linda-headley

The Baantjer Mysteries are to Denmark what Midsommrr Murders are to England. They provide intriguing "whodunnits" set in a comfortable framework with continuing lead characters. De Cock, the primary detective, is a seasoned professional and a wise man informed by his Calvinist upbringing; he never settles for the obvious. His counterpoint is Vledder, a youngish and cynical womanizer always swayed by the apparent, yet incorrect solutions. He provides less than comic relief with his insensitive comments and poorly framed humor. The team is rounded out by two workhorses, Prins and Keizer, a versatile and detail oriented female detective and a tech savvy investigator. All technically report to Buittendam, a bureaucrat who lets De Cock run with little actual interference while keeping up the facade of the nit picking manager.

I enjoy the series because the plots are well written and never obvious, while the relationships among the characters, particularly De Cock and Buittendam, are many layered. I also appreciate the standard ending where De Cock gathers his troops in his home with his wife to recap the investigation and solution, a device similar to Poirot or Columbo assembling suspects for a final reveal.

The series is well worth the time of mystery fans, particularly cozy mysteries. My only real complaints are the paucity of the subtitles (they catch only a third or so of the dialogue) and the overly stylized camerawork in a couple of seasons.

The discrete mysteries in each episode are well plotted and suspenseful. The series is tied together through the personal and professional dramas of the lead character, whose husband is accused of the murder of his paramour-about whom his wife was clueless until presented with irrefutable evidence. The series is worth watching and oddly addictive, particularly if your guilty pleasure is General Hospital or Dallas. I wish the second season was more readily available.