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Stieg Larssonin tutkimukset: Kuka murhasi Olof Palmen?
KUKA MURHASI OLOF PALMEN?Stieg Larssonin tutkimukset on kertomus siitä, miten yksi maailman tunnetuimmista rikoskirjailijoista yritti ratkaista Olof Palmen murhan. Sitä on yhtä vaikea laskea käsistään kuin Larssonin omia, Lisbeth Salanderista kertovia romaaneja. Se vastaa kysymykseen siitä, mitä hän olisi saanut selville, jos olisi päässyt jatkamaan tutkimuksia 80 miljoonan myydyn kirjan tuomien resurssien turvin.Vuonna 2014 toimittaja Jan Stocklassa pääsi tutustumaan Stieg Larssonin henkilökohtaiseen arkistoon, joka oli maannut koskemattomana kymmenen vuotta. Parissakymmenessä pahvilaatikossa oli Larssonin kartoitus 1980-luvun äärioikeistosta, mutta myös toistaiseksi tuntematon projekti: kattavat tutkimukset Olof Palmen murhasta. Stocklassa jatkoi Larssonin tutkimuksia, ja kirjassa on paljon Larssonin muistiinpanoja ja kirjeenvaihtoa sekä Stocklassan haastatteluja ja salaa tallentamaa materiaalia. Lopulta Stocklassa yhdistää Larssonin havainnot ja omansa teoriaksi, joka selvittää mitä Tukholman keskustassa tapahtui helmikuun viimeisenä iltana vuonna 1986.Jan Stocklassa (s. 1965) on ruotsalainen toimittaja, kirjailija, dokumenttiohjaaja, diplomaatti ja liikemies. Hän on perustanut Prahan Metro-lehden ja kirjoittanut kirjan Gripen av Prag ruotsalaisen Saabin ja British Aerospacen lahjusskandaalista Tsekin tasavallan hävittäjäkauppojen yhteydessä.Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) on yksi kaikkien aikojen suosituimpia dekkaristeja: hänen kirjojaan on myyty yli 80 miljoonaa kappaletta. Ennen kuolemaansa Larsson oli ehtinyt koota 20 pahvilaatikollista aineistoa Olof Palmen murhasta.
445 pages, Hardcover
First published November 2, 2018
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October 13, 2019
”Stieg Larsson’s three books—known as the Millennium Trilogy or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series—have sold more than eighty million copies, but his greatest achievement wasn’t writing thrillers. He devoted his entire adult life to fighting right-wing extremism.”
There was a lot of speculation after Stieg Larsson died at the tender age of 50 that one of the numerous right-wing groups he had been investigating had murdered him. Maybe even the very people who assassinated Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme on February 28th, 1986. The thought of Stieg dying at the hands of the unprincipled people he investigated made a better story and a more fascinating end to an investigative journalist’s life than that he died from climbing a flight of stairs. The fact was that heart trouble had plagued his family. His grandfather died from a massive heart attack in his 50s. Couple that with the evidence that Stieg spent years working a crushing number of hours, eating poorly, and sleeping for too few hours. It was as if he knew he had a short time to live.
He left behind boxes and boxes of files on right-wing extremism in Sweden. He drew diagrams. He investigated the assassination of Palme and put forth theories of who could have been behind it. The incompetence of the police was a constant source of irritation to him and also to the man tasked with going through his files, Jan Stocklassa. It proved a treasure trove for a writer on his own quest to figure out who the actual triggerman was and who helped him. Like with most murder investigations, you start with motive. Palme had made a lot of enemies. He had thrwarted the aims of the South Africans regarding apartheid. He had made enemies of most of the extremist groups in Sweden, who either thought through his policies he did too little or overstepped by doing too much.
”There were up to ten people who claimed that they knew about the assassination in advance and notified the press or the police (and the police then leaked this to the press). Two of these warnings stuck out because they had unquestionably been passed on to the authorities prior to the assassination and should therefore have resulted in Säpo raising the threat level for Palme’s security team, which might have prevented the assassination from taking place.”
Now wasn’t that interesting? There was also a lot of chatter previous to the JFK assassination, which reportedly Kennedy dismissed. He was going to Texas, a hostile state, come hell or high water. Depending on where you fall on the spectrum of Lee Harvey Oswald conspiracy theories, there was even some evidence that Oswald tried to warn someone in the government that the assassination plans were in place. So was it incompetence or complicity? That was a question that Larsson and Stocklassa asked themselves numerous times as they sifted through the same information decades apart. Here was Stocklassa’s final take on the police force:
”Once again, the Swedish police failed where others succeeded, but as Hanlon’s razor says: never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
After they warned about a potential assassination attempt nothing was done to beef up security around Palme.
What was interesting about watching Stocklassa accumulate information was the tenacity with which he approached the evidence. He was determined to run after this story until he ran out of land to support his feet. He had to strip away some of Larsson’s suppositions as he found evidence to lead him in a different direction. He went undercover and found a perfect Mata Hari in the enigmatic Lída Komárková who gained him valuable information that clicked over several tumblers that made him confident that he was close to unlocking the solution.
The resolution of the most egregious crime in Swedish history was nearly in his grasp.
This read like a thriller. I felt like I was there with Stocklassa, combing through the files and putting together charts of who knew whom and when. The shooting itself was indicative of an amateur shooter. The assassin only shot Palme once through the body and missed his wife with a second bullet. A professional would have certainly put an extra bullet or two into the main target. The one bullet was a lucky shot, passing through Palme at the one place to do the most damage. A slight deviation in bullet track and he very well might have lived. I’m not sure the assassin ever expected to be allowed to get away, but he did. It was puzzling exactly how he did? The ineptitude and lack of formalized planning made me think about what Oswald kept yelling to the press…”I’m a patsy.” Could this shooter have been a patsy as well, but put in place by a nefarious organization to do the job?
You’ll have to decide for yourself as Stocklassa presents you with his evidence.
I want to thank Amazon for providing me with a free copy as part of their First Reads Program.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
There was a lot of speculation after Stieg Larsson died at the tender age of 50 that one of the numerous right-wing groups he had been investigating had murdered him. Maybe even the very people who assassinated Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme on February 28th, 1986. The thought of Stieg dying at the hands of the unprincipled people he investigated made a better story and a more fascinating end to an investigative journalist’s life than that he died from climbing a flight of stairs. The fact was that heart trouble had plagued his family. His grandfather died from a massive heart attack in his 50s. Couple that with the evidence that Stieg spent years working a crushing number of hours, eating poorly, and sleeping for too few hours. It was as if he knew he had a short time to live.
He left behind boxes and boxes of files on right-wing extremism in Sweden. He drew diagrams. He investigated the assassination of Palme and put forth theories of who could have been behind it. The incompetence of the police was a constant source of irritation to him and also to the man tasked with going through his files, Jan Stocklassa. It proved a treasure trove for a writer on his own quest to figure out who the actual triggerman was and who helped him. Like with most murder investigations, you start with motive. Palme had made a lot of enemies. He had thrwarted the aims of the South Africans regarding apartheid. He had made enemies of most of the extremist groups in Sweden, who either thought through his policies he did too little or overstepped by doing too much.
”There were up to ten people who claimed that they knew about the assassination in advance and notified the press or the police (and the police then leaked this to the press). Two of these warnings stuck out because they had unquestionably been passed on to the authorities prior to the assassination and should therefore have resulted in Säpo raising the threat level for Palme’s security team, which might have prevented the assassination from taking place.”
Now wasn’t that interesting? There was also a lot of chatter previous to the JFK assassination, which reportedly Kennedy dismissed. He was going to Texas, a hostile state, come hell or high water. Depending on where you fall on the spectrum of Lee Harvey Oswald conspiracy theories, there was even some evidence that Oswald tried to warn someone in the government that the assassination plans were in place. So was it incompetence or complicity? That was a question that Larsson and Stocklassa asked themselves numerous times as they sifted through the same information decades apart. Here was Stocklassa’s final take on the police force:
”Once again, the Swedish police failed where others succeeded, but as Hanlon’s razor says: never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
After they warned about a potential assassination attempt nothing was done to beef up security around Palme.
What was interesting about watching Stocklassa accumulate information was the tenacity with which he approached the evidence. He was determined to run after this story until he ran out of land to support his feet. He had to strip away some of Larsson’s suppositions as he found evidence to lead him in a different direction. He went undercover and found a perfect Mata Hari in the enigmatic Lída Komárková who gained him valuable information that clicked over several tumblers that made him confident that he was close to unlocking the solution.
The resolution of the most egregious crime in Swedish history was nearly in his grasp.
This read like a thriller. I felt like I was there with Stocklassa, combing through the files and putting together charts of who knew whom and when. The shooting itself was indicative of an amateur shooter. The assassin only shot Palme once through the body and missed his wife with a second bullet. A professional would have certainly put an extra bullet or two into the main target. The one bullet was a lucky shot, passing through Palme at the one place to do the most damage. A slight deviation in bullet track and he very well might have lived. I’m not sure the assassin ever expected to be allowed to get away, but he did. It was puzzling exactly how he did? The ineptitude and lack of formalized planning made me think about what Oswald kept yelling to the press…”I’m a patsy.” Could this shooter have been a patsy as well, but put in place by a nefarious organization to do the job?
You’ll have to decide for yourself as Stocklassa presents you with his evidence.
I want to thank Amazon for providing me with a free copy as part of their First Reads Program.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
February 15, 2025
4.5 stars
This work of creative non-fiction by Jan Stocklassa offers a comprehensive overview of the murder of Olof Palme.
Author Jan Stocklassa
Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme
*****
On February 28, 1986, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated on the corner of Sveavägen and Tunnelgaten in Stockholm.
Corner of Sveavägen and Tunnelgaten in Stockholm
After dismissing his security guards for the evening, Palme and his wife Lisbeth went to the movies, then decided to walk home.
Olof Palme and his wife Lisbeth
As the couple was strolling along a gunman closed in and shot Palme in the back, killing him almost instantly. A second shot in Lisbeth's direction only drilled two holes into her coat, and she was unharmed. The killer then ran away and escaped.
The hunt for the shooter spawned a laundry list of suspects and a plethora of conspiracy theories, but at the time of this book's publication - more than three decades later - the killer still hasn't been unequivocally identified.
To write this narrative, Jan Stocklassa relied heavily on the archives of Stieg Larsson , the author of 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' series.
Writer Stieg Larsson
Most people aren't aware that Larsson was originally an investigative journalist and illustrator who did extensive research on white-nationalist, right-wing, and neo-Nazi groups in Sweden.
Larsson suspected that far-right organizations conspired to assassinate Palme, and immediately began investigating the murder from that point of view. Larsson's theory morphed over time to include pro-apartheid groups in South Africa, because Palme strongly and vocally opposed this policy of racial segregation.
Apartheid signs in South Africa
Larsson died in 2004, but left reams of research about Palme's murder in the archives of 'Expo' magazine, which he published.
Stieg Larsson's Expo magazine
The Swedish authorities in charge of the Palme investigation were either as incompetent as Keystone Kops or scandalously corrupt because - year after year - they ignored valid clues and tried to nail their own bugbears for the crime.
Keystone Kops
Files related to the Palme assassination could probably fill a room, and Stocklassa read innumerable documents for this book. After immersing himself in the existing paperwork, Stocklassa launched his own investigation - doing research; traveling to South Africa and Cyprus; interviewing persons of interest; forming hypotheses; and working with a female 'spy' to gather additional information.
The result is this book, which contains a fascinating analysis of the Palme killing. Some reviewers kvetch about the length of the book and the large number of people with hard-to-pronounce names, but this didn't bother me.
After describing the actual shooting, Stocklassa devotes many pages to the observations of various witnesses - some of whom (allegedly) saw surveillers with walkie-talkies following the Palmes and some of whom think they saw the killer running away or climbing into a getaway car. In addition, the author discusses wife Lisbeth Palme's confusion about the shooter's appearance, and the creation of a composite photo from the observations of a nightclub worker on a cigarette break.
Composite drawing of Palme's shooter (left) beside a photo of Jan Stocklassa
As the assassination tale unfolds, Stocklassa identifies the multiple persons and law enforcement agencies who ran the Palme investigation. The first man in charge, Police Commissioner Hans Holmér, was dubbed Sherlock Holmér 😊. Unfortunately, Hans didn't have Sherlock's success, and was replaced after a time. In fact the investigative personnel changed several times over the years as one alleged perpetrator after another fizzled out.
Police Commissioner Hans Holmér
The main suspects targeted by Swedish officials were, in turn: the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK); Swedish extremist Viktor Gunnarsson; and criminal drug addict Christer Pettersson.
Kurdistan Workers Party
Extremist Viktor Gunnarsson
Criminal Christer Pettersson
When these targets didn't lead to an ultimate conviction, the Swedish cops were seemingly at a loss - though investigative reporters and true crime aficionados suggested many other suspects.
A good part of the book is devoted to journalists' and authors' speculations about who might have conspired to kill Palme. Suspects include Swedish right-wing zealots; Swedish intelligence officers; Swedish cops; Iran-Contra schemers; South African spies; South African political organizations; Americans who supported apartheid for monetary purposes; and more.
Once Stocklassa formed a solid theory about the perpetrators, he conducted his own intelligence operation with Lída Komárková.
Lída Komárková
Lída is a beautiful, fearless Czech woman who buddied up to a prime suspect while sporting spy paraphernalia, including a pen camera-recorder; a GPS device; and eyeglasses with a hidden camera.
In the end, Stocklassa's discoveries DO suggest a likely shooter, and a location for the murder gun. Moreover, Stocklassa outlines an entire assassination operation that involves a leader; a planning group; a murder group; a surveillance group; and a patsy. The Swedish authorities have this information and may eventually resolve the mystery.....or not (given their woeful history).
A fascinating (to me) chapter of the book includes a report from Stieg Larsson's archives, called "A Study of Assassination", which outlines pros and cons of assorted assassination techniques (possibly compiled by the CIA). The methods included are:
- Manual: Use your bare hands (which is very hard unless you're an expert); use a tool like an axe, hammer, or screwdriver; use a rock or heavy object to administer blunt force trauma to the head; employ a rope or belt for strangulation; etc.
- Accidents: Arrange a fall from a height of 75 feet or more; cause a car/truck accident; push someone in front of a train or bus; etc.
- Drugs: Administer a lethal dose of some sedative or painkiller, like morphine (if you're a doctor or nurse, this is especially convenient).
- Edge weapons (knives, swords, bayonets, etc.): Either pierce the heart or sever the spinal cord in the cervical region.
- Firearms: These are less reliable than many people think; if you use a gun, it should have immense destructive power.
- Explosives: Very effective; make sure the victim is less than six feet from the detonation.
In fact, Palme's assassination was associated with the demise of MANY individuals who may have colluded to commit the crime, or worked to unmask the perpetrators. And lots of these deaths were 'accidents.' 😲 Stocklassa speculates that this may have been an attempt to tie up loose ends and/or protect the most prominent conspirators.
Stieg Larsson and Jan Stocklassa also endured repercussions from their investigations, but these were largely self-inflicted. Larsson smoked incessantly and both men hung out in cafes with strong coffee and delicious pastries....which piled on the pounds.
Café in Stockholm
This is an excellent true crime narrative that reads like a mystery thriller. Highly recommended to readers interested in the subject.
Olof Palme Memorial Plaque in Stockholm
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
November 5, 2019
In this unique book—mixing true crime, political assassination, espionage, and journal entries—Jan Stocklassa recounts events surrounding one of Sweden’s most baffling cold cases. On the evening of February 28th, 1986, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was out with his wife, when he was shot in the back and died. The assailant fled the scene and police were forced to cobble together eyewitness accounts, though they remained quite flimsy. Struggling journalist Stieg Larsson took up the case when he was roused from bed and began trying to piece together what he knew. Sightings and evidence from the scene led some of believe that Victor Gunnarsson might be a likely suspect. Gunnarsson was well-known to Larsson, who had a history of working to uncover and topple those on the political right with his strong articles. However, Gunnarsson’s guilt soon wavered and the country was clueless as to what might have happened. Larsson used his intuitive nature and some friends in the British press to help him scope out new leads, including some ties to other right-wing organisations. Larsson’s primary focus was a man with strong ties to the South African government, at the time still strong in their apartheid movement, something that Palme had been vocally against during his time in Swedish politics. When the case went cold and Larsson could go no further, he turned to writing what would become his most popular Millennium Trilogy, for which he is best known by many readers. When Larsson dies soon thereafter, Jan Stocklassa was given all his research on the Palme case and thus began a resurgence in the fact checking and pushing for answers. In the latter portion of the book, Stocklassa moves away from laying out what Larsson offered up and followed new and decisive leads to find a killer in a case that had long gone cold but was never far from the minds of Swedish officials. Using these leads and some of his own dabbling into new technology not available at the time, Stocklassa offers readers a new suspect with strong evidence to support the claims. In an investigation that Stieg Larsson began on March 1, 1986, Jan Stocklassa may have finally locked-in an answer, though the authorities have yet to act on everything in this book. Highly entertaining as well as informative, Stocklassa (and Larsson) presents loads of prevalent information and leave the reader with a strong sense that the case might finally have an answer. Recommended to those who love a good true crime mystery, as well as the reader who wishes to learn much about Stieg Larsson before any talk of dragon tattoos came to light.
I was eager to read this book as soon as it crossed my radar. There is much to learn about the case, especially since I knew nothing about it from the outset. Stocklassa does a wonderful job of laying out the basics and using Stieg Larsson’s early notes and work to give the reader the proper context. From there, through a series of formats, the reader is plunged into the middle of the investigation. Stocklassa admits to using first-hand documentation, which further strengthens the Larsson angle of the entire investigation. The case is full of suspects and branch-off possibilities—much like a strong murder mystery—with espionage and the murder of many in a variety of political and social situations, going to show that South Africa was keen to rid itself of dissenters and those who sought to criticise. Even when Stocklassa took over the case himself, there were so many loose ends and trying to tie them off proved difficult for anyone, even a seasoned journalist. The themes brought up throughout make a strong case for a new suspect, one who could likely be convicted. That being said, when dealing with cases that have gone cold for so long, as well as the need to apply for extradition, the waters become murkier, even if the truth shines strong. In a book full of information, Stocklassa mixes journal entries, press clippings, private musings, and evidence analysis to prove a point and make a strong case. With brief chapters, the momentum of the case is not lost on the reader who may worry about being drowned in minutiae. Sweden appears keen to close the case out, as there is still a Palme Investigation taking place, albeit on a smaller scale. A wonderful piece of true crime that reads like a spy novel at times, which will educate the reader with any interest in the subject.
Kudos, Mr. Stocklassa, for such a wonderful piece that not only revives the case of Olof Palme, but also helps readers see a Stieg Larsson before he became a household name in Scandinavian crime thrillers. I know he would be proud of the work you put into this book.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I was eager to read this book as soon as it crossed my radar. There is much to learn about the case, especially since I knew nothing about it from the outset. Stocklassa does a wonderful job of laying out the basics and using Stieg Larsson’s early notes and work to give the reader the proper context. From there, through a series of formats, the reader is plunged into the middle of the investigation. Stocklassa admits to using first-hand documentation, which further strengthens the Larsson angle of the entire investigation. The case is full of suspects and branch-off possibilities—much like a strong murder mystery—with espionage and the murder of many in a variety of political and social situations, going to show that South Africa was keen to rid itself of dissenters and those who sought to criticise. Even when Stocklassa took over the case himself, there were so many loose ends and trying to tie them off proved difficult for anyone, even a seasoned journalist. The themes brought up throughout make a strong case for a new suspect, one who could likely be convicted. That being said, when dealing with cases that have gone cold for so long, as well as the need to apply for extradition, the waters become murkier, even if the truth shines strong. In a book full of information, Stocklassa mixes journal entries, press clippings, private musings, and evidence analysis to prove a point and make a strong case. With brief chapters, the momentum of the case is not lost on the reader who may worry about being drowned in minutiae. Sweden appears keen to close the case out, as there is still a Palme Investigation taking place, albeit on a smaller scale. A wonderful piece of true crime that reads like a spy novel at times, which will educate the reader with any interest in the subject.
Kudos, Mr. Stocklassa, for such a wonderful piece that not only revives the case of Olof Palme, but also helps readers see a Stieg Larsson before he became a household name in Scandinavian crime thrillers. I know he would be proud of the work you put into this book.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
January 9, 2024
Low Rating?
Yes, I gave this book a low rating because I am very disappointed with it. For some reason, my mistake, I’m sure, I somehow assumed that this book would be a thriller by Stieg Larsson.
But I began reading the book and discovered that I was wrong. 😑
Two stars. ✨✨
Yes, I gave this book a low rating because I am very disappointed with it. For some reason, my mistake, I’m sure, I somehow assumed that this book would be a thriller by Stieg Larsson.
But I began reading the book and discovered that I was wrong. 😑
Two stars. ✨✨
August 24, 2020
The Man Who Played with Fire by Jan Stocklassa is a true crime book which gives us comprehensive details about the assassination of the then Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986.
It is very strange and uncommon that the murder of a head of state remains unsolved for decades. After getting interested in the case, the author sets about trying to solve it. During his research, he comes across the research done by journalist-turned-author of the Millenium series of novels, Stieg Larsson, when he was alive. Jan then uses both their researches to bring the case to a satisfactory conclusion, though not the evidence that could be held up in a court of law.
As it stands, the case is officially closed. It is sad that the line of research Jan took wasn't really followed by the detectives assigned to the case. After all, he has generated some pretty solid leads, which, if followed, might have turned out different results than the official one.
This book has got me interested in the life and works of Stieg. Though neither have I read any of his books, nor watched their movie adaptations, they are now on my TBR and to-watch lists respectively.
Verdict: Highly recommended.
It is very strange and uncommon that the murder of a head of state remains unsolved for decades. After getting interested in the case, the author sets about trying to solve it. During his research, he comes across the research done by journalist-turned-author of the Millenium series of novels, Stieg Larsson, when he was alive. Jan then uses both their researches to bring the case to a satisfactory conclusion, though not the evidence that could be held up in a court of law.
As it stands, the case is officially closed. It is sad that the line of research Jan took wasn't really followed by the detectives assigned to the case. After all, he has generated some pretty solid leads, which, if followed, might have turned out different results than the official one.
This book has got me interested in the life and works of Stieg. Though neither have I read any of his books, nor watched their movie adaptations, they are now on my TBR and to-watch lists respectively.
Verdict: Highly recommended.
September 18, 2019
Good heavens, this was boring! Boring, boring, boring. The premise sounded good. The author combined his research with years of research left behind by the famous novelist Stieg Larsson in regards to the unsolved assassination of the Swedish prime minister Olof Palme in 1986. The investigation was hopelessly botched by the police. The author provides too much tedious detail, which shows all his and Larsson's intense efforts, but you know what? It's still unsolved, so the book is rather pointless in addition to being a boring litany of excessive detail. It might resonate better if you are Swedish, but having read many true crime books, I can say this is the worst.
November 6, 2019
Сериозна, детайлна и внимателно написана книга.
January 14, 2020
This is a tremendous true crime novel, based on the meticulous and detailed research made by the author, who had access to Stieg Larsson's archive from his years as publisher of the infamous "Expo" magazine. We all know Stieg Larsson as the man who was behind the publishing phenomenon of the "Millenium" trilogy, but only a few are aware of his work as a journalist which was dedicated to unmasking the extreme right in Sweden that gradually gained power from the beginning of the 1980s. Larsson began working in one of Sweden's biggest news agencies, "TT", as an illustrator and while he was working there, the unbelievable happened. The country's Prime Minister, Olof Palme, was shot in the middle of Stockholm's center as he was returning home along with his wife, Lisbet. Palme who was by nature an inquiring individual began immediately to gather information regarding the murder that soon led him to some of his own theories. The presentation of those theories is the main objective for Stocklaasa in "The Man Who Played With Fire".
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-ma...
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-ma...
April 27, 2020
Jan Stocklassa consulted Eva Gabrielsson, Steig Larrson’s long time companion, on a research project relating to architecture/geography and crime. What she had to say took his research in a totally different direction that consumed him for the next 7 years.
Well known for his fictional trilogy, Larrson’s life work was in countering right wing and Nazi extremism. He investigated, researched and wrote for his own publications and others. The intersection of Stocklassa’s interests and Larsson’s was the 1986 assassination of Sweden’s Prime Minister, Olof Palme. Larsson’s extensive files containing clippings, hand written notes, biographies and government reports became the framework for Stocklassa’s research.
Palme’s anti-Apartheid stance and his disruption of the South African and Swedish parts of the US’s Iran-Contra Arms deal earned him powerful enemies. His social policies set off right wingers who convinced themselves he was giving Sweden to the USSR.
His research took Stocklassa to Cyprus, South Africa and rural Sweden. He describes his spy craft (cameras in pens and glasses and use of Facebook) and those who assist him and those he interviews. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation testimony contained applicable confessions and gave prosecutorial immunity such that some were willing to be interviewed. A chart on pages 380-383 shows the broad reach of the bombings and assassinations by those who most likely planned the Palme assassination.
Of all the people playing with fire, Lida is the most intriguing. Her identity is well screened (Mossad? CIA?). She was fearless, comfortable with spycraft and an excellent actress.
I didn’t know (but was not surprised) that the CIA had an assassination manual. Recommended is having a hapless person who is (or appears to be) a true believer either pull the trigger or stand at the crime scene. In the Kennedy assassination (to which the Palme assassination can be compared for its impact and cover up), it was Lee Harvey Oswarld and in this case it is Jakob Thedelin, who looks like the composite drawing of the 10 witness who saw the likely assassin fleeing. He was not interrogated during the investigation; Was the investigation corrupted by sympathizers of the assassins in the various investigation teams?
The lack of an index is a serious omission. There are so many people it is hard to keep track of them. The List of Characters at the end lacks sufficient detail to be of help. Entries for “Suspects” and the “ South African Connections” are so spare you cannot distinguish one from the other. I suggest that readers take notes on the characters to place them when they re-appear. Not as serious an omission, but still a need, is the lack of documentation. While Larsson’s files, books and news reports are noted in the text, full documentation would be helpful.
As of the date of this book review, the murder has still not been officially solved. Although the evidence is circumstantial, I believe Stocklassa has found the killer.
This is an excellent research report. Short chapters make for a quick read. A lot of it feels like a mystery novel. The lack of a much needed index (or at least a more helpful character list) takes it from a 5 star to a 4 star book for me.
Well known for his fictional trilogy, Larrson’s life work was in countering right wing and Nazi extremism. He investigated, researched and wrote for his own publications and others. The intersection of Stocklassa’s interests and Larsson’s was the 1986 assassination of Sweden’s Prime Minister, Olof Palme. Larsson’s extensive files containing clippings, hand written notes, biographies and government reports became the framework for Stocklassa’s research.
Palme’s anti-Apartheid stance and his disruption of the South African and Swedish parts of the US’s Iran-Contra Arms deal earned him powerful enemies. His social policies set off right wingers who convinced themselves he was giving Sweden to the USSR.
His research took Stocklassa to Cyprus, South Africa and rural Sweden. He describes his spy craft (cameras in pens and glasses and use of Facebook) and those who assist him and those he interviews. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation testimony contained applicable confessions and gave prosecutorial immunity such that some were willing to be interviewed. A chart on pages 380-383 shows the broad reach of the bombings and assassinations by those who most likely planned the Palme assassination.
Of all the people playing with fire, Lida is the most intriguing. Her identity is well screened (Mossad? CIA?). She was fearless, comfortable with spycraft and an excellent actress.
I didn’t know (but was not surprised) that the CIA had an assassination manual. Recommended is having a hapless person who is (or appears to be) a true believer either pull the trigger or stand at the crime scene. In the Kennedy assassination (to which the Palme assassination can be compared for its impact and cover up), it was Lee Harvey Oswarld and in this case it is Jakob Thedelin, who looks like the composite drawing of the 10 witness who saw the likely assassin fleeing. He was not interrogated during the investigation; Was the investigation corrupted by sympathizers of the assassins in the various investigation teams?
The lack of an index is a serious omission. There are so many people it is hard to keep track of them. The List of Characters at the end lacks sufficient detail to be of help. Entries for “Suspects” and the “ South African Connections” are so spare you cannot distinguish one from the other. I suggest that readers take notes on the characters to place them when they re-appear. Not as serious an omission, but still a need, is the lack of documentation. While Larsson’s files, books and news reports are noted in the text, full documentation would be helpful.
As of the date of this book review, the murder has still not been officially solved. Although the evidence is circumstantial, I believe Stocklassa has found the killer.
This is an excellent research report. Short chapters make for a quick read. A lot of it feels like a mystery novel. The lack of a much needed index (or at least a more helpful character list) takes it from a 5 star to a 4 star book for me.
September 11, 2019
Before starting this book, I'd never known anything about an assassination in Sweden or the personal life of Stieg Larsson. I'd never even read his fiction books.
The author, Jan Stocklassa, makes an exhaustive and interesting case for who not only who the assassin was, but all the moving parts that went into getting there and having it still unresolved.
The author, Jan Stocklassa, makes an exhaustive and interesting case for who not only who the assassin was, but all the moving parts that went into getting there and having it still unresolved.
September 17, 2023
Titulo: Stieg Larsson. El legado
Autor: Jan Stocklassa
Motivo de lectura: #PopSugarReadingChallenge2023
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Electronico
Puntuacion: 4/5
La investigacion de Stieg Larsson sobre el asesinato de Olof Palme (primer ministro de Suecia) es increible. Años y años de recolectar informacion incansablemente. Incluso esta investigacion se remonta a muchos años antes de haber escrito la saga "Millennium".
Una de las preguntas que continuamente viene a mi mente es por que Larsson termino archivando todo. Se conoce que Larsson era amante de las teorias conspirativas, y este caso realmente da para pensar en algunas teorias. Durante su investigacion encontro pistas en Africa, Medio Oriente, Latinoamerica, Rusia, Israel, que por supuesto involucra a la mafia, la CIA, agentes secretos, trafico de armas, prostitucion y corrupcion. A medida que vamos leyendo todo se asemeja a una muñeca matroska de la cual no paran de salir toda clase de teorias involucrando asuntos realmente de mucho peso.
Jan Stocklassa (el autor de este libro) hace un trabajo fantastico recopilando y dando estructura a toda la investigacion de Larsson, la cual incluye ilustracciones, entrevistas, cartas personales, fotografias, etc. No solo da estructura, Stocklassa va a continuar la investigacion de Larsson, lo cual no sera una tarea facil.
El apendice escrito por Stocklassa al final del libro siento que era muy necesario y honesto por parte de autor.
Autor: Jan Stocklassa
Motivo de lectura: #PopSugarReadingChallenge2023
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Electronico
Puntuacion: 4/5
La investigacion de Stieg Larsson sobre el asesinato de Olof Palme (primer ministro de Suecia) es increible. Años y años de recolectar informacion incansablemente. Incluso esta investigacion se remonta a muchos años antes de haber escrito la saga "Millennium".
Una de las preguntas que continuamente viene a mi mente es por que Larsson termino archivando todo. Se conoce que Larsson era amante de las teorias conspirativas, y este caso realmente da para pensar en algunas teorias. Durante su investigacion encontro pistas en Africa, Medio Oriente, Latinoamerica, Rusia, Israel, que por supuesto involucra a la mafia, la CIA, agentes secretos, trafico de armas, prostitucion y corrupcion. A medida que vamos leyendo todo se asemeja a una muñeca matroska de la cual no paran de salir toda clase de teorias involucrando asuntos realmente de mucho peso.
Jan Stocklassa (el autor de este libro) hace un trabajo fantastico recopilando y dando estructura a toda la investigacion de Larsson, la cual incluye ilustracciones, entrevistas, cartas personales, fotografias, etc. No solo da estructura, Stocklassa va a continuar la investigacion de Larsson, lo cual no sera una tarea facil.
El apendice escrito por Stocklassa al final del libro siento que era muy necesario y honesto por parte de autor.
December 7, 2018
Lost
In Kürze: Sachbuch. Komplex, mit sehr vielen Personen und Zusammenhängen. Thema ist die journalistische Investigation zum Mord an Olof Palme. Der Journalist Jan Stocklossa recherchierte zu dem Thema und nahm das Archiv Stieg Larssons als Ausgangspunkt (ja, der Autor der „Millenium-Reihe“ um Lisbet Salander und Mikael Blomkvist war „eigentlich“ Journalist). Wegen der Komplexität erfordert das Buch politisch-geschichtliche Vorkenntnisse – dann liest es sich jedoch sehr spannend, wenn auch gelegentlich etwas sperrig.
Am 28. Februar 1986 wurde Olof Palme, damals Regierungschef Schwedens, erschossen – wer nicht ausreichend politisch interessiert ist, um davon mindestens gehört zu haben, für den ist das das falsche Buch. Ich gehe sogar soweit, dass ich der Ansicht bin, dass man die politische Lage der Zeit mindestens grob skizzieren können sollte, um den Text in einen sinnvollen Zusammenhang stellen zu können: Apartheid, geteiltes Deutschland, Iran-Contra-Affäre, der vergangene Vietnamkrieg, Abrüstung, Kalter Krieg, Iran-Irak-Krieg, RAF, Ronald Reagan, Helmut Kohl, Margaret Thatcher. Ich war damals ein Teenager und habe das in den Nachrichten mitbekommen und zufällig vor nicht allzu langer Zeit eine Dokumentation im Fernsehen gesehen, die auf gewissen Ungereimtheiten hinwies (wer sich auf den aktuellen Stand bringen will – unten habe ich einige Links gesammelt).
Autor Jan Stocklossa hat eine Darstellung für das Buch gewählt, an die ich mich zunächst gewöhnen musste: da gibt es romanhafte Passagen, die die Handlung aus der Sicht von Stieg Larsson beschreiben – vermutlich den vielen Fans geschuldet; gleichzeitig empfand ich diese Teile als am einfachsten nachzuvollziehen. Dann gibt es die „Quellen“, Transkriptionen von Interviews oder heimlichen Mitschnitten, Briefe, Akten, Zeitungsausschnitte, Skizzen. Speziell die Briefe Larssons erzeugten bei mir eine etwas unheimlich wirkende Authentizität – leider hat man einen Schrifttypus gewählt, der die damalige Schreibmaschine darstellen sollte, aber einfach nur sehr schlecht lesbar ist (lieber Verlag: ich besitze noch alte Schulaufsätze von der Schreibmaschine geschrieben – das wäre in der Allgemeinheit nie nutzbar gewesen bei derart schlechter Qualität). Insgesamt kann man sich anhand der Quellen sehr gut in die Zeit zurückversetzen; die Notwendigkeit zum Briefweg, zu Durchschlägen im Vergleich zu heutigen Kopien oder Mail verdeutlichen die Unterschiede zum Heute zusätzlich.
Dazu kommen dann im Buch noch meist kurze Kapitel zum Fortschritt der Untersuchung des Mords - und diese fand ich teilweise problematisch. Da wird häufig eine Personen- und Faktenflut gelistet, das nächste Kapitel hat wieder einen anderen Fokus, dann geht es vielleicht vier Kapitel weiter mit einigen der Personen weiter. Darunter litt teils mein Durchblick, nach anfänglichem Zurückblättern konnte ich mich daran jedoch gewöhnen. Guter Stil ist es dennoch nach meiner Meinung nicht. Überhaupt, Stil: Gerade diese Kapitel kranken häufig an etwas, was in jedem Schulaufsatz angestrichen würde: Bezug, wo ist der Hauptsatz, Anschluss:
S. 297 „Sein Leben war 1986 erstarrt auf dieser Insel, frühere Taten verbüßt. Gestrandet in einem Land, das es offiziell nicht gab, in einem Haus, das langsam verfiel und zuwucherte.“ Warum wird hier ein Punkt statt eines Kommas gesetzt? Derlei Sätze gibt es viele.
Ähnlich mit der heißen Nadel gestrickt wirkt „er war Waffenexperte und verkaufte diese“, wen verkaufte er, die Waffenexperten? Wenn hier nicht das schwedische Lektorat geschlampt hat, war es das nach der deutschen Übersetzung.
Auf den eigentlichen Inhalt möchte ich bewusst nicht eingehen – es gibt kaum ein Buch, beim dem man ähnlich leicht viel zu viel verraten könnte. Was mir wichtig ist: ich neige nicht so sehr zu Verschwörungstheorien, ob das Bernsteinzimmer noch in irgendjemandes Haus aufgebaut ist oder Marilyn Monroe von der CIA ermordet wurde, würde mein Weltbild nicht durcheinander bringen, ist mir aber auch keine Lebenszeit wert. Stocklossa schafft es, den schmalen Grat zwischen Wahrheitssuche, Besessenheit und Verschwörung zu balancieren. Für Fans der Millenium-Bücher dürfte interessant sein, wie viele Parallelen in die journalistische Arbeit von Larsson es gab – ich werde wohl die Reihe nochmals im Licht dieses Buches lesen.
5 Sterne trotz der genannten Abzüge wegen Stil und Form – da ich schlicht nicht zu beurteilen vermag, ob diese Stocklossa anzulasten sind oder der Übersetzung. Schweden vor, das würde mich interessieren!
Zum Einstieg/Überblick:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Palme
3sat 43min-Doku https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE039...
Zu den Themen im Buch:
u.a. Foto von Craig Williamson https://www.stern.de/panorama/mordfal...
Fotos von Larsson und seinem Archiv, Stocklossa, Alf Enerström, Jakob Thedelin https://www.stern.de/panorama/weltges...
In Kürze: Sachbuch. Komplex, mit sehr vielen Personen und Zusammenhängen. Thema ist die journalistische Investigation zum Mord an Olof Palme. Der Journalist Jan Stocklossa recherchierte zu dem Thema und nahm das Archiv Stieg Larssons als Ausgangspunkt (ja, der Autor der „Millenium-Reihe“ um Lisbet Salander und Mikael Blomkvist war „eigentlich“ Journalist). Wegen der Komplexität erfordert das Buch politisch-geschichtliche Vorkenntnisse – dann liest es sich jedoch sehr spannend, wenn auch gelegentlich etwas sperrig.
Am 28. Februar 1986 wurde Olof Palme, damals Regierungschef Schwedens, erschossen – wer nicht ausreichend politisch interessiert ist, um davon mindestens gehört zu haben, für den ist das das falsche Buch. Ich gehe sogar soweit, dass ich der Ansicht bin, dass man die politische Lage der Zeit mindestens grob skizzieren können sollte, um den Text in einen sinnvollen Zusammenhang stellen zu können: Apartheid, geteiltes Deutschland, Iran-Contra-Affäre, der vergangene Vietnamkrieg, Abrüstung, Kalter Krieg, Iran-Irak-Krieg, RAF, Ronald Reagan, Helmut Kohl, Margaret Thatcher. Ich war damals ein Teenager und habe das in den Nachrichten mitbekommen und zufällig vor nicht allzu langer Zeit eine Dokumentation im Fernsehen gesehen, die auf gewissen Ungereimtheiten hinwies (wer sich auf den aktuellen Stand bringen will – unten habe ich einige Links gesammelt).
Autor Jan Stocklossa hat eine Darstellung für das Buch gewählt, an die ich mich zunächst gewöhnen musste: da gibt es romanhafte Passagen, die die Handlung aus der Sicht von Stieg Larsson beschreiben – vermutlich den vielen Fans geschuldet; gleichzeitig empfand ich diese Teile als am einfachsten nachzuvollziehen. Dann gibt es die „Quellen“, Transkriptionen von Interviews oder heimlichen Mitschnitten, Briefe, Akten, Zeitungsausschnitte, Skizzen. Speziell die Briefe Larssons erzeugten bei mir eine etwas unheimlich wirkende Authentizität – leider hat man einen Schrifttypus gewählt, der die damalige Schreibmaschine darstellen sollte, aber einfach nur sehr schlecht lesbar ist (lieber Verlag: ich besitze noch alte Schulaufsätze von der Schreibmaschine geschrieben – das wäre in der Allgemeinheit nie nutzbar gewesen bei derart schlechter Qualität). Insgesamt kann man sich anhand der Quellen sehr gut in die Zeit zurückversetzen; die Notwendigkeit zum Briefweg, zu Durchschlägen im Vergleich zu heutigen Kopien oder Mail verdeutlichen die Unterschiede zum Heute zusätzlich.
Dazu kommen dann im Buch noch meist kurze Kapitel zum Fortschritt der Untersuchung des Mords - und diese fand ich teilweise problematisch. Da wird häufig eine Personen- und Faktenflut gelistet, das nächste Kapitel hat wieder einen anderen Fokus, dann geht es vielleicht vier Kapitel weiter mit einigen der Personen weiter. Darunter litt teils mein Durchblick, nach anfänglichem Zurückblättern konnte ich mich daran jedoch gewöhnen. Guter Stil ist es dennoch nach meiner Meinung nicht. Überhaupt, Stil: Gerade diese Kapitel kranken häufig an etwas, was in jedem Schulaufsatz angestrichen würde: Bezug, wo ist der Hauptsatz, Anschluss:
S. 297 „Sein Leben war 1986 erstarrt auf dieser Insel, frühere Taten verbüßt. Gestrandet in einem Land, das es offiziell nicht gab, in einem Haus, das langsam verfiel und zuwucherte.“ Warum wird hier ein Punkt statt eines Kommas gesetzt? Derlei Sätze gibt es viele.
Ähnlich mit der heißen Nadel gestrickt wirkt „er war Waffenexperte und verkaufte diese“, wen verkaufte er, die Waffenexperten? Wenn hier nicht das schwedische Lektorat geschlampt hat, war es das nach der deutschen Übersetzung.
Auf den eigentlichen Inhalt möchte ich bewusst nicht eingehen – es gibt kaum ein Buch, beim dem man ähnlich leicht viel zu viel verraten könnte. Was mir wichtig ist: ich neige nicht so sehr zu Verschwörungstheorien, ob das Bernsteinzimmer noch in irgendjemandes Haus aufgebaut ist oder Marilyn Monroe von der CIA ermordet wurde, würde mein Weltbild nicht durcheinander bringen, ist mir aber auch keine Lebenszeit wert. Stocklossa schafft es, den schmalen Grat zwischen Wahrheitssuche, Besessenheit und Verschwörung zu balancieren. Für Fans der Millenium-Bücher dürfte interessant sein, wie viele Parallelen in die journalistische Arbeit von Larsson es gab – ich werde wohl die Reihe nochmals im Licht dieses Buches lesen.
5 Sterne trotz der genannten Abzüge wegen Stil und Form – da ich schlicht nicht zu beurteilen vermag, ob diese Stocklossa anzulasten sind oder der Übersetzung. Schweden vor, das würde mich interessieren!
Zum Einstieg/Überblick:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Palme
3sat 43min-Doku https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE039...
Zu den Themen im Buch:
u.a. Foto von Craig Williamson https://www.stern.de/panorama/mordfal...
Fotos von Larsson und seinem Archiv, Stocklossa, Alf Enerström, Jakob Thedelin https://www.stern.de/panorama/weltges...
October 23, 2019
The description starts hard-boiled as true-crime can get with tantalizing lost research of author/journalist Stieg Larsson on the ultimate cold-case the assassination Prime Minister Olof Palme February 28, 1986. That's one hell of a pitch, and I couldn't resist taking a crack at it. The reality is, Jan Stocklassa's globe-trotting, multi-lingual adventure has less to with Steig than catching the bug of citizen investigation in the vein of Michelle McNamara, with roughly the same results: not much.
Jan's antics involve a few interesting characters like the over-sold mysterious Leahta, who boldly inserts herself the case. Was there a multinational, South African assassination attempt? I'd probably hedge my bets "no." Instead of uncovering the truth, Stocklassa presents an interesting-but-less-compelling alternative narrative. Certainly, the actors were capable but instead felt like lonely old men who society has forgotten, looking to regale any listener, be it a foreign journalist or mysterious, attractive younger woman.
Stocklassa chases the ghost of Larsson, at every corner asking, "What would Stieg do?" and Stocklassa seems intent on name dropping latter portions of the book to remind us why we bought the book. Had this been simply a roleplay exercise, this would have fizzled out, but Jan has caught a clinical-grade case of the whodunits and leads him to do just about anything to get close to his targets.
Also interesting is the mild-controversy over the novel here in the US. Amazon included it with its Prime book club, which ruffled the feathers of conservatives, as any book that makes the right-wing (in this case, across the globe involving fascist groups with Nazi/Neo-Nazi ties) clearly the work of the *shaking fist at sky* liberals. Of course, this book has very little to do with the United States (sans cold-war geopolitics) or has little to say about Trumpism (sans general statements berating racism/xenophobia). Anyone complaining hasn't read it, or has paper-thin-skin. There's a greater irony of the outrage, but it's not worth unpacking here.
Even if the book is tangentially about Stieg, we do get a peek in the paranoid, shadowy spook-filled, cabals of right-wing power brokers that made up Stieg's Millennium Trilogy, and the story is interesting, even if I don't buy the final conclusion.
To circle back to Michelle McNamara's "I'll Be Gone in the Dark," the victory wasn't unearthing groundbreaking clues or finding community in a group of like-minded wannabes. If Palme's killer is caught, it likely won't be Stieg or Jan's work but rather renewing interest in a cold-case to motivate the pros to finish.
Jan's antics involve a few interesting characters like the over-sold mysterious Leahta, who boldly inserts herself the case. Was there a multinational, South African assassination attempt? I'd probably hedge my bets "no." Instead of uncovering the truth, Stocklassa presents an interesting-but-less-compelling alternative narrative. Certainly, the actors were capable but instead felt like lonely old men who society has forgotten, looking to regale any listener, be it a foreign journalist or mysterious, attractive younger woman.
Stocklassa chases the ghost of Larsson, at every corner asking, "What would Stieg do?" and Stocklassa seems intent on name dropping latter portions of the book to remind us why we bought the book. Had this been simply a roleplay exercise, this would have fizzled out, but Jan has caught a clinical-grade case of the whodunits and leads him to do just about anything to get close to his targets.
Also interesting is the mild-controversy over the novel here in the US. Amazon included it with its Prime book club, which ruffled the feathers of conservatives, as any book that makes the right-wing (in this case, across the globe involving fascist groups with Nazi/Neo-Nazi ties) clearly the work of the *shaking fist at sky* liberals. Of course, this book has very little to do with the United States (sans cold-war geopolitics) or has little to say about Trumpism (sans general statements berating racism/xenophobia). Anyone complaining hasn't read it, or has paper-thin-skin. There's a greater irony of the outrage, but it's not worth unpacking here.
Even if the book is tangentially about Stieg, we do get a peek in the paranoid, shadowy spook-filled, cabals of right-wing power brokers that made up Stieg's Millennium Trilogy, and the story is interesting, even if I don't buy the final conclusion.
To circle back to Michelle McNamara's "I'll Be Gone in the Dark," the victory wasn't unearthing groundbreaking clues or finding community in a group of like-minded wannabes. If Palme's killer is caught, it likely won't be Stieg or Jan's work but rather renewing interest in a cold-case to motivate the pros to finish.
September 12, 2019
This book was not what I expected. I got through the first fifty or so pages and it didn't draw me in. I knew it would be about Larsson, but it was billed as a thriller so I thought it would be written like one. Maybe the backstory and press accounts would have been more interesting interspersed with the story, instead of all up front where I had to plow through it without knowing how it would fit in. Perhaps it got better after another fifty pages, but if I wanted to read a documentary I would have chosen one. Tricked me.
August 31, 2021
Oh man this is nuts. Every other page has some wild fact about the Olaf Palme murder. Not sure how much I buy his own investigation stuff (ie anything to do with the Czech woman) because I don't really expect him to incriminate himself. It's a great book, the only downside is you are kind of overloaded with stuff if you're not familiar with the case. Still I had to reach out to one of my favourite podcasts that covers this kind of stuff to see if they'd have him on.
Did a thread on the book here
Did a thread on the book here
October 20, 2019
Drags on a bit, but still reads *almost* like fiction.
Not as much Stieg Larsson as I wanted, more of a continuation into his research on the assassination of the Swedish prime minister in the 80s.
”What you are holding in your hands is a work of creative nonfiction. It is written like a thriller, but it’s factual.”
Not as much Stieg Larsson as I wanted, more of a continuation into his research on the assassination of the Swedish prime minister in the 80s.
”What you are holding in your hands is a work of creative nonfiction. It is written like a thriller, but it’s factual.”
October 6, 2019
This was interesting for a while, but it got old long before I got to the end.
Count this one as a DNF.
Count this one as a DNF.
November 14, 2019
This book was choppy and yet congruent. It was quick paced and so packed full of information it verged on overwhelm. To keep the "players" straight you'd almost need to create your own wall map of interconnectedness with pictures, string, and thumbtacks! Of course, it's these very things that lead me to give "The Man Who Played With Fire" 4 stars.
I might very well be in the minority; but, I didn't fully realize who Steig Larsson was until I read this book. I have yet to read his Millinnium Triology nor have I seen the movie(s). This book wasn't based upon those things though, this book was based upon his investigative journalism and his fixation on extremists and his dedication/obsession with solving the murder of Olof Palme. In turn, how Steig's life's work became the basis and propulsion behind Jan Stocklassa's own.
The author of this book, the lengths he went to within his own research, is impressive and to be lauded. I appreciate that he carried the torch forward in regards to Steig's work but also within his own. No small feat to have the pieces of the puzzle put together, presented to the police, and to know and believe it should/will help the Palme murder become a solved case is an amazing thing to bear witness to even if only via the pages within this book.
Things are never what they seem or appear to be at first glance. There are so many levels of life being lived around us, at any given time, that we'd be hard pressed to discern the truth if asked about any particular one. Layers upon layers of humanity, secrets, lies, and the truth hidden in plain sight.
A good read. Hard to put down. Factual and yet written with creative license. The facts are heavy but the writing style makes the load light.
A read that informs, enlightens, defines; teaches, reaches, and puts together pieces. "The Man Who Played With Fire" - I daresay you cannot find a better book than this one on the topic(s) presented within it's pages.
I might very well be in the minority; but, I didn't fully realize who Steig Larsson was until I read this book. I have yet to read his Millinnium Triology nor have I seen the movie(s). This book wasn't based upon those things though, this book was based upon his investigative journalism and his fixation on extremists and his dedication/obsession with solving the murder of Olof Palme. In turn, how Steig's life's work became the basis and propulsion behind Jan Stocklassa's own.
The author of this book, the lengths he went to within his own research, is impressive and to be lauded. I appreciate that he carried the torch forward in regards to Steig's work but also within his own. No small feat to have the pieces of the puzzle put together, presented to the police, and to know and believe it should/will help the Palme murder become a solved case is an amazing thing to bear witness to even if only via the pages within this book.
Things are never what they seem or appear to be at first glance. There are so many levels of life being lived around us, at any given time, that we'd be hard pressed to discern the truth if asked about any particular one. Layers upon layers of humanity, secrets, lies, and the truth hidden in plain sight.
A good read. Hard to put down. Factual and yet written with creative license. The facts are heavy but the writing style makes the load light.
A read that informs, enlightens, defines; teaches, reaches, and puts together pieces. "The Man Who Played With Fire" - I daresay you cannot find a better book than this one on the topic(s) presented within it's pages.
January 14, 2020
This is a tremendous true crime novel, based on the meticulous and detailed research made by the author, who had access to Stieg Larsson's archive from his years as publisher of the infamous "Expo" magazine. We all know Stieg Larsson as the man who was behind the publishing phenomenon of the "Millenium" trilogy, but only a few are aware of his work as a journalist which was dedicated to unmasking the extreme right in Sweden that gradually gained power from the beginning of the 1980s. Larsson began working in one of Sweden's biggest news agencies, "TT", as an illustrator and while he was working there, the unbelievable happened. The country's Prime Minister, Olof Palme, was shot in the middle of Stockholm's center as he was returning home along with his wife, Lisbet. Palme who was by nature an inquiring individual began immediately to gather information regarding the murder that soon led him to some of his own theories. The presentation of those theories is the main objective for Stocklaasa in "The Man Who Played With Fire".
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-ma...
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-ma...
Read
June 27, 2020Read it if for some reason you feel you have to. Given that my current novel, an anthological maxi novel, padded by the contributions of an expected 75 to 100 contributors, is called The Assassination of Olof Palme, a People's Novel, I had to. It provided nothing convincingly new, but served to refresh my memory of certain details. The guy who wrote it tends toward shabby logic, the drama promised is second-rate, better left unpromised, the entire Stieg Larsson connection overplayed and underwhelming, and, apparently, though the recent Swedish determination that 'Skandia Man' pulled the trigger requires a great deal of explanation (for instance, then who the hell ran off after the shooting?) and is likey a salve offered up to prevent the perpetual roiling of theories, most of which that have lasted have too much merit to utterly dismiss (Bofors, Iran/Contra/South African arms deals and apartheid) and the best of which coalesce into something likely enough to be near the truth, the guy this guy fingers peudonymously didn't pan out.
Back to Miguel Marmol, first hand reportage, the humble story of a Salvadoran revolutionary.
Back to Miguel Marmol, first hand reportage, the humble story of a Salvadoran revolutionary.
September 1, 2022
Fascinating read. Would also recommend The Unlikely Murderer on Netflix.
July 2, 2020
The author is investigating the the assassination of Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986. He uses Stieg Larsons research into the murder as a stepping off point. Larsson who is known to readers as the author of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, was actually a respected political reporter before his death. Larsson had spent quite a bit of time trying to solve the unsolved murder and left behind a treasure trove of notes and letters on the subject. Stocklassa takes this information and builds on it quite a bit.
The book is certainly well researched and presented but I'm frustrated that I still don't know who murdered Prime Minister Olof Palme. Stocklassa presents many great theories on who and why the PM might have been killed. Among other possible motives mentioned is Swedens ties to South Africa and their involvement in the Iran Contra Affair. I actually found this scenario to be one of the most interesting, maybe because I was already familiar with some of the scandal.
I admit that I did have a little trouble keeping all the players straight with such strong Swedish names which I'm not used to.
I'm glad I read the book I just wish I knew who did it.
The book is certainly well researched and presented but I'm frustrated that I still don't know who murdered Prime Minister Olof Palme. Stocklassa presents many great theories on who and why the PM might have been killed. Among other possible motives mentioned is Swedens ties to South Africa and their involvement in the Iran Contra Affair. I actually found this scenario to be one of the most interesting, maybe because I was already familiar with some of the scandal.
I admit that I did have a little trouble keeping all the players straight with such strong Swedish names which I'm not used to.
I'm glad I read the book I just wish I knew who did it.
October 14, 2020
Ja nu kāds šajā grāmatā meklē meiteni ar pūķa tetovējumu, tad vilsies tikpat ļoti kā Tarantino filmu cienītājs, skatoties Discovery History raidījumu. Bet tie, kas meklē īstu notikumu aprakstu ar visiem dubļiem, pelniem un asinīm un grib iepazīt patieso notikumu gaitu bez lieka glamūra, būs ļoti apmierināti: ticamība stāstītajam ir pietiekami liela, lai es uz šo raudzītos kā uz ļoti patiesiem notikumiem balstītu. Īpašu garšu tam visam piedod arī tas, ka nesen biju DĀR un varu norises tur iztēloties pavisam reālistiski.
Bet viena zvaigzne mīnusā tomēr, jo NAV LĪSBETES SALANDERES!!!! Sorry.
Bet viena zvaigzne mīnusā tomēr, jo NAV LĪSBETES SALANDERES!!!! Sorry.
December 8, 2019
Wow, this was an eye-opener! I knew a little about the late Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme and his murder, but I didn't know that novelist Stieg Larsson had taken such a keen interest in the case. Jan Stocklassa, using his own research and tons of material Stieg Larsson had accumulated throughout the years, wrote a book that left me in stunned disbelief! Oh my goodness, the story of Olof Palme's unresolved murder is the stuff bestselling thrillers are made of!
THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE relates how Jan Stocklassa became interested in the Palme assassination when he was given access to Larsson's files on right-wing extremism in Sweden, which also included Larsson's theories on the Palme investigation. Mr. Stocklassa writes a comprehensive narrative, detailing Stieg's and his own experiences with the Palme investigation, almost as if it were happening in real time. It is fascinating and extraordinarily compelling. I just couldn't believe what I was reading!
There is one person whose story was barely looked at, even though it appears full of holes. Although this person is definitely not the killer, I feel that something is off, and yet never looked into. Jan Stocklassa - as Stieg Larsson before him - seems to have very sound hypotheses, but one wonders if the Palme assassination will ever officially be solved. Solved, most likely - it might already be - but officially...
If THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE had been submitted to a publisher as a work of fiction, it would certainly have been immediately rejected as too outlandish; it is just that mind-boggling. It is obvious that Stieg Larsson based his Millennium hero Mikael Blomkvist on himself, which made me appreciate the late author even more. I had wondered if Stieg Larsson might have been murdered because of his tireless work against right-wing extremism, but it appears that he worked himself to death fighting fascists, and trying to find Olof Palme's murderer. Jan Stocklassa and a few people who helped him in his quest also put themselves in real danger, and what they accomplished is awe-inspiring as well.
THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE is very well written, the prose is concise and clear, abundantly detailed yet easy to follow. The text is adequately translated and edited, and the story utterly spellbinding. It reads like a political thriller, but it's all real! I still can't wrap my head around this mystery and all its political implications. It gives an altogether different perspective on recent world history (Olof Palme was murdered in 1986). Stieg Larsson and Jan Stocklassa did play with fire.
THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE relates how Jan Stocklassa became interested in the Palme assassination when he was given access to Larsson's files on right-wing extremism in Sweden, which also included Larsson's theories on the Palme investigation. Mr. Stocklassa writes a comprehensive narrative, detailing Stieg's and his own experiences with the Palme investigation, almost as if it were happening in real time. It is fascinating and extraordinarily compelling. I just couldn't believe what I was reading!
There is one person whose story was barely looked at, even though it appears full of holes. Although this person is definitely not the killer, I feel that something is off, and yet never looked into. Jan Stocklassa - as Stieg Larsson before him - seems to have very sound hypotheses, but one wonders if the Palme assassination will ever officially be solved. Solved, most likely - it might already be - but officially...
If THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE had been submitted to a publisher as a work of fiction, it would certainly have been immediately rejected as too outlandish; it is just that mind-boggling. It is obvious that Stieg Larsson based his Millennium hero Mikael Blomkvist on himself, which made me appreciate the late author even more. I had wondered if Stieg Larsson might have been murdered because of his tireless work against right-wing extremism, but it appears that he worked himself to death fighting fascists, and trying to find Olof Palme's murderer. Jan Stocklassa and a few people who helped him in his quest also put themselves in real danger, and what they accomplished is awe-inspiring as well.
THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE is very well written, the prose is concise and clear, abundantly detailed yet easy to follow. The text is adequately translated and edited, and the story utterly spellbinding. It reads like a political thriller, but it's all real! I still can't wrap my head around this mystery and all its political implications. It gives an altogether different perspective on recent world history (Olof Palme was murdered in 1986). Stieg Larsson and Jan Stocklassa did play with fire.
April 1, 2019
Švédský novinář se dostal k archivu Stiega Larssona, ve kterém se ukrývá výsledek Larssonovy mnohaleté práce, kdy se snažil odhalit pozadí vraždy Olofa Palmeho. Nám ve střední Evropě se možná těžko chápe, jaké trauma to pro Švédy a Švédsko stále je. Ale je to možná nejbolavější místo jejich nedávné historie.
Stocklassa se rozhodl jednou provždy tu otázku vyřešit: Kdo zabil Olofa Palmeho? Kdo si vraždu objednal? A proč se to za těch třicet let nepovedlo vyšetřit?
Kniha Odkaz Stiega Larssona je dokumentární román, což v podstatě znamená, že se jedná o faktografii, která je místy doplněna prvky z beletrie. Je to velmi napínavé čtení a autor si dal velmi dobře záležet na tom, aby udržel čtenářskou pozornost.
Rozdělena je do dvou částí. V té první sledujeme vraždu Olofa Palmeho a materiály, které o tom nasbíral Stieg Larsson. Pravděpodobný průběh události, různé vyšetřovací verze, tápání policie, zoufalost a zmar. V té druhé se přeneseme do současnosti a v hlavní roli je Jan Stocklassa. Navazuje na Larssonovo pátrání a ubírá se svým směrem. Kontaktuje ho jistá Češka, která mu pak v jeho práci pomáhá. Právě v této části – bavíme se zhruba o polovině knihy – Odkaz Stiega Larssona nejvíce připomíná napínavý thriller. Konfrontace s domnělým vrahem, s domnělým prostředníkem a další prvky, které vám nedovolí jít spát.
Jméno skutečného vraha se z knihy nedozvíme. Autor sice má nějakou teorii, ale vrahovi dal pseudonym, aby přece jen nějak chránil jeho soukromí. Stocklassa nabízí teorii a přednáší pro ni značný počet argumentů, ale pořád se pohybujeme v rovině domněnky. V knize nicméně tvrdí, že své poznatky předal policii a věří, že do dvou let tato bolavá rána švédské společnosti zmizí.
Jednu hvězdičku ubírám za nevyváženost. Zatímco některé kapitoly jsou méně záživné, jindy hltáte řádek po řádku a ignorujete své životní potřeby. Myslím, že knize by slušelo o špetičku více editorské práce.
Pořád je to nicméně fascinující příběh, fascinující případ a fascinující kniha. Nikdy jsem nic takového nečetl.
Stocklassa se rozhodl jednou provždy tu otázku vyřešit: Kdo zabil Olofa Palmeho? Kdo si vraždu objednal? A proč se to za těch třicet let nepovedlo vyšetřit?
Kniha Odkaz Stiega Larssona je dokumentární román, což v podstatě znamená, že se jedná o faktografii, která je místy doplněna prvky z beletrie. Je to velmi napínavé čtení a autor si dal velmi dobře záležet na tom, aby udržel čtenářskou pozornost.
Rozdělena je do dvou částí. V té první sledujeme vraždu Olofa Palmeho a materiály, které o tom nasbíral Stieg Larsson. Pravděpodobný průběh události, různé vyšetřovací verze, tápání policie, zoufalost a zmar. V té druhé se přeneseme do současnosti a v hlavní roli je Jan Stocklassa. Navazuje na Larssonovo pátrání a ubírá se svým směrem. Kontaktuje ho jistá Češka, která mu pak v jeho práci pomáhá. Právě v této části – bavíme se zhruba o polovině knihy – Odkaz Stiega Larssona nejvíce připomíná napínavý thriller. Konfrontace s domnělým vrahem, s domnělým prostředníkem a další prvky, které vám nedovolí jít spát.
Jméno skutečného vraha se z knihy nedozvíme. Autor sice má nějakou teorii, ale vrahovi dal pseudonym, aby přece jen nějak chránil jeho soukromí. Stocklassa nabízí teorii a přednáší pro ni značný počet argumentů, ale pořád se pohybujeme v rovině domněnky. V knize nicméně tvrdí, že své poznatky předal policii a věří, že do dvou let tato bolavá rána švédské společnosti zmizí.
Jednu hvězdičku ubírám za nevyváženost. Zatímco některé kapitoly jsou méně záživné, jindy hltáte řádek po řádku a ignorujete své životní potřeby. Myslím, že knize by slušelo o špetičku více editorské práce.
Pořád je to nicméně fascinující příběh, fascinující případ a fascinující kniha. Nikdy jsem nic takového nečetl.
November 17, 2020
When Olof Palme, the Swedish Primer Minister, was assassinated on February 28, 1986, while going back home after being at the movies, Stieg Larsson, who would become world wide known years later with the “Millenium” trilogy, worked as a graphic designer and journalist for a news agency. One of his passions was investigating the extreme right groups that were growing up in Sweden, publishing a couple of books on the subject. After the death of Olof Palme he carried out a parallel investigation to the police, becoming convinced that these groups were behind the assassination. Several years after his death, swedish journalist Jan Stocklassa had access to Larsson’s huge research , becoming also obsessed with Palme’s murder and continuing the investigation.
“The man who played with fire” is the result of those investigations. While it could have resulted in a tedious essay with lots of data, names, political groups, etc. the author manages for it to read like a novel (the plot could be up there with one of Larsson’s books), taking us through the investigation carried out by Larsson and his subsequent findings years later. At the end, the author just presents his findings, leaving it up to the readers to decide what to believe happened.
When I came upon this book, the only information I had about the Olof Palme murder was that he was shot on the street after being at the cinema, so this book was a real treat, finding out about all the different theories the police and media had run throughout the years: the extreme right groups, the South African secret service, etc.
Knowing next to nothing about Swedish politics I was afraid I would get lost in all the data presented, but nothing farther from reality. I was completely engrossed while reading, as the story had all the twists and turns you could expect of a page-turner thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
“The man who played with fire” is the result of those investigations. While it could have resulted in a tedious essay with lots of data, names, political groups, etc. the author manages for it to read like a novel (the plot could be up there with one of Larsson’s books), taking us through the investigation carried out by Larsson and his subsequent findings years later. At the end, the author just presents his findings, leaving it up to the readers to decide what to believe happened.
When I came upon this book, the only information I had about the Olof Palme murder was that he was shot on the street after being at the cinema, so this book was a real treat, finding out about all the different theories the police and media had run throughout the years: the extreme right groups, the South African secret service, etc.
Knowing next to nothing about Swedish politics I was afraid I would get lost in all the data presented, but nothing farther from reality. I was completely engrossed while reading, as the story had all the twists and turns you could expect of a page-turner thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2020
I am a sucker for reading up unsolved cases especially when it involves the assassination of political leaders. So there was no way that I would let this one pass: not when it involved an unsolved assassination case and certainly not when it involved an association to Steig Larsson!
Famous the world over for his Millennium Trilogy books, Steig Larsson was not only an ace journalist but someone who actively investigated into the rise of the far right extremism in Sweden. What many do not know is that the journalist author was methodically looking into the loose ends of the assassination of Olof Palme, the Prime Minister of Sweden (in 1986) for over years. The assassination left no strong leads and the case remains unsolved all these years with investigation teams going on different tracks.
The Man Who Played with Fire ( a clever nod to the Millennium books) by former diplomat and journalist Jan Stocklassa looks into Larsson's files and follow the leads that Larsson had followed up. What follows is not just a well structured analysis from the notes and archived material that Larsson left behind but the manner in which the author took further investigations. What the reader gets then is not just what happened all those long years ago and the reasons but also a fascinating account into the geo political relations between Sweden, South Africa and the US. Readers who have loved the Millennium trilogy will also find the manner in which the series was based as much on the rise of extremism in Sweden but also the nature of its secret service.
Those who love non fiction and follow unsolved cases will surely love this book. I so thoroughly enjoyed this one and had no idea how the 500 pages went by!
Famous the world over for his Millennium Trilogy books, Steig Larsson was not only an ace journalist but someone who actively investigated into the rise of the far right extremism in Sweden. What many do not know is that the journalist author was methodically looking into the loose ends of the assassination of Olof Palme, the Prime Minister of Sweden (in 1986) for over years. The assassination left no strong leads and the case remains unsolved all these years with investigation teams going on different tracks.
The Man Who Played with Fire ( a clever nod to the Millennium books) by former diplomat and journalist Jan Stocklassa looks into Larsson's files and follow the leads that Larsson had followed up. What follows is not just a well structured analysis from the notes and archived material that Larsson left behind but the manner in which the author took further investigations. What the reader gets then is not just what happened all those long years ago and the reasons but also a fascinating account into the geo political relations between Sweden, South Africa and the US. Readers who have loved the Millennium trilogy will also find the manner in which the series was based as much on the rise of extremism in Sweden but also the nature of its secret service.
Those who love non fiction and follow unsolved cases will surely love this book. I so thoroughly enjoyed this one and had no idea how the 500 pages went by!
Want to read
February 21, 2020
I read a few books by Stieg Larsson. I recall one of them mentioning the Olof Palme mystery. But "many Portuguese names" connected with the murder, is completely new to me. The author came to Portugal, last 15th of June.
https://www.dn.pt/edicao-do-dia/15-ju...
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UPDATE
Last Friday [13th September] edition of Ípsilon had an interesting article about the book of Stocklassa. A Portuguese writer called José Direitinho had recently an interview with Stocklassa, in Oslo. Most important, it seems the book shows what happened on that night of 28th February 1986, and points the identity of those who were in the crime spot.
Finally, shall we know WHO DID IT?
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UPDATE
Maybe soon.
https://elpais.com/internacional/2020...
March 23, 2022
Впечатлена съм от тази документалистика. В основата й са двадесетгодишният труд на блестящия Стиг Ларшон и последващите осем години разследвания на журналиста Ян Стокласа върху неразкритото убийство на шведския министърпредседател Улоф Палме.
Разследването оплита ЦРУ, ЮАР, оръжейния бизнес и цялата тъмна страна на политиката и бизнеса, апартейда в шокиращи, но очаквани машинации. Да се разходя по страниците на този грандиозен труд беше невероятно удоволствие.
Разследването оплита ЦРУ, ЮАР, оръжейния бизнес и цялата тъмна страна на политиката и бизнеса, апартейда в шокиращи, но очаквани машинации. Да се разходя по страниците на този грандиозен труд беше невероятно удоволствие.
February 3, 2021
I loved this book. So fascinating.
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