The Terrorists
Encyclopedia
The Terrorists is a 1975 novel by Sjöwall and Wahlöö
in their detective series revolving around Martin Beck
and his team. The Terrorists was unfinished at the time of Per Wahlöö's death in June 1975; the manuscript was completed by Maj Sjöwall alone.
where an eighteen-year old woman is accused of a bank robbery
she never intended to commit. Later, a pornographic film producer is found murdered at the home of his mistress. The main plot of the book involves Martin Beck leading a team of policemen to prevent a presumed terrorist attack on a highly unpopular American senator
who is paying an official visit to Sweden
. The attack is led by terrorist Reinhard Heydt, born by a Danish mother in Pietermaritzburg
, South Africa
.
Theobald Braxén, a defense attorney, is introduced as a rather comical and sympathetic character who loves taking up apparently hopeless cases. His antagonist in court
is Sten "Bulldozer" Olsson, first introduced in The Locked Room
.
and with its plot much altered. In the novel, the Swedish prime minister is murdered, an event that was deemed too politically sensitive because the 1986 assassination of Olof Palme
—the actual prime minister when the novel was published—remained unsolved.
Sjöwall and Wahlöö
Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, a common-law wife and husband team of detective writers from Sweden. Together they conceived and wrote a series of ten novels about the exploits of detectives from the special homicide commission of the national police in which the character of Martin Beck was the...
in their detective series revolving around Martin Beck
Martin Beck
Martin Beck is a fictional Swedish police detective who is the main character in a series of ten novels by Sjöwall and Wahlöö, collectively titled The Story of a Crime...
and his team. The Terrorists was unfinished at the time of Per Wahlöö's death in June 1975; the manuscript was completed by Maj Sjöwall alone.
Plot summary
The story opens with a trialTrial (law)
In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
where an eighteen-year old woman is accused of a bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
she never intended to commit. Later, a pornographic film producer is found murdered at the home of his mistress. The main plot of the book involves Martin Beck leading a team of policemen to prevent a presumed terrorist attack on a highly unpopular American senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
who is paying an official visit to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The attack is led by terrorist Reinhard Heydt, born by a Danish mother in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Characters
Lennart Kollberg has resigned from the force and plays only a minor role in this book. His absence is mostly compensated by a more important role for Gunvald Larsson; likewise, Einar Rönn is also more prominently featured. In this last Sjöwall and Wahlöö book, Martin Beck finally admits to himself that he actually likes working with Larsson, although he misses Kollberg.Theobald Braxén, a defense attorney, is introduced as a rather comical and sympathetic character who loves taking up apparently hopeless cases. His antagonist in court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
is Sten "Bulldozer" Olsson, first introduced in The Locked Room
The Locked Room
The Locked Room is a novel by Sjöwall and Wahlöö in their detective series revolving around Martin Beck and his team. -Plot summary:...
.
Film adaptation
In 1994 the novel was adapted for film under the title Stockholm MarathonStockholm Marathon (film)
Stockholm Marathon is a 1994 film about the Swedish police detective Martin Beck directed by Peter Keglevic.- Cast :*Gösta Ekman as Martin Beck*Kjell Bergqvist as Lennart Kollberg*Rolf Lassgård as Gunvald Larsson*Niklas Hjulström as Benny Skacke...
and with its plot much altered. In the novel, the Swedish prime minister is murdered, an event that was deemed too politically sensitive because the 1986 assassination of Olof Palme
Olof Palme assassination
The assassination of Olof Palme , the Prime Minister of Sweden, took place on 28 February 1986 in Stockholm, Sweden, at 23:21 hours Central European Time . Palme was fatally wounded by gunshots while walking home from a cinema with his wife Lisbet Palme on the central Stockholm street Sveavägen...
—the actual prime minister when the novel was published—remained unsolved.