Per Wahlöö, co-author of the remarkable Martin Beck series of Swedish detective novels, here takes a solo outing, departing from the crime novel genre into that of diplomatic intrigue. In THE ASSIGNMENT, a South American diplomat, Manuel Ortega, is ordered to replace a provincial official after the man's assassination. Ortega must try to establish peace, or at least an end to violence, between the wealthy white population of the province and the Indian peasants who have united against them in hopes of liberating themselves from oppression. Much of the novel depicts Ortega waiting tensely and tediously for events to occur, yet there is nothing tedious for the reader. When events do break, what happens is both exciting and intelligent, with turns and intrigue accelerating the tension. There is a strong philosophical debate at play between Ortega and the police commander who is both his political opponent and his greatest source of security, and Wahlöö, a deeply political writer even in his most commercial works, makes no secret of where he stands on the issues at play in the story. At times deceptively even-paced, THE ASSIGNMENT turns out to be a sturdy exploration of the lifelong fight between true good and true evil and the grey areas where so much of life exists. A highly engaging book. ( )

Sverige og en lille sydamerikansk stat, ca 1963
Manuel Ortega er handelsattache i Sverige for sit lille sydamerikanske land. ???

El Campesino, Irigo, Carmen Sánchez, El Rojo Redondo bliver mishandlet og skudt til sidst. ( )

Den första svenska terroristrimanen?