Roseanna

By Maj Sjowall, Per Wahloo, Lois Roth (translator)

Book cover of Roseanna: A Martin Beck Police Mystery

Book description

With a New Introduction by Henning Mankell. The masterful first novel in the Martin Beck series of mysteries by the internationally renowned crime writing duo Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö ("the best writers of police procedurals in the world"), finds Beck hunting for the murderer of a lonely traveler.
On…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked Roseanna as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

One early summer afternoon, the body of a young woman is dredged from the mud of Lake Vättern, and Detective Inspector Martin Beck of the Swedish National Police is assigned to the case. Who was she? Who killed her? These questions remain unanswered for months and months (and months). Catching a killer, it seems, is a slog, and the routines of police work are captured here in all their tedium. And this is exactly why I love this book, as it compellingly dramatizes (to quote from Henning Mankell’s introduction) “the fundamental virtue of the police: patience.” There’s a heroism to…

From Daniel's list on the existential violence of work.

Want books like Roseanna?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 85 books like Roseanna.

Browse books like Roseanna

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in murder, murder mystery, and criminal investigations?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about murder, murder mystery, and criminal investigations.

Murder Explore 915 books about murder
Murder Mystery Explore 479 books about murder mystery
Criminal Investigations Explore 445 books about criminal investigations