Odd, But Charming

THE DEPARTMENT OF SENSITIVE CRIMES
Detective Varg # 1
Alexander McCall Smith
Pantheon Books
April 16, 2019


The Department of Sensitive Crimes is the first in a new series from the internationally bestselling Alexander McCall Smith. To be honest, I thought I was one of the few readers on the planet who had not read any of his many books. I remember trying the audio of the first in his No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series, but I couldn't get into it for whatever reason. But when this book was offered by the First To Read program, I read the description and thought it might be time to try again.

The Swedish city of Malmö has a department devoted to the investigation of crimes that appear to be somewhat off-beat. Crimes that just don't fit into the usual robbery/drugs/murder mode are investigated by lead detective Ulf Varg, and his colleagues, Anna Bengsdotter, Carl Holgersson, and Erik Nykvist. His colleagues are all individuals; Anna a married woman who works closely with Ulf, Carl the workaholic, and Erik the department clerk obsessed with fishing. However, Anna and Ulf are the closest; and Ulf is in love with her. Being the kind and gentlemanly man he is, he knows that he can't act on that and break up a family. Then there is the uniformed policeman, Blomquist, whose dearest wish is to be part of the department. The three cases investigated in The Department of Sensitive Crimes are indeed off-beat; the stabbing of a merchant in the back of the knee with no witnesses, a missing imaginary boyfriend, and possible supernatural goings-on at a spa. Ulf has other problems too. His dog, Martin, is suffering from clinical depression.

The Department of Sensitive Crimes is a charming if slightly odd book. I was captivated by the characters and the gentle philosophizing of Ulf. It doesn't fall into the Scandinavian "noir" category that we are so used to. I kept turning the pages late into the night just to see what might happen next and McCall Smith has a new fan. Thanks to the First To Read program for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING- 4.5 Stars