Baantjer DeKok and Murder by Melody

DeKok and Murder by Melody

Baantjer

Speck, July 2005, $13.00, 191 pp.

ISBN: 0972577696

In Amsterdam, Inspector DeKok looks into the murder of heroin addict Erik Bavel. The victim was strangled to death so the Inspector concludes the culprit had to have strong hands to do that to a twenty-five year old male. The boardinghouse keeper, uncooperative Mina Lyons, reacts as if the homicide was a personal affront to her and is more upset that Bavel broke the rules by making coffee in his room.

A second strangulation victim surfaces identical to that of Bavel. The victim, Jean-Paul Stappert, was a young drug user too, but like Erik had no recent needle marks making it seem they also shared in common kicking the habit. DeKok talks with Mina about Erik only to learn by chance that Jean-Paul was a resident of her boardinghouse too. This time Mina faints. Music pedagogue Alex Waaredenberg gives testimony that he was Jean-Paul's teacher, but his New Age mumbo jumbo leads DeKok to think he knew Erik too but said nothing except seeing the corpse when he looked for his star pupil. The case turns cacophonous as the list of suspects grows connected to a musical arrangement.

This translation of a Dutch police procedural is a fabulous investigative tale starring a delightful protagonist toiling to solve the double homicides. DeKok is a wonderful lead holding the who-done-it together with his interviews of suspects and follow up on clues that showcase the city. His prot g , junior partner Vledder, struggles to understand the logic of the inquiries until the lead cop explains afterward to him (and the audience) without interrupting the superior storyline flow mindful of Holmes to Watson, but in a 1980s Holland context.

Harriet Klausner