I’ve been a fan of Staffan Bruun‘s series of humorous mystery novels set in somewhat alternate Helsinki.
The stories starring a swedish-finnish journalist Burt Kobbat are zeitgeist-y and smug takes on the present, spiced with just enough imagination to remain somewhat believable.
The general plot is pretty basic: the aging journalist stirs up trouble, encountering various and weird characters, until the bad guys are spooked enough to push the storyline into a climax.
I’ve read more than half of the novels, and picked up the newest Kadonnut Beatles-nauha (equipped with the author’s signature) as a christmas present from a sale. Grabbed it off the table immediately after the distribution of gifts, and finished it off on the eve.
The new book indeed concentrates on a previously unknown Beatles-recording, and moves along effortlessly through its 300+ pages. The scenery is far more globetrotting than in the previous installments, and the descriptions remain more or less convincing even when the Atlantic is crossed.
And FST – I’m SO expecting a proper high-budget mini-series to be produced from the material.
