Windows To The World

THE SHADOW WOMAN
  

by  Åke Edwardson

  A Chief Inspector Erik Winter Novel

Winter is winding up his summer vacation and he has traded in his designer suits and stylish look for cutoffs and hair to match the very hot weather that will go down in people’s memories and will make it easier to recall what they were doing at that time of the year. Eric himself has a few other reasons that make him cut his vacation short. One of his investigating team has been viciously attacked in racially motivated violence, and this has driven him to uncharacteristic violence himself.  Secondly a young unknown woman’s body has been found dumped at the edge of a lake and he feels and he feels an unusual connection to her. Lastly his long time girl friend has given him an ultimatum and told him to grow up and show some maturity. A cut to the quick for Sweden’s youngest ever Chief Inspector.

 A massive drug war between biker gangs is ripping through Scandinavia. It is late August and the annual Gotenburg party is in full swing. The heat is exacerbated by the ethnic discord stirred by the nativist gangs.  Sweden has its problems with immigrants as do much country. Winter call these unfortunates Space refugees. They are those who journey from country to country with out ever being allowed into any of the paradises. But the problem is closer to home in that Aneta Djanali, who was attacked was born in Sweden and considers herself Swedish but does not look Swedish.

This is the second of Edwardson’s books although it is the most recently translated. In it we see an early Erik Winter just settling into his job as Chief Inspector. It is somewhat of a departure because there is a small mystical element as Winter has significant dreams in this book, which is something that is not repeated much in future books. There is also a little more of a hint about his relationship with his family.

There are few clues about the body in the lake and the story shifts gently from one point of view to another and from one place and time to another.  So it is with insight and determination that the police finally get a grip on the body in the lake and bring the murder to a satisfying conclusion.

Like many fictional detectives Winter has musical preferences, in this case jazz. However after visiting London on a previous case he was turned onto a group called The Clash, which he listened to throughout the book. But he does shave and get back into his designer suits although we don’t know whether he has become mature enough for girl friend Angela.