After Linda Murder

I just finished Leif G. W. Persson's new mystery Linda, as in the Linda murder (Linda, som i Lindamordet: 2013). It tells a story about Linda, a young police cadet being raped and strangled in her mother's apartment. The cop-killing followed by two subsequent attempted and actual rapes led National Crime Center to believe that it was a true terrorist attack, so two teams were sent to assist the local police in Vaxjo located in Smaland, a particularly religious part of Sweden. 

The first team led by Evert Backstrom relied heavily on modern technologies. It gathered hundreds of un-matching DNA samples until a lucky break came. Quietly on his own, a team member used conventional detective method to conduct indepth interviews to locate a real murderer. On the same day when the first team arrested the murderer the relief team led by Anna Holt arrived. 

The story seems to tell us that there are always more approaches to deal with a problem. Usually the more complicated approach is not the right one. Meanwhile there are traditional and technological methods. More often than not, the traditional method is still effective. Last but not least, there are always conflicts between local and outside forces. But the one who does the real work can be from either camp. Local knowledge is not a guarantee to solve a local crime.

I agree with the view that  “LINDA, AS IN THE LINDA MURDER is witty and the dialogue is at times devastatingly cruel. This is Scandinavian crime fiction at its very best and it is appropriate that the dedication is 'to Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo - who did it better than almost anyone.' This novel reminded me of my first discovery of the Martin Beck series with the not so subtle difference that Backstrom is the anti-Beck, the classic anti-hero." (http://www.eurocrime.co.uk/reviews/Linda_as_in_the_Linda_Murder.html)

Endeavour: Young Morse

This week Paul and I devoted ourselves to Endeavour Series 1. We were enjoying thoroughly every episode (5 in all: Pilot, Girl, Fugue, Rocket and Home). Why is it so enjoyable? We put our heads together and came to the following conclusions.

1. Accompanying music. Like any other Morse films, Endeavour is always accompanied by classic music, especially scenes from various operas, which transports us to a former familiar world. We are suddenly reminded what we have missed in our busy life, and what music is for us.

2. Impeccable storyline. To retro-construct a character is not something new. We have Andre Camilleri's Detective Montalbano and then The Young Montalbano. But there is a consistency in Colin Dexter's young and old Morse. Every character has a reference to the future, unlike Detective Montalbano's first time meeting with Fazio's father, who should be his original colleague/mentor in the Young Montalbano episodes.

3. Oxford's finest. Young Morse manages to take us back to the finest world of Oxford, beer, classic cars, classically trained detectives, college courts, crosswords and operas, whether it is in an analog or digital age. To solve a criminal case, it involves intelligence, literary tradition and logic as well as experience and intuition.

No wonder Colin Dexter can retire neither Morse nor Jaguar.

CLA INSIDER Reporting

So far CLA Insider reported twice about my publication: January 2014 and July 2013. As a member, I do find the publication very relevant and responsive. I enjoy reading it and hope you do too.

Hitchcockian Birds and Anchovia Abundance

Last Sunday afternoon, Paul and I decided to shake off our dispirited mood by revisiting Pleasure Point. Moments later we watched Hitchcockian birds re-playing before our eyes: the whole bay was populated with a great variety of birds, most of them are seagulls, perching on bluffs, standing on water, or flapping their white or grey wings on sudden impact. It turns out that there has been another return of anchovies feast recently.

As mysterious as Hitchcockian birds, those birds flew home and disappeared as soon as the darkness set in. On our way back, there was not a single bird in sight. Luckily, Paul caught a glimpse of feasting birds with his movies above.

When a Book Has Multiple Titles

As a selector and reader, I often feel flustered at the fact that a so-called new book turns out to be something so familiar that I seriously suspect either I have had a relapse of memory or writers are guilty of plagiarism. They are two recent instances, namely,

Karin Fossum's Eva's eye (2013 US edition) is the same as In the darkness (2012 UK edition)
Jussi Adler-Olsen's The keeper of lost causes (2011 US edition) is the same as Mercy (2011 UK edition).

The latter especially threw me into a mental torture like Merete Lynggaard, the kidnapped victim, for the last few weeks. Last night before going to bed I decided to end my misery once and for all: I had to confirm that The keeper of lost causes was Mercy. Thanks to Amazon, my confirmation was finally proved positive, and I rewarded myself with M.C. Beaton's Something borrowed, someone dead for a bed reading.

Don't Let Your Dogs Loose

Not the real K9 pair. Illustration only.

This morning around 7:30 am Highway 1 northbound was paralyzed from Soquel on. I looked around and everything seemed normal, CalTran workers were working steadily on the extra lane.

Suddenly all cars stood still and I had to brake hard. Looking ahead I saw two dogs sauntering towards us, one black and white, and the other, light-brown. They were apparently let loose, with collars and short leashes attached. The light-brown dog was standing ahead of my car, refused to leave until the smell of nearby roadkill attracted it. It soon joined its black and white companion.

Thus I escaped and congratulated myself for not harming two lost K9s. Far away the sirens from an ambulance and fire truck could be heard! Don't let your dogs loose, dog owners!

Never Too Late for Halloween in SC

Lee Anne sent her Halloween photos performed by her kids, with an apology attached that they arrived after the Halloween. We thanked her, but all laughed. Too late for Halloween? Go to Pacific Mall, and you will see Halloweeners all year around.

Photo: Courtesy of Lee Anne

Pooh Lesson

Paul sent me a cartoon about Pooh's philosophy towards life. It makes me wonder why I did not think about it sooner in my life. Maybe that's why I felt frustrated most of time.

天下無不散之宴席

On hearing Sue and Jim are retiring at the end of the year, I cannot help recalling the happy working environment at Dianying xinzuo in the mid-eighties and DIALOG in the mid-nineties. Most of Dianying xinzuo fellow editors were dispersed to the four corners of the earth to seek further education and a brighter professional future, whereas DIALOG colleagues were either laid off or quit after the company was bought twice in less than three years, and finally left California. 

The past and present experience has re-confirmed the truth in 天下無不散之宴席, i.e.,  All good things must come to an end. There is an end to everything.

Resilence Show Coming Down at Cruzio

14 August 2013 was a busy day for Paul, working, attending his long waited lecture by Hitoshi Murayama. In the late after he took down his 30 art works from Cruzio, and got ready for his China-India show at 2014 PVAC (Pajaro Valley Arts Council) with other 5 local photographers.


The show at Cruzio is a success, getting lots of attention from media and friends. I am glad that our May New York reunion intertwined and inspired the whole event.