Join inspector DeKok in his investigations in the DeKok series by Dutch bestselling author Baantjer. A young woman has gone missing, but she was hiding her own share of secrets... A beautiful, free-spirited young woman has gone missing, and those closest to her fear for her life. Inspector DeKok is soon called upon to find out her whereabouts. It quickly becomes clear that this Nanette may have harbored a dark side, one that embraced blackmail, emotional cruelty, and a wicked selfishness. The more DeKok learns of the beguiling Nanette, the more he feels that he is on the trail of a dead woman. DeKok’s suspicions are confirmed with a phone call: the dismembered body of a young woman has been found at the city dump. Now DeKok has to find the bloodied hands responsible for the somber-eyed woman’s murder.

Join inspector DeKok in his investigations in the DeKok series by Dutch bestselling author Baantjer. A woman finds a dead body in an office – but when she returns to the room, the body has gone... As has been her habit since the death of her husband, Mrs. Van Haesbergen does nightly rounds in the large office building where she resides. Her husband had been the building superintendent, and an apartment on the top floor came with the job. One night she encounters the managing director in the boardroom, sitting in his chair at the head of the table. She hastily walks up to him, and to her horror, she finds him dead. She rushes up to her apartment to call someone, but who? Deciding it better to return to the boardroom to determine what exactly happened, she finds the dead man gone... Soon after she learns that the director is on holiday in the Bahamas. With unbearable visions of him dead in the boardroom, she turns to Inspector DeKok for help.

Albert Cornelis Baantjer is the Netherland's most widely read author and his hero DeKok is adored and highly praised. The cases DeKok faces are so real that sometimes he and his creator are thought to be the same person since Baantjer worked as a homicide detective in Amsterdam for twenty-five years. In this latest adventure to make it overseas, DeKok investigates the murder of a young conman with whom he used to deal. On the sand dunes that protect the low lands of the Netherlands, an early morning jogger makes a gruesome discovery-the body of a man with a dagger protruding from his back. The corpse of Peter Geffel, better known as "Cunning" Pete, is identified, but the local police cannot find any clues. When the call goes out to notify other jurisdictions of the discovery, Homicide Detective DeKok feels drawn to the case because he knew the victim. Along with his inseparable side-kick Vledder, DeKok searches the city of Amsterdam for answers. Soon there is another corpse and, unlikely as it may seem, the killing of Cunning Pete is connected to a killing in higher social circles.

A woman has disappeared without a trace from Hospital South in Amsterdam. Upon investigation, three more women seem to have disappeared in the same mysterious way. For the first time in his career, a hospital means more to DeKok than a place where wounded witnesses and criminals are interrogated.

"Shrewd, compassionate, and dedicated, DeKok makes a formidable opponent for criminals and a worthwhile competitor for the attention of Simenon's Maigret fans."--Library Journal The trail of a recent crime leads Inspector DeKok to Bloedberg (Blood Mountain), Belgium, a neighborhood in Antwerp. It seems a man was fished from the Scheldt River, and DeKok has been summoned to help with the investigation. At a funeral back in Amsterdam, things are just as murky as the corpse's river when DeKok discovers a man among the mourners who has been officially dead for at least two years. Events further darken DeKok's view of the case when the widow of the recently buried victim files a complaint of forgery; her deceased husband's bank account has been emptied. DeKok soon finds himself drawn back to Bloedberg, amidst one of the most bizarre and cunning crime syndicates the old, gray sleuth has faced yet. A.C. Baantjer is the most widely read author in the Netherlands. A former detective inspector of the Amsterdam police, his fictional characters reflect the depth and personality of individuals encountered during his thirty-eight-year career in law enforcement. He was recently knighted by the Dutch monarchy.

Along with such peers as Ed McBain and Georges Simenon, [Baantjer] has created a long-running and uniformly engaging police series. -Mystery Scene..... Inspector DeKok and his partner Vledder are ordered to protect the eccentric Manfred Nettel...

''Baantjer's laconic, rapid-fire storytelling has spun out a surprisingly complex web of mysteries.'' - Kirkus Reviews ''Baantjer seduces mystery lovers. Inspector DeKok is part Columbo, part Clouseau, part genius, and part imp.'' - West Coast Review of Books..... This latest page-turner in the best-selling Baantjer series delves into a grotesque double murder in a well-known Amsterdam hotel. Faced with murder victims found looking like macabre wooden harlequins, Inspector DeKok must unravel clues from two unexpected characters: a six-year-old girl who has trouble sleeping and a respected accountant who seeks DeKok's advice on committing the perfect crime. In a surprising twist, DeKok meets with the murderer and tries everything possible to prevent the man from giving himself up to the police. With Dead Harlequin, Baantjer has crafted yet another intelligent, absorbing tale.

'The two novellas make an irresistible case for the popularity of the Dutch author' - The New York Times Book Review 'DeKok is a careful, compassionate police-man in the tradition of Maigret' - Library Journal A veteran of the Amsterdam Municipal Police Department (Homicide), Baantjer has been hailed in his homeland as the 'Dutch Conan Doyle'. This first translation of these two classic novellas into English is a testament to that reputation.

The enormous explosion of crime fiction over the last decade means that more people are looking for a good mystery than ever before. This dictionary of fictional detectives helps readers learn about the series in which their favorite detectives are featured. Included are alphabetically arranged entries on roughly 150 fictional detectives, which provide information about the works in which the detective appears, the locales in which the detective operates, the detective's investigative methods, and other important information. Helpful bibliographical citations direct the reader to other interesting works. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography; various appendices; and an extensive index. The enormous explosion of crime fiction over the last decade means that more people are looking for a good mystery than ever before. Many of the most popular mystery books appear in series, and these series feature carefully developed detectives.

Join inspector DeKok in his investigations in the DeKok series by Dutch bestselling author Baantjer. DeKok is faced with a case involving a grand estate, deadly geese, and a horrifying mansion... DeKok takes on Igor Stablinsky, a man accused of bludgeoning a wealthy old man and his wife. To DeKok’s unfailing eye the killing urge is visibly present in the suspect during questioning, but did he commit this particular crime? All signs point to one of the few remaining grand estates in Holland. The answer lies within a strange family, suspicions of incest, deadly geese, and a horrifying mansion.