De Cock en moord op bestelling by A.C. Baantjer

Why read the book?

One evening a young man is shot in the doorway of his home on the Prinsengracht. The killer gets away. At first it looks like an ordinary settling of scores in the criminal world. The dead man's friend tells his story to De Cock at the Warmoesstraat station.

The victim had links to the environmental movement. He had developed a clean engine that could harm anyone with interests in the oil industry. Words like liquidation and contract killer begin to take on real meaning.

Before De Cock and Vledder can follow up their suspicions, a second murder occurs. A woman on the Blauwburgwal is strangled with a scarf. The pair have rarely faced such different cases in so short a time. Or are they not so different after all?

Favourite quote

What I Loved

The link between a clean engine and big oil money gives this case a sharp motive. The interest is in whether the two killings belong together, and De Cock's doubt keeps the reader guessing.

The Amsterdam canals set the scene well. De Cock's patient method holds the two threads in view at once.

Key Takeaway

Two killings that look unrelated may share one motive. De Cock keeps both in view until the link appears.

Note

This book is only available in Dutch

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