The Locked Room
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Locked Room (1972) is a novel by Sjöwall and Wahlöö in their detective series revolving around Martin Beck and his team. (Original Swedish title: Det slutna rummet.)
[edit] Plot summary
The Locked Room has two plots running simultaneously. Larsson and Kollberg are extremely reluctantly part of a special task force that needs to solve a spree of bank robberies. Martin Beck is given a pity job after recovering from being shot; he needs to solve an ancient locked room mystery.
The incompetence of the Swedish police force has spread to the point that all three detectives are severely hindered in their work by it. Although Larsson and Kollberg manage to solve their case, the many distractions take so much time that by that time the robber has fled the country. One criminal walks free for a heinous crime he did commit, then gets to do hard time for a crime he did not.
[edit] Characters and their development
Beck meets Rhea Nielsen, and it is love at first sight, sort of, in slow motion. Contrary to his ex-wife, she is a no-nonsense type of person and his intellectual equal.
Criminal mastermind Werner Roos and bank robbers Malmström and Móhren are introduced, as is their ineffectual but successful Nemesis, public prosecutor 'Bulldozer' Olsson.
[edit] Film
The book was adapted by Dutch filmmaker Jacob Bijl as De gesloten kamer in 1993. In the film, the action is set in Antwerp and Beck is played by famous Belgian actor Jan Decleir. Most of the other characters were renamed to match the new setting, for instance the name of Beck's assistant Kolberg was changed to "Colbert".
| Preceded by The Abominable Man |
"Martin Beck" timeline, part 8 of 10 | Succeeded by Cop Killer |
|
Sjöwall and Wahlöö novels, featuring Martin Beck
|
|---|
| Novels: Roseanna | The Man Who Went Up in Smoke | The Man on the Balcony | The Laughing Policeman | The Fire Engine That Disappeared | Murder at the Savoy | The Abominable Man | The Locked Room | Cop Killer | The Terrorists |
| Authors: Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö |
