Book Review: DeKok and Murder by Melody

Reviewed By: Carol - SLC - RAM

DeKok and Murder by Melody     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
A. C. Baantjer
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Dekok
Speck Press, 2005, 191 pages, $13.00 (hc)

The author, A.C. Baantjer, himself spent nearly 40 years as a detective inspector on the Amsterdam police force, 25 years of which was spent in homicide. His personal experiences lend credibility and dimension to all of his characters, both the members of law enforcement and the criminal element.

Reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Mr. Watson, Baantjer has created his own dynamic duo in Inspector DeKok ("with kay-oh-kay"), the older and more experienced of the two, and Inspector Vledder, who plays an excellent Watson to DeKok's Holmes. Inspector DeKok is very observant, introspective, and reflective, while Inspector Vledder is more impulsive and a bit emotional. Together they make one heckuva detective team.

This particular installment of Inspectors DeKok and Vledder revolves around the murder of two young men who have successfully kicked heroin addictions. When it is discovered that they have more in common than just their seedy pasts, things really heat up, with even more murder and mayhem. If they are going to catch this particular killer, they're going to have to resort to some very unconventional methods, and Inspectors DeKok and Vledder rise to the challenge.

All in all this is a quite enjoyable mystery with very likable characters. It isn't difficult to see why Baantjer's DeKok novels were made into a Dutch television series.

Carol - SLC - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carol - SLC - RAM

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