DeKok and Murder by Installment

A. C. Baantjer is a Dutch author who spent 38 years in law enforcement. He writes police procedurals. His characters are well drawn and quirky. Inspector DeKok can be called a luddite. It is not simply that he refuses to use a computer, but he has trouble driving, refuses to use police radios, and doesn't have a cell phone. He looks back fondly to the days when patrols were by bicycle. Fortunately his less imaginative partner can do all those things. While he may sound a little like Sherlock Holmes, these books, I think, are more interesting because they delve more deeply into setting and character. I was reminded in my reading this book, however, how quickly we have become accustomed to using the new technology of DNA. (I hope that doesn't give away too much.) Obviously, since Baantjer is Dutch, the books were translated into English. My hat is off to the translator who is wonderful with idiomatic English and Dutch. There are three particularly appealing things about these books: one, if you like the first one you read, there are 59 more of them; two, each book stands alone so it is not necessary to read them in order; three, the books are numbered so you may read them in order if you so choose.

Dutch author A.C. Baantjer, himself a former police inspector in Amsterdam, writes a cop fiction series featuring Dutch inspectors Dekok ("the gray sleuth") and his young partner Vledder. Baantjer has written 60 Dekok novels and has a huge following in Europe. This translation makes for an accessible, smooth read. Dekok's homicide case here involves solving the violent murder of a prominent lawyer. Several suspects, including a brash teenager carrying a big slug of money, fall under Dekok's careful scrutiny. The murder mystery is only half the fun. The skeptical, smart, and compassionate Dekok makes for an intriguing protagonist. Baantjer employs a sharp eye for detail (including Dekok's odd mannerism of rubbing his nose with his little finger). The Dutch setting offers a colorful background, and humor comes from Dekok's testy clashes with his superiors. Dekok is a refreshing discovery making one want to delve deeper into the series. This title is a recommended reading for fans of modern European police procedurals.