I found this book when I was looking for a novel that had a character with the same occupation as me (yes, for a Goodreads Challenge - see Fiction Fanatics "All About Me" challenge). It was quite fun searching the library website to find a novel that appealed to my usual likes while having an ESOL teacher or a bookshop worker. I was prepared to look at previous jobs as well, but found this. Of course, the character working in a bookshop is really a policeman on leave (Van Veeteren, the chief pro...

Not a lot of Van Veeteren, Not a curious mystery.What the author does show us an example of "The Peter Principle" in the worst of all places, government employment where there is little accountability to the people.

I really liked this installment. The writing was just . . . different than past books. While the mysteries in the book are a bit grisly and do lend themselves to reading on to find out what happened (a murder, missing people, suicide....all related or not?), there was more of a light hearted feel about the investigators/characters, particularly Jung and Rooth. Moreno and Munster are clearly going through personal issues and VanVeeten is only there for a moment - I guess to keep him in the game b...

Some readers may feel cheated in that Van Veeteren is not the lead detective in this latest story, number 6 in this series. However he does hover and meet with Munster from time to time, and he is often noticed in his absence and remembered for his sayings and methods. In this way we learn more about him and his team blossoms in his absence.A simple story of Shakespearean quality, a clever mystery which exposes motives, responsibility and love. There is misdirection from the start but this baffl...

3.5 starsThe first 2 3rds of this was such a chore to get through. Quite slow and rehashing of the same information that became really tedious, had to skim read until it started picking up in the last 3rd. It did pick up well and I'd already guessed the majority of the twists but it was a fun section.Could've lost 5-8 chapters and still conveyed the story and kept the momentum going rather than slowing it down.Maybe it reads better in its intended language, I'll blame the translation.

I didn’t see it coming; great twists.

This is the third book I've read in this series but I never really got to grips with this one. From the start I found it hard to keep track of the names of the characters & who was who. A combination of this & the lack of interest in the rather slow story led to me not giving the story my full attention. (Things weren't helped by a misprint (page 274 of my copy) which had me confused & flicking back to find out who Moritz was & why I didn't recall them, well I wouldn't as it should have been Mau...

Hakan Nesser's crime series usually features Chief Inspector Van Veerten. He is on a sabbatical, looking after an antiquarian book shop and contemplating the classics with a glass of wine at hand. His absence is why this book is called Munster's Case as Inspector Munster is in charge of a puzzling murder.A man in his seventies hits the lottery jackpot with a group of his cronies. Jackpot is a bit of a misnomer, in today's dollars it would be about $30,000. (No, I didn't figure this out in kronor...

With The Unlucky Lottery, I've now read all of Nesser's books that have been translated into English, and I must say, they are among the finest novels of crime fiction coming out of Scandinavia. Sadly now I have to bide my time until the next one is translated and published. This novel offers its reader an intriguing mystery or two, a compelling story and absolutely some of the best characterizations in the genre. The story begins when four older men realize they've won 20,000 euros in the lotte...

Oh, a typical Van Veeteren mystery -- only this time with less of VV and more of Munster. Always a pleasant listen, especially with expert Simon Vance doing the narration.One thing about which I'm going to rant right now is the choice of names for characters, although it wasn't too terrible in this book. One of the characters on the police force has the name of Rooth. Since I listen mostly and seldom read anymore, Rooth in my head has always been Ruth. (I had to search high and low to find how N...

In this 6th book in the Swedish 'Inspector Van Veeteren" series, the detective's subordinate takes charge of a gruesome murder case. The book can be read as a standalone.*****Waldemar Leverkuhn and three of his friends are thrilled to discover they've won the lottery and go out to celebrate. Returning home drunk and exhausted Leverkuhn falls into bed only to be murdered in his sleep. Chief Inspector Van Veeteren is on leave so his subordinate, Inspector Munster, is assigned the case. Munster soo...

This is the 6th entry in the Van Veeteren series. I have contended that this series is plot, rather than character-driven, and that is why I enjoy this series. This latest novel, however, has changed my opinion of this series.Van Veeteren really is the heart and soul of this series. How do I know? This novel does not feature the venerable Chief Inspector and suffers dearly for it.Briefly: Waldemar Leverkuhn is a man with little joy in his life. When he and his three friends win the lottery, ther...

Wow! Read all the way through PLEASE, August 31, 2012 By Ellen Rappaport (Florida) This review is from: Munster's Case: An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery (Inspector Van Veeteren Mysteries) (Hardcover) Let me start by stating that I am a fan of this author and the Inspector Van Veeteren series.Inspector Van Veeteren is mentioned here and there in this story and he enters the case towards the end of the book. This is Intendent Munster's case without V.V. Which proves to be a hard nut to crack.It

Although one of the books in author Hakan Nesser's Inspector Van Veeteren series, the lead protagonist in this story is Van Veeteren's subordinate, Inspector Munster. Van Veeteren makes a few well-timed cameos but otherwise is left to enjoy his sabbatical.Four older gentlemen find themselves the winners of a lottery, with 20,000 guilders the prize. On the night the four friends meet to celebrate their win, one of the four is murdered and another of them goes missing.Inspector Munster heads the i...

Interesting story, as are all his whodunits, but I found this one a slog. More of (for the moment, in this book, former) inspector Van Veteering and less of Munster would have helped.Note: I did not read this book "two times," as it says above, only accidentally accessed the Swedish version and then couldn't delete it. I would appreciate it if someone could tell me how to do that.

As a big fan of this excellent series by Håkan Nesser I readily confess to having a particular fascination with Chief Inspector Van Veeteren. In this book, Van Veeteren is on sabbatical, happily wiling away the hours in Krantze’s antiquarian bookshop, supping red wine and “becoming acquainted with the stock”. Although Chief of Police Hiller is hoping that the great man will change his mind, he seems determined not to return to the travails of law enforcement after a career of more than thirty-ye...

I read all of the other titles in the Van Veeteren series and was looking forward to Nesser's latest who-dunnit. Sadly, and maybe because I have been spoiled by author Tana French (for serious Mystery readers, you must read her work--starting with _Into The Woods_), I found Munster's Case to have many shortcomings. The writing seemed slip shod, like marbles rolling out of a bag on a slippery surface and spreading out all directions. The dialogue did not reflect intelligent thought of experienced...

The Unlucky Lottery by Hakan Nesser - OKNot sure if it was because I jumped in part way through a series, but I didn't feel that I got to know the characters of the various detectives involved. Ignoring that, the story was quite pacy if a little bizarre in places.A group of pensioners win 20,000 Euros in the lottery and go out to celebrate. Next day, one has been murdered and another is missing. And so the investigation begins. There are twists and turns but no obvious suspects. I must admit the...

When I began reading in earnest a couple of years ago I never imagined for one minute that among my favourite books to read would be translations; crime yes, translations no. Books set in foreign countries with foreign laws, foreign foods, foreign customs and foreign sounding names. Have I said foreign enough?! I probably have so I’ll move along swiftly! Although I’ve only read one previous novel by Håkan Nesser – The Inspector and The Silence reviewed here - I can safely say that he is already