Dinero facil /Easy Money (Spanish Edition) (Trilogia Negra De Estocolmo / the Stockholm Noir Trilogy)

Written by a criminal lawyer, this book is the first in the "Stockholm Noir" trilogy and has been a best seller in several languages. Drug addiction links three criminals inhabiting separate yet interlocking spheres of the Stockholm underworld: Jorge, an imprisoned drug dealer; Mrado, a Serbian mafia member; and J.W., a luxury-obsessed rich kid. As the narrative progresses, the more humane nature of the three men is revealed as friendship and family ties become significant. However, time is running out; the tangled web tightens, characters are thrown together, and a desire for revenge grows ever stronger. Drawing on the current popularity of Swedish crime fiction, as exemplified by Stieg Larsson's blockbuster novels, this book has a lot of credible detail and dialog, as well as a strong plot. Elaborate character introductions make for a complicated beginning, but the pace picks up, and brief footnote definitions help situate the reader in the Swedish world. A darkly realist book, it would suit crime fiction readers; recommended for large public libraries.—Alison Hicks, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder