The Terrorists
| The Terrorists | |
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.jpg) 1st Swedish edition |
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| Author(s) | Sjöwall and Wahlöö |
| Original title | Terroristerna |
| Country | Sweden |
| Language | Swedish |
| Series | Martin Beck series |
| Publisher | Norstedts Förlag |
| Publication date | 1975 |
| Preceded by | Cop Killer |
The Terrorists (Swedish title: Terroristerna) is a 1975 novel by Sjöwall and Wahlöö in their detective series revolving around Martin Beck and his team. The Terrorists was unfinished at the time of Per Wahlöö's death in June 1975; the manuscript was completed by Maj Sjöwall alone.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
The story opens with a trial where an eighteen-year old woman is accused of a bank robbery she never intended to commit. Later, a pornographic film producer is found murdered at the home of his mistress. The main plot of the book involves Martin Beck leading a team of policemen to prevent a presumed terrorist attack on a highly unpopular American senator who is paying an official visit to Sweden. The attack is led by terrorist Reinhard Heydt, born by a Danish mother in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
[edit] Characters
Lennart Kollberg has resigned from the force and plays only a minor role in this book. His absence is mostly compensated by a more important role for Gunvald Larsson; likewise, Einar Rönn is also more prominently featured. In this last Sjöwall and Wahlöö book, Martin Beck finally admits to himself that he actually likes working with Larsson, although he misses Kollberg.
Theobald Braxén, a defense attorney, is introduced as a rather comical and sympathetic character who loves taking up apparently hopeless cases. His antagonist in court is Sten "Bulldozer" Olsson, first introduced in The Locked Room.
[edit] Film adaptation
In 1994 the novel was adapted for film under the title Stockholm Marathon and with its plot much altered. In the novel, the Swedish prime minister is murdered, an event that was deemed too politically sensitive because the 1986 assassination of Olof Palme—the actual prime minister when the novel was published—remained unsolved.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Cop Killer |
"Martin Beck" timeline, part 10 of 10 | Succeeded by none |
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