Outsider in Amsterdam

I have fallen woefully behind in summaries of books I have completed.  

Outsider in Amsterdam by Janwillem van de Wetering.  The first in the Grijpstra and DeGier series.

From the blurb:

On a quiet street in downtown Amsterdam, a man is found hanging from the ceiling beam of his bedroom, upstairs from the new religious society he founded: a group that calls itself “Hindist” and supposedly mixes elements of various Eastern traditions. Detective-Adjutant Gripstra and Sergeant de Gier of the Amsterdam police are sent to investigate what looks like a simple suicide, but they are immediately suspicious of the circumstances.

This now-classic novel, first published in 1975, introduces Janwillem van de Wetering’s lovable Amsterdam cop duo of portly, wise Gripstra and handsome, contemplative de Gier. With its unvarnished depiction of the legacy of Dutch colonialism and the darker facets of Amsterdam’s free drug culture, this excellent procedural asks the question of whether a murder may ever be justly committed.

The books are a steady mix of locational observation, philosophical musing, light humor, and appreciation of irony and fate.  I appreciate the small snapshots of Holland, Amsterdam and Dutch culture.  For example: 

Within a few minutes the detectives were walking toward their car. A late drunk came swaggering toward them, and de Gier had to jump aside.

"Out of my way," the drunk shouted and grabbed a lamp post. 

"Bah," Grijpstra said. The drunk was pissing on the street and all over his own trousers.

"Watch it," de Gier shouted. The drunken had fallen over and rolled off the sidewalk into the street.

Grijpstra, who was getting into the car, grabbed the microphone. 

 

"An unconscious man on the sidewalk of Haarlemmer and Houttuinen opposite number five. Please send the bus."

"Drunk?" The voice of Headquarters asked.

"Very," Grijpstra answered.  "No need for an ambulance, the police bus will do."

"Bus coming," the voice said. "Out."

"We better wait," de Gier said.  "I have pulled him off the street but he may roll over again. He's fast asleep. 

"Sure. We've got nothing else to do."

They waited in silence for the small blue bus with its crew of two elderly police constables who dragged the drunk inside, cursing and sighing.  

"Nice job," de Gier said, waved at the constables and started the engine.

At another point, de Wetering mentions Grijpstra, needing to wash something out of his shirt, has to repair to an upstairs bathroom at Headquarters but first has to get some hot water from the cafeteria.  In 2021, that seems odd, but in 1975 (when this was written) in both Britain and continental Europe, hot water and strong water pressure were still luxuries.  Most buildings had low water pressure and not all sinks had hot water.  

de Wetering is, like Georges Simenon, really very good at weaving small but telling details into the story which add a wonderful dimension to them.