of the resolutions of episodes in the story are frankly puzzling. Closing the book you might think;|"What was that all about?". In my case I initially thought there was a missing chapter or two at the end, but a double check did not turn up any. I found it an unsatisfactory and disappointing conclusion.
I can recommend the book on the basis that anything McCall Smith writes is worthwhile reading, although some of his work is better than this book.
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LibraryThing member secondhandrose
Enjoyable outing from Alexander McCall Smith. While nothing remarkable happens throughout the course of the book, it did have a quirky charm. I'll definitely give this series a go.
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
240 p.; 9.5 inches
ISBN
1524748218 / 9781524748210