Maj Sjöwall

Maj Sjöwall

Birth : 1935-09-25, Stockholm, Sweden

Death : 2020-04-29

History

Maj Sjöwall (5 September 1935 – 29 April 2020) was a Swedish author and translator. She is best known for her books about police detective Martin Beck. She wrote the books in collaborative work with her partner Per Wahlöö.

Profile

Maj Sjöwall

Movies

Beck 44 - Rage Room
Characters
A man is found brutally murdered at a running track in the woods. At the same time, Josef resumes the relationship with a former girlfriend from school, Cissi, whose father recently died of a sudden heart attack during a robbery. Josef goes against Alex's directive and begins an unofficial investigation into Cissi's father's death, which puts him in a complicated conflict situation.
Beck 43 - A New Life
Characters
A body is found in the water near Liljeholmen. The body belongs to a 39-year-old Danish citizen with a solid criminal record and who was a member of a notorious Danish drug gang. Should the Beck Group get a gang war on their necks? Martin Beck is back to the joy of the entire Beck group. Martin's daughter Inger is not as happy but has to accept her father's decision to start working again.
The Prodigal Son
Characters
A jawbone is found in the middle of the forest. When the rest of the body is found, it turns out that it has just recently been moved and belongs to Viktor Eklund, who has been missing for five years.
Beck 41 - Death in Samarra
Characters
A candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize is brutally stabbed to death in central Stockholm just after a meeting with two lawyers from the war tribunal in The Hague. One of the witnesses worked with Alex when she was in the Middle East.
Beck 40 - Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Characters
During a police intervention, a macabre discovery is made in the trunk of a car. Josef and Oskar find themselves in the line of fire of a seemingly cold-blooded killer. But things are not what they seem.
Beck 39 - Undercover
Characters
A young gang member is found dead, and the Beck group's investigation indicates that a drug network is behind it. Klas Fredén has been monitoring the network for a long time, and the Beck group - led by Alex Beijer - is most graciously allowed to work with the murder investigation in parallel. She will soon end up on a collision course with Fredén. Thus, Martin Beck, who is now head of department, is also involved in the case.
Beck 38 - The Devil's Advocate
Characters
The murder of a restaurant owner who is gunned down in front of a diner full of customers has unexpected repercussions for Alex, whose brother, Paul, represented two men expected of involvement in the killing. Meanwhile, Steinar, amidst tension with Alex and the breakdown of his marriage, accepts the offer of a transfer from Klas.
Beck 37 - Without Intent
Characters
The Beck group, with Alex Beijer as new group manager, is given a case where a 12-year-old girl found her mother dead below the stairs at home. Is it an accident or would someone have the single mother something bad? It turns out that the family lives with a protected identity and during the investigation, the case takes several surprising twists. "Without intentions" is the 37th film in the series with Peter Haber like Martin Beck.
Beck 36 - The Thin Ice
Characters
Simon Lindström, the popular coach of a suburban junior hockey team is found stabbed to death. Does the murder have something to do with his side project: teaching unaccompanied refugee children to ice skate? This undertaking has certainly not been appreciated by everyone in their small, sheltered community. Martin Beck, who has returned in a more senior position, struggles to find a replacement for the temporary head of the group, Steinar Hovland. But the Norwegian is becoming more and more interested in keeping his new role. The question is whether Martin can trust him?
Beck 35 - Flesh & Blood
Characters
A man is beaten to death in the Middle East. In Stockholm, a young woman disappears on her way home from work. These two events will prove to be related. Since Martin Beck has quit, Steinar Hovland leads the search for the missing girl. But Martin is drawn into the case when he decides to help the national Security Police investigate a suspected terrorist. They soon realize that they are in a race against time to stop a catastrophe.
Beck: The Last Day
Characters
Two traffic officers on a quiet morning shift try to stop a car for speeding. When the car finally pulls over, the driver gets out and shoots at them, killing one of the officers in cold blood. A national alert is issued and an extensive search for the ruthless killer begins, with the Beck group at the lead. Neither the officer’s shocked and wounded colleague nor any of the witnesses have seen anything helpful to the police. Finally, they find the car registration number using a surveillance camera. But, when they enter the car owner’s apartment, they find him shot to death. The first day of summer is a long one for the Beck group, as the killer has more victims on his list.
Beck 32 - Steinar
Characters
An unidentified body is found in the remains left after a fire in a trailer at a run-down caravan park. The owner of the trailer, a young drug-addicted woman, is missing, but is she really the victim? And what role has the so-called neighbourhood watch from the nearby community played? The case is difficult to solve, with everyone involved guarding their secrets, regardless of social class. Furthermore, police supervisor Klas Fredén decides to go over Martin Beck’s head and recruit charismatic, Norwegian homicide investigator, Steinar Hovland. The newly-structured Beck group faces the blight of a power struggle. And Martin struggles to find his way back to his old self.
Beck 31 - Gunvald
Characters
An investigative journalist is found beaten to death in his home, where the fingerprints of a notorious criminal debt collector are also found. The murdered journalist has been threatened by right wing extremists, but it is the victim’s work with a book about “society’s dark side” that captures the Beck group’s interest. When the case takes an unexpected and terrible turn, there is suddenly much more at stake than finding the journalist’s killer. Martin Beck and his colleagues have never had to protect the balance of their professional and private lives with the same tenacity as they do now.
Beck 30 - The Hospital Murders
Characters
An elderly woman dies in a hospital in Stockholm and it turns out that she suffered from an incurable disease. Her son refuses to believe that it was the disease that was the primary cause of her death.
Beck 29 - Invasion
Characters
The bodies of two buried men are found and despite persistent attempts, they cannot be identified. When another man is murdered they discover new evidence that soon leads them to an Islamist terrorist cell.
Beck 28 - The Family
Characters
When a well-known crime boss is murdered by a sniper in front of his family, Beck and his team are challenged to discover which one of his many enemies could be responsible for the crime.
Beck 27 - Room 302
Characters
The body of a young woman is found in a Stockholm hotel room. It appears that she has been strangled after a night partying with two young men, but the room was paid for using the credit card of a mugging victim whose alibi doesn't add up. Martin and Gunvald investigate under the supervision of their new boss Klas Freden.
Lone Wolves & Dragon Tattoos: How Scandinavian Crime Fiction Conquered the World
Herself
Lone Wolves & Dragon Tattoos traces the evolution of Nordic crime fiction, from its humble beginnings with the Martin Beck novels of the 1960s straight through to the worldwide phenomenon of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, featuring interviews with some of the actors, writers and producers who bring these mysteries to life on-screen.
Beck 25 - The Eye of the Storm
Characters
When the charred remains of woman are found, Säpo, the Swedish Security Services, suspect Gunvald Larsson of being mixed up in her murder. The dead woman was wanted internationally and a member of a group of militant eco-activists carrying out attacks around the world. Gunvald sets out on his own to find the woman's murderer, with Säpo on his heels. Martin Beck is ordered to arrest Gunvald and his loyalty to his colleague is now put to the test.
Beck 24 - In the Name of God
Characters
A paparazzi photographer gets brutally murdered in Stockholm. His apartment is searched and the computer together with photo equipment is missing.
Beck 23 - The Silent Scream
Characters
Two young girls are killed on railway by a passing train. It does not seem to fit the profile of a normal suicide. So if this is a double homicide who would do this and why? Martin Beck and his team start following the step backwards in order to figure out what has happened. With good and intensive police work they find man side trails from the main path.
Beck 19 - The Vulture
Characters
Swedish politician John Veden vanishes without a trace. There's no hint he's dead yet but Beck's team gets the case due to Police Chief Oberg's friendship with the man whom she dined with him the evening before he vanished. When they find out Veden was a gambler with heavy debts battling his addiction the case leads Martin Beck, Gunvald Larsson and freshly returned Lena Klingström into Sweden's illegal gambling scene. And Veden was planning to expose his own addiction and his party's huge financial profits from gambling in a confessional book - which his political allies got wind of via illegal data theft. With several people having an interest that Veden stays missing the team tries to find the politician and the true perpetrator while Beck is grappling privately with his ambivalent feelings about working with ex Lena again....
Beck 17 - The Scorpion
Characters
An abused woman is feverishly sought by police in the murder of her ex-husband but is being hidden by abused woman-advocates. At the same time, Gunvald Larsson discovers a police report that his long-estranged sister has been abused. He confronts her with his knowledge but she denies it.
Beck 16 - The Last Witness
Characters
A series of grisly murders where the victims faces have been removed by acid starts to turn up around Stockholm. Detective Martin Beck and Gunvald Larsson are once again drawn into the darkness.
Beck 13 - Sender Unknown
Characters
Martin Beck, Gunvald Larsson and Alice Levander investigate the mysterious murder of an accountant that was found shot to death at the airport parking. At the same time a reporter receives a package from an anonymous source, with information regarding the embezzling of funds that should have been used for fixing up nuclear reactors. When the reporter contacts Beck, his home gets blown up by a bomb.
Beck 10 - The Man Without a Face
Characters
A man is found dead, stabbed to death with a knife. The chocking thing is that his face has been removed. After questioning his wife who described the marriage as happy also told that a mysterious foreign man knocked on their door the day before the murder. Beck and his men are given the case.
Beck 09 - The Price of Vengeance
Characters
Two patrolling cops stumble on to three criminals who have just stolen large amounts of explosives, and are killed in cold blood. Martin Beck and his team must now work day and night to find out who the killers are and what they are planning to do with the explosives before it's too late. Meanwhile, Gunvald Larsson who was a close friend of one of the murdered cops is ignoring all rules in his quest for revenge.
Beck 08 - Trails in Darkness
Characters
A serial killer that decapitates people is on the loose in the Stockholm subway. Martin Beck and his colleagues try to catch the killer, while the panic in the city increases.
Beck 07 - The Money Man
Characters
A homosexual police officer's double life is paid by Becks archenemy, Gavling. A man who runs Stockholm's underworld. In return have the homosexual police, been serving Gavling with secret information from the archive of the police authorities. Written
Beck 06 - The Monster
Characters
A bomb threat is called in to a police station in Stockholm. The police bomb squad blows the briefcase to pieces and it looks like false alarm, until a baby is found inside. Soon, e-mails are sent out to every newspaper about the nasty situation that the police had tried to keep secret. Will the police ever overcome the "Monster"?
Beck 05 - The Boarding House Pearl
Characters
Inspector Beck and his team get involved in a large-scale smuggling of cesium 133. A gang from the east uses refugees who with a promise to stay in Sweden and with danger to their own life take in the dangerous explosive chemical substance.
Beck 04 - Eye for an Eye
Characters
In this film Beck and his team are trying to find a serial killer, whose victims are spread all over Sweden. An obvious connection is that all the victims are women, and they were all in the same class, and Beck thinks that a scandal back in the past has something to do with the murders. But no one wants to talk about the past and it becomes a struggle to find the perpetrator before the final murder - only one woman is still alive.
Beck 03 - White Nights
Characters
When the police reveal a narcotic smuggling the driver is shot dead. It appears that the driver is Superintendent Martin Beck's son. Beck breaks down and moves out of the way. But on his colleagues request he returns.
Beck - The Man with the Icons
Characters
Beck and his men investigates a murder of a Russian woman. At the same time as SÄPO (The Swedish Security Agency) sees a chance of getting a Russian in the embassy deported.
Beck 01 - The Decoy Boy
Characters
A man working at a garbage incinerator discovers the body of a dead man burned to ashes in the oven. Police detective Martin Beck handles the case. All he knows is that a brutal murder has happened. But he does not know when or where. He has no body, motive or a crime scene, not a single trace. All he has is some teeth and a mysterious Internet address...
Stockholm Marathon
A gardener decides to exact revenge on the men he believes to be responsible for the death of his mentally disturbed wife.
Stockholm Marathon
Writer
A gardener decides to exact revenge on the men he believes to be responsible for the death of his mentally disturbed wife.
The Police Murderer
Writer
A woman is found murdered in a closed amusement park. A young couple who happen to be there at the same time become, without their knowledge, suspects for the murder. They are chased by a large number of police but only Martin Beck believes them to be innocent.
The Police Murderer
Stugägare (uncredited)
A woman is found murdered in a closed amusement park. A young couple who happen to be there at the same time become, without their knowledge, suspects for the murder. They are chased by a large number of police but only Martin Beck believes them to be innocent.
The Man on the Balcony
A serial-killer attacks and murders young girls in the parks of Stockholm. The police have trouble finding any evidence to find the killer. But when a newsstand is robbed in one of the parks while the murderer strikes again, police inspector Martin Beck believes that the robber may be an important witness. Plot by Mattias Thuresson.
The Man on the Balcony
Novel
A serial-killer attacks and murders young girls in the parks of Stockholm. The police have trouble finding any evidence to find the killer. But when a newsstand is robbed in one of the parks while the murderer strikes again, police inspector Martin Beck believes that the robber may be an important witness. Plot by Mattias Thuresson.
Murder at the Savoy
A famous industrialist is murdered at a restaurant in Malmoe. Police inspector Martin Beck in Stockholm gets the case. The suspects lead to people involved in illegal arms deals. But who was the biggest criminal, the murderer or the industrialist?
Roseanna
A young American girl is found dead in Gota Kanal, Swedens largest channel. Since there are hardly any clues or evidence at all it seems as if the murder cant be solved. Martin Beck and his men are assigned to the case. Soon they find a likely suspect and together with a police woman they begin a cat and mouse game to catch him. Plot by Mattias Pettersson.
Roseanna
Novel
A young American girl is found dead in Gota Kanal, Swedens largest channel. Since there are hardly any clues or evidence at all it seems as if the murder cant be solved. Martin Beck and his men are assigned to the case. Soon they find a likely suspect and together with a police woman they begin a cat and mouse game to catch him. Plot by Mattias Pettersson.
Murder at the Savoy
Novel
A famous industrialist is murdered at a restaurant in Malmoe. Police inspector Martin Beck in Stockholm gets the case. The suspects lead to people involved in illegal arms deals. But who was the biggest criminal, the murderer or the industrialist?
The Fire Engine That Disappeared
A routine mission ends up in a flaming inferno when a house suddenly explodes. It looks like a spectacular suicide attempt but the technical investigation reveals unexpected evidence. Beck and his men are soon on the tracks of a narcotic syndicate...
The Fire Engine That Disappeared
Novel
A routine mission ends up in a flaming inferno when a house suddenly explodes. It looks like a spectacular suicide attempt but the technical investigation reveals unexpected evidence. Beck and his men are soon on the tracks of a narcotic syndicate...
The Man Who Went Up in Smoke
Novel
The journalist Alf Mattson gets thoroughly drunk at his birthday party, where his wife announces that she intends to divorce him. He is knocked down on the street and is later carried home by a friend. The next day he is to fly to Budapest in order to make a report for the Stockholm television. Mattson disappears in Budapest.
Unfinnished Dinner
Novel
In one of the prestigious restaurants during banquet speech a large company's director Palmgren is killed in front of dozen guests . Case is lead by Criminal Investigation Officer Pierre Monson with his assistants. Suspect can be easily intercepted if only miserably lazy police officers Kvant and Kristiansson instead of catching criminal would not argue with father of little 3 years old boy who yelled: "Police, police, mashed potatoes" when they ate hot dogs. Help comes from capital in form of the famous Commissioner Martin Beck, who discovers that murdered industrialist was involved in illegal activities and had many enemies. The case is linked as well with government's "higher ends".
Man on the Roof
Novel
Stockholm policeman Martin Beck is called in to investigate the murder of a fellow officer. Beck and his partner, Einar Ronn, soon discover that the murdered policeman was well known to his colleagues for his excessive brutality, though his misdeeds were never reported to higher authorities. As they pursue their investigation, a sniper climbs to a roof in downtown Stockholm and starts firing at every uniformed officer he sees.
The Laughing Policeman
Novel
When a gunman opens fire on a crowded city bus in San Francisco, Detective Dave Evans is killed, along with the man he'd been following in relation to a murder. Evans' partner, Sgt. Jake Martin, becomes obsessed with solving the case.
Roseanna
Novel
A young American girl is found dead in Gota Kanal, Swedens largest channel. Since there are hardly any clues or evidence at all it seems as if the murder cant be solved. Martin Beck and his men are assigned to the case. Soon they find a likely suspect and together with a police woman they begin a cat and mouse game to catch him.
Mördaren - en helt vanlig person
Writer
People on a train get murdered. Who is the murderer? Everybody on the train is a suspect. One of them is the homosexual dope fiend played by Heinz Hopf. Things might get out of hand in this exciting thriller in true Hitchcockian style.