 First Swedish edition | |
| Author | Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö |
|---|---|
| Original title | Det slutna rummet |
| Translator | Paul Britten Austin[1] |
| Language | Swedish |
| Series | Martin Beck series |
| Publisher | Norstedts Förlag (Swedish) Pantheon Books (English) |
Publication date | 1972 |
| Publication place | Sweden |
Published in English | 1973 |
| Pages | 291 |
| ISBN | 91-1-725301-2 |
| OCLC | 11577021 |
| LC Class | PT9876.29.J63 S54 |
| Preceded by | The Abominable Man |
| Followed by | Cop Killer |
The Locked Room (original Swedish title: Det slutna rummet) is a mystery novel by Swedish writers Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, published in 1972. It is part of their detective series revolving around Martin Beck and his team.
The Locked Room has two plots running simultaneously. Larsson and Kollberg are extremely reluctantly part of a special task force that needs to solve a spree of bank robberies. Martin Beck is given a pity job after recovering from being shot at the conclusion of The Abominable Man; he needs to solve a classic situation of the genre: the locked room mystery.
The incompetence of the Swedish police force has spread to the point that all three detectives are severely hindered in their work. One criminal walks free for a heinous crime he did commit, then has to do hard time for a crime he did not.