The Terrorists

A Martin Beck Police Mystery

By: Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

The Terrorists is the last Martin Beck mystery, finished just a few weeks before Per Wahlöö’s death. The book is, in effect, a marvelous summing up of the series. The story centers on the visit of an American senator to Stockholm. Martin Beck tries to protect him from an international gang of terrorists, while they decide that Beck too should be removed from the scene.

Interwoven with this basic story are two fascinating subplots. One, a classic mini-mystery, is the story of a millionaire pornographer bludgeoned to death in his own bathtub. The other is the story of a young girl, a Swedish hippie caught up unexpectedly in the maze of police bureaucracy. As in other Martin Beck books, the plot comes together in a totally unexpected climax.

Crack another case with Martin Beck.©1976 Translation by Random House, Inc. (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Lively, stylistically taut….Sjöwall and Wahlöö changed the genre." ( Henning Mankell)

"One of the most authentic, gripping and profound collection of police procedurals ever accomplished...Beautifully structured, textured and rendered." (Michael Connelly)

"Ingenious…Their mysteries don't just read well; they reread even better…The writing is lean, with mournful undertones." ( New York Times)

It could have been a 5 star listen

This is a really good story. The problem is there are two many ignorant communist rants. At one point someone is rattling off a list of resent socialist dictators responsible for wars and mass death. He conveniently leaves out Mao and Stalin. These guys were killing mostly their own people too. Capitalism at it’s worst cannot compare with the brutally of communism.

Good-bye Martin

I have enjoyed all of the books in this series. and I am very sad that this wonderful police procedural series is over. It has been refreshing to have senior police officers who are able to sit back and analyze thoughtfully.

The characters are not stagnant and they all seem to have a brain and the ability to plan and find the right culprit. (I am not including some of the patrol officers lol) Even some of the idiots at the very top seem to be more laid back and not as "do it my way" now.

Great final chapter to best police series ever

if you love the Martin Beck series this is a must read. It ties up the loose ends only as much as they need tying. if you're sad the series is over, good news is you can just start all over again with Roxana. perfect narration as always.

Prescient

I think I am using the word correctly. I just finished listening to the Martin Beck series and am astounded at how prescient the series was. It was written half a century ago, but felt modern. I will admit first and foremost the series was a police procedural, but it also spoke to timeless universal truths.
There were points during the series that it felt bogged down, but not enough to take off a star. Would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys the genre.

Well done suspense and action

Wonder if this is the last in this classic series or only the last to make it to audible version. One of the best in a very good series

All Swedish. Martin Beck is my hero

I now have the entire Martin Beck mystery collection. I will enjoy listening to the complete series for years to come. What can I say except every book in this series, including the "Terrorists" is the best mystery I have read or heard. I give 6 stars. Thank you, Audible, for intruducing me to Maj Stowall and Per Wahloo. This has given me the opportunity to explore all the wonderful Swedish mystery writers like Asa and Steig Larsson and Henning Mankell.

Finished

All ten. This was a bit longer and more complex - but worked very well for me. If you love police procedurals you have to read all ten

too political for me

made a joke out of the police, too political. I wished they had spent more time with the police in a serious mode.

Pre-Glasnost Claptrap

I found the plot uninteresting and excessively improbable, a poor framework to support the simple minded diatribe of the authors. If Sweden were as dreary and vile as portrayed here, I am sure the Swedes would have been clamoring to get out and to seek the comfort and joy of the Baltic states. As for that paradise, read Henning Mankell's "The Dogs of Riga."

A Mystery ???

What a terrible end to a great series. The only mystery about this book is why the publisher printed it and why it was recorded. I could overlook the authors' crackpot political views for a good mystery. This is nothing more than a polemic; and a poor one at that. If I could, I'd give it zero stars.