De Cock en moord in beeld by A.C. Baantjer
Why read the book?
A worker accuses the firm he used to work for of dumping poison in the Amstel river. The company answers by filing a charge of slander against him. Then the accused man suddenly vanishes.
De Cock and Vledder of the Warmoesstraat station are drawn into a dirty business. A key witness from the chemical firm, its driver and odd-job man, turns up murdered. It also becomes clear that the firm's directors are working with a waste company that they secretly own as well.
What looked simple, one technician's complaint, turns into a tangled case. It demands nerve and persistence from the two detectives, made harder still because their own superiors will not help.
Favourite quote
He stood up, looked above the narrow gable fronts across the street at a clear sickle shaped moon in a cloudless sky, and closed the window.
What I Loved
The case feels modern and rooted in real worry about pollution. It moves from a small complaint to corporate crime in a believable way. The Amstel and the city give it a solid sense of place.
The lack of support from above adds quiet pressure. De Cock and Vledder push on with little backing, and that makes their persistence the heart of the book.
Key Takeaway
A small complaint can hide a large crime, and reaching the truth may mean working without help from your own side.
Note
This book is only available in Dutch
Enjoyed this post?
Well, you could share the post with others, follow me with RSS Feeds and/or send me a comment via email.
Tags
Category:
Collection:
Genre:
Person:
Tag:
Year: