Dekok and Murder in Ecstasy (Dekok Series, 16)
If you're looking for a change from the grim world of police procedurals inhabited by the likes ofLawrence Block's hard-bitten Matthew Scudder orMichael Connelly's cynical Harry Bosch, consider Inspector DeKok, a Dutch copper. Unlike his American counterparts, DeKok has a sunny disposition and a kindly nature. You won't find him beating information out of a suspect; he's more likely to make a polite request. InDeKok and Murder in Ecstasy, the courteous cop investigates a murder and robbery, managing to unravel the complex threads of the plot without ever loosing his customary cool or innate courtesy.