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Boozy Nordic cops rip off crooks, eat pork-chop pizza

Last updated Sunday, April 7, 2013 - 8:02am

The latest clutch of Scandinavian crime novels reminds us that the fictional detectives now apparently overrunning Helsinki, Stockholm and Gothenburg are no strangers to sex, violence and the excessive consumption of alcohol.

“Helsinki Blood,” the fourth of James Thompson’s Inspector Kari Vaara books, provides a hero who is a mess — “shot to pieces” and still recovering from a brain operation.

In short order, a brick and worse are being tossed through the window of his apartment, where Vaara holes up with his compatriot, an alcoholic nicknamed Sweetness, and a lovely young nurse named Mirjami. She’s cousin to Milo, the third leg of an illicit Vaara-led group that stole 10 million euros from crooked politicians earlier in the series.

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Photo by AUDREY HALL for The Washington Post
Mark Sullivan, 54, has co-written three novels in James Patterson’s globe-trotting “Private” series about the intrepid agents of a high-tech investigative firm.

James Patterson co-writer understands the boss’s rules

Kevin Nance Bloomberg

Last updated Sunday, January 27, 2013 - 9:33am

When you co-write a thriller novel with James Patterson, certain rules apply.

Rule No. 1 for collaborating with the world’s best-selling author: Chapters must be short, with detailed descriptions, flashbacks or other digressions strictly forbidden.

Rule No. 2: The villains, who tend to drive the plots, must be at least as interesting and believable as the heroes, if not significantly more so.

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Slate: ’Shaken up on the play’ and other euphemisms

Eric Goldwein Bloomberg, Slate

Last updated Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 5:46pm

Robert Griffin III didn’t just run and pass the Washington Redskins to a victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. He also became the poster child for NFL player safety. Just a week before, Griffin was on the field face down after being hit by Atlanta Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. When team doctors discovered that the quarterback couldn’t remember the quarter or the score, they diagnosed him with a concussion and forced him to leave the game. Griffin returned to practice after passing his concussion tests and was permitted to play in Week 6 when he was cleared by a team physician and an independent neurologist, as the league’s rules require.

Pro Football, Concussions, Sports Read more Comments

Some known knowns of campaign's final stretch

Albert R. Hunt Bloomberg

Last updated Monday, June 11, 2012 - 3:34pm

This year's U.S. presidential race is considered a tossup by both sides, and unforeseen events could prove determinative: contagion from the European economic crisis, war or terrorism.

The largest imponderable is the economy. With a Republican- controlled House that isn't eager to help a Democratic president in an election year, even a mild stimulus is a non-starter. Any small impetus provided by Chairman Ben Bernanke's Federal Reserve is beyond the control of politicians.

Opinion, Column, National Commentary Read more Comments