The Man on the Balcony

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The Man on the Balcony is the third novel in the detective series revolving around Swedish police detective Martin Beck, and was written by Sjöwall and Wahlöö and originally published as Mannen på balkongen in 1967.

[edit] Plot

The Stockholm public parks have become the scene of a series of violent robbings when a small girl is found sexually abused and then killed. Beck and his team start to chase the robber; although it is unlikely that he is also responsible for the pedosexual attacks, he is at least a material witness for what later turns out to be only the first of a series of murders.

[edit] Characters and their development

The boorish detective Gunvald Larsson is introduced, as is Einar Rönn, who comes from a rural part of the country and likes his life quiet. Larsson was Sjöwall's favourite character, whereas Rönn was Wahlöö's. Also, two regular street cops are introduced, Kristiansson and Kvant, who will provide some of the comic relief throughout the rest of the series.

Preceded by: The Man Who Went Up in Smoke

"Martin Beck" timeline, part 3 of 10

Succeeded by: The Laughing Policeman

Sjöwall and Wahlöö novels, featuring Martin Beck
Novels: Roseanna | The Man Who Went Up in Smoke | The Man on the Balcony | The Laughing Policeman | The Fire Engine That Disappeared | Murder at the Savoy | The Abominable Man | The Locked Room | Cop Killer | The Terrorists
Authors: Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö