Schövall and Vale

Per Valo ( Swe. Per Fredrik Wahlöö , 1926-1975) was born in the parish of near Gothenburg (Sweden). His father was a journalist and writer (1889-1982). Since 1946, he worked in various Swedish newspapers and magazines as a sports and criminal journalist. In the 1950s, he participated in many movements, mainly of the left-wing type, including abroad, in particular in Spain , which ended with his expulsion from the country in 1957 as a non grata person.

After returning to Sweden, Valo worked as a screenwriter on radio and television; He was also the editor of several magazines. As a writer, he made his debut in 1959 with the novel “The Goat of God” ( Himmelsgeten ), in which, like in his subsequent works, “Wind and Rain” ( Vinden och regnet ), “Truck” ( Lastbilen ), “Mission” ( Uppdraget ), “ Roses do not grow on the Odenplan ”( Det växer inga rosor på Odenplan ),“ Generals ”( Generalerna ) - criticized the abuse of power and the dark sides of bourgeois society, both in Sweden and in other countries, including fictional ones. Of these, the Russian reader knows only two frankly gloomy anti-utopias with Inspector Jensen as the main character: “Murder on the 31st floor” ( Mord på 31: a våningen ; in the Russian translation - “Death of the 31st Division”) and “Steel Leap ”( Stälspranget ), repeatedly published in collections of detective stories and science fiction.

Among other works for Valya there are several translations into Swedish of several novels, in particular, detectives Evan Hunter (Ed McBain), and political thrillers , as well as sociological studies devoted to a comparative study of the police working methods in Sweden, the USA, England and the USSR.

P. Valo died in 1975 in Malmö , at the age of incomplete 49 years from pancreatitis (according to other sources, from pancreatic cancer).

Mai Schövall ( Swede Maj Sjöwall , born 1935) was born in Malmö. She studied journalism and graphics, then worked as a reporter and art editor in a number of newspapers and magazines. From 1959 to 1961 she worked as an editor of the publishing house Wahlstrüm and Widstrad , as well as a literary critic.

M. Schövall and P. Valle met in 1961 , when both of them worked in the same magazine. In 1962, they got married and then, after the birth of two sons, Tetz and Jens, they conceived a cycle of crime novels, united by common characters led by an assistant to the Commissioner of Police (hereinafter - Martin Beck) . They wrote, they said, “when they put the children to bed,” while still working as magazine editors. A series of novels was begun in 1965 with Rosanna, and ended 10 years later with the book Terrorists (it was published after the death of P. Valho).

The collaboration of P. Vallet and M. Schövall was based on their journalistic experience, which determined the specific style of the novels, which was characterized by brevity, clarity and detail. According to P.Valyo himself, the goal of the cycle was "to use the detective as a scalpel, revealing the vices of the so-called" welfare society "brought to ideological poverty and the moral collapse." Both of them were adherents of Marxism , although they were not members of the Communist Party , the model of East German society for them.

After the death of P. Valle, M. Schövall wrote only two books: “A Woman Like Greta Garbo” ( Kvinnan som liknade Greta Garbo , 1990 - an artistic biography of the great actress of Swedish origin) and “The Last Trip and Other Stories” ( Sista resan och andra berättelser , 2007 ).

1. ( Roseanna , 1965)
2. ( Mannen som gick upp i rök , 1966)
3. ( Mannen på balkongen , 1967)
4. ( Den skrattande polisen , 1968)
5. ( Brandbilen som försvann , 1969)
6. ( Polis, polis, potatis gris!, 1970)
7. ( Den vedervärdige mannen från Säffle , 1971)
8. ( Det slutna rummet , 1972)
9. ( Polismördaren , 1974)
10. ( Terroristerna , 1975)

Basic

• Martin Beck
• is a police inspector from Martin Beck’s department, his old friend. Kollberg never misses a chance to eat well (“he knew that in order to lose weight, you need to eat a little, but often, and diligently carried out the second half of this rule”) and over the years it becomes more complete, so his appearance misleads the criminals - military service Kohlberg passed in the landing troops. He prefers gourmet food and expensive imported spirits; in everyday life he loves sweet pastries and desserts. In the midst of a career, by tragic accident, shot his colleague, and then refused to carry weapons. Throughout the decalogy, Kohlberg marries, acquires a daughter and son, and eventually leaves the police, but continues to maintain friendly relations with his former colleagues, providing them with various consultations. Gunwald Larsson’s antagonist before the events described in the book “Scoundrel from Sefleu” (some understanding is established between them in the previous book), and then becomes his benevolent colleague. He lives on Palandergatan in the southern part of Stockholm near the Shermarbrink metro station near Martin Beck, therefore, he sometimes meets him in a train car or drives him in his own car, and also has the opportunity to sometimes spend free time with him, mainly playing play chess.
• is a police inspector from Martin Beck’s department, the oldest in age. He served with Kolberg in the landing troops, but it is unclear in which position, since he does not show outstanding physical qualities. He has a phenomenal memory, a completely illegible handwriting, an absolutely unperturbed character, a need to sleep ten hours a day, and an amazing ability to find himself in the toilet exactly at the moment he is interested in bosses. At the same time, in the novel The Missing Fire Engine, he shows himself to be a very skilled and attentive forensic scientist. Relations with colleagues at the level of simple correctness without signs of likes and dislikes. Trying to avoid overtime (because of this, at the end of the series he goes to the department for the fight against theft). Smokes a pipe. Economical to stinginess. It has a summer house on the island of Vermde , where he enjoys spending holidays and weekends (his exact address is unknown to his superiors and colleagues, which does not allow him to be called up for service at off-hours). Married to an ugly, but kind, punctual and economic woman, they do not have children soberly calculated. He lives on Pulchemsgatan within walking distance from the central police department.
• - Inspector of the Anti-Violence Department of the Stockholm Criminal Police (appears in the third book of the series). A tall, powerful and very strong man, he served in the naval forces and later served in the merchant navy for several years. The supporter of power actions on the verge of legality, often, oddly enough, is effective. Opponent of defending the “honor of the uniform”, for which he does not enjoy the love of either his superiors or subordinates. Being a native of an aristocratic family, he completely broke off relations with his family, but retained attachment to quality-made things, especially clothes and shoes. Owns an extravagant car for the EMW brand in Sweden (most likely, EMW 340 ). He loves an impressive type of firearm, although he never uses it for its intended purpose, even in the event of a threat to his own life. Reader of light, "tabloid" literature , in particular, Sax Romer’s novels. Alcohol and tobacco cannot tolerate, the implacable enemy of drugs and prostitution. He has a sharp, non-starter character, a convinced bachelor, has no children. Despite his upbringing, he is characterized by a number of machine habits that are more specific to people of low culture: to crunch your fingers, poke your ears or nose, pull out the hair from there and examine them. All women, both suspects and witnesses and even colleagues, are very detached, if not negatively (a rare case of some interest is shown only to their sister's childhood friend in an accidental meeting - however, this glimpse did not continue). It has strong anti-bourgeois views . Gunnwald Larsson’s only friend is Einar Rennes, his complete physical and emotional opposite. He lives in an apartment in a high-rise building in the southern part of Stockholm in the Bolmore neighborhood (in some translations of Bulmur).
• , also an inspector of the Stockholm Police Violence Unit, is friends with Gunwald Larsson and, like him, is repeatedly involved in investigating cases conducted by Martin Beck (mentioned in one episode of the second book of the series, a permanent character, starting from the third ) A native of the circumpolar town of Arjeplug, a seemingly uncouth provincial who begins each sentence with “well” or “yep”, constantly with a red nose from a runny nose, however, Rennes is one of the best investigators of the Stockholm criminal police. He practically does not know how to shoot, does not own the methods of struggle. He writes in very small and dense handwriting; his reports are distinguished by a peculiar style. Unlike Melander, he never refuses to work overtime. Married to Lapland , has a son. Lives on Wittangigatan in the west of Stockholm in the Wellinby area.

Minor and episodic (in at least two novels)

• Inga Beck - the wife of Martin Beck, a housewife with a hysterical character, before her marriage, she worked either in an architectural workshop (first book) or in an insurance company (eighth), several years older than him and, probably for this reason, having a maternal instinct for him and patronizing with petty care, which infuriates him
• Ingrid and Rolf Beck - daughter and son of Martin Beck with completely different characters
• Gunnar Olberg - a police officer from Mutala, hardworking and persistent, but not having enough experience
• Oke Stenström is the youngest of Martin Beck's subordinates at the beginning of the series, for this reason he experiences strong complexes in front of almost every colleague. Considered an external surveillance specialist. Dies at the hands of a mass murderer in the novel "Laughing Police Officer" at a time when he almost single-handedly solved the most difficult murder case of sixteen years ago
• Ewald Hammar - senior police commissioner, chief of Martin Beck in the first books, in recent years, has been waiting for his resignation. Has little impact on investigations.
• Folke Bengtsson, the misogyn killer from the book Rosanna, appears in the novel “Police Killer” after serving the prison term as the main suspect
• Sonya Hansson, an officer in the morale police department, played the role of a “decoy duck” in the capture of Folk Bengtsson
• Per Monsson is a police officer from Malmö, a poor family man, full and phlegmatic, constantly chewing menthol-like toothpicks after quitting smoking. He is married, but after the marriage of his daughter, by mutual agreement, he lives separately with his wife, spending only weekends and holidays with her; has a mistress in Copenhagen. Unrivaled Home Search Master
• (?) Backlund - Assistant Criminal Police Inspector from Malmö, meticulous, but completely unqualified, conducting the investigation almost exclusively compiles extremely detailed and at the same time meaningless reports
• Kurt Quant and Karl Christiansson are sergeants of the radio patrol from Sulna, a suburb of Stockholm. Both come from Skåne, a southern region of Sweden (first mentioned in the second book as Malmö police officers, the third are already transferred to Stockholm), and are endowed with a whole “bunch” of negative qualities: slow, lazy, tight-witted, rely on the exceptional strength of the police uniform and icons. Quantum dies in the book The Wretch of Sefleu, after which Kristiansson, also injured in the incident, gets his partner, Kenneth Kvastma, who differs from him only in indefatigable activity, as his partner
• Emil Elofsson and Gustave Borglund are the radio patrol sergeants from Malmö, colleagues of Quantum and Christiansson in the second book. They also appear in the fifth, sixth and ninth books, in the last they find themselves drawn into a shootout by their inexperienced, but overly zealous trainee partner, as a result of which the first is seriously injured and the second dies (as a result of anaphylactic shock from a wasp sting, on whose nest in he fell in a ditch)
• Oke Gunnarsson is a journalist, a victim of a confluence of circumstances, who, as a result of a domestic quarrel, committed the unintentional murder of his immoral and rude colleague, who in fact turned out to be a major drug smuggler (the book “The Man Who Vaporized”), and in a state of passion he made tremendous efforts to cover his tracks . After being captured and serving his sentence, he appears again as a journalist under the name Oscar Buman in the book “Police Killer”
• Henrik Jakobsson is the head of the drug control department of the Stockholm police, unperturbed and accustomed to everything, not very successful at his post. Mentioned in several books, but appears only in the eighth (“Locked Room”)
• Oscar Elm is the head of the main forensic laboratory in Stockholm, bilious, but talented and attentive. Moreover, it is very greedy for praise and outright flattery
• Norman Hansson is a police officer in Stockholm, a connoisseur of the Vasastaden area
• Gün Kolberg - Lennart Kolberg's wife, a beautiful and intelligent woman
• Rune Ekk and (?) Strömgren are homicide investigators who perform minor and routine tasks
• Osa Turell - a friend of Oke Stenström, later a member of the Moral Police Department
• Rickard Ullholm - Senior Assistant to the Police Commissioner from Sulna, a doctrinaire of extremely conservative views, constantly dissatisfied with something and writing endless complaints and reports to his colleagues
• Bu Zakrisson is a private patrolman, one of the most stupid police officers in Stockholm
• Benny Skakke is Martin Beck's youngest employee in the second part of the series, initially inexperienced and naive. Due to a mistake that nearly costed Kohlberg's life, he was transferred to the Malmo police under Monsson, and after Kollberg's dismissal, he takes his place in the last book of the series. Her dream is to become the chief of police and for this purpose she is constantly improving her skills in every possible way. An excellent athlete, his reaction and skill as a shooter can neutralize the two most dangerous criminals of the entire series (the books “The Missing Fire Truck” and “Terrorists”)
• (?) Mogensen is a senior police inspector of Copenhagen, a friend of Monsson since the war. Provide each other a variety of mutual informal services (mainly in terms of information)
• Victor Paulsson - Assistant Commissioner of the Swedish State Security Service SEPO, a walking caricature of a secret agent
• Stig Malm - senior police commissioner, chief of Martin Beck in recent books, a careerist and a complete layman with absolutely no real experience, constantly worried about his official position
• Sten Bulldozer Ulsson, the prosecutor, a fat smug person, leads the task force to combat bank robberies, seething with enthusiasm and never losing heart.
• Rhea Nielsen - Martin Beck's girlfriend, with whom he lives after a divorce, owner of an apartment building, free sociologist and journalist
• Hergott Ney (which means “satisfied, glad” in Swedish; that is how his surname is usually reproduced in Russian translations) is the head of the police department in Anderslev, a convinced bachelor, lively and mobile, with a peculiar sense of humor

Soviet

• 31st department , film production (1972) - directors Yuri Aksenov, E. Kostenich, actors: Efim Kopelyan, Nikolai Korn, Oleg Basilashvili, Boris Ryzhukhin, Mikhail Ivanov, Mikhail Danilov, Lyudmila Makarova, Nikolai Trofimov, Zinaida Sharko, Vladislav Archer
• Unfinished Dinner (1979) - a film by the Latvian director Janis Streich based on the novel Police, Police, Mashed Potatoes!
• Death of the 31st department (1980) - Estonian director “ Tallinnfilm ” film, prize for the directorial debut of the WTF in Yerevan in 1981.

Foreign

Based on the works of Per Valo:

• Uppdraget (1977) - directed by Mats Arehn ^[1] .
• Mord på 31: a våningen (1982) - directed by Wolf Gremm .

According to the scripts of Pera Vale:

• Flygplan saknas (1965) - directed by Per Gunvall . Screenwriter (along with Arvid Rundberg ).
• Morianerna (1965) - director Arne Mattsson . Scriptwriter (with Jan Ekström, Arne Mattsson ).
• Nattmara (1965) - director Arne Mattsson . Script writer (with Arne Mattsson )
• Mördaren - En helt vanlig person (1967) - director Arne Mattsson . Screenwriter (with Arne Mattsson , Maj Sjöwall ).
• Mannen i skuggan (1978) - directed by Arne Mattsson . Script writer (with Arne Mattsson )

For works co-authored with Mai Chevall:

• Roseanna : (1967) director - Hans Abramson ; (1993) - director Daniel Alfredson .
• Mannen som gick upp i rök (1980) - directed by Péter Bacsó , in the Soviet box office called Swede, missing .
• Mannen på balkongen (1993) - directed by Daniel Alfredson .
• Den skrattande polisen (1973) - director Stuart Rosenberg . Moved from Sweden to San Francisco.
• Branbilden som försvann (1993) - directed by Hajo Gies .
• Polis, polis, potatismos (1993) - directed by Pelle Berglund .
• Den vedervärdige mannen från säffle (1976) - director Bo Widerberg .
• Det slutna rummet (1993) - directed by Jacob Bijl.
• Polismördaren (1994) - directed by Peter Keglevic .
• Terroristerna (1994) - directed by Peter Keglevic ^[2] .
• Beck is a Swedish series (the first season was released in 1997, the second in 2001, the third in 2006, the fourth in 2009, the fifth in 2015; the release of the 6th season is scheduled for 2018).

• In 1971, Mai Schövall and Per Valot received the Edgar Award for the best crime genre novel (Laughing Police Officer).
• In 1987, the novel "Rosanna" fell into the book "100 Best Crime and Detective Books" (" 100 Best Crime & Mystery Books ") by Henry Keating [1]
• In 1995, the novel “Laughing Police Officer” took second place in the category of “novels that realistically portray the work of the police” from the list of “100 Best Crime Genre Novels” of the Mystery Writers of America [2]
• In 2008, the newspaper The Times put the couple on the 15th place in the list of the largest detective writers of all time, describing them as “the mother and father of a northern crime novel” [3]

• At a standstill (magazine version of the novel "Laughing Police Officer")