The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists

Written by Alexander McCall Smith

Narrated by David Rintoul

Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an inquiry on behalf of his own family. Is such a thing ethical? Adding to Ulf's moral discomfort is the fact that he does not exactly see eye to eye with his younger brother Bjorn-a leading player in one of Sweden's right-wing parties, the Moderate Extremists. Still, family is family, so Ulf finds himself working to uncover the mole leaking secrets to a rival party, the Extreme Moderates. All of this in addition to his responsibilities to the Department, which include investigating a case of cat-related sabotage. As always, it's up to Ulf to close the case ... even if he encounters unexpected resistance from the victims themselves. From literary master McCall Smith, this is a bewitching short foray, witty and warm, into Scandinavian mystery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980054535

Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the award-winning series The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, and he now devotes his time to the writing of fiction, including the 44 Scotland Street and the Isabel Dalhousie series. He is the author of over eighty books on a wide array of subjects, and his work has been translated into forty-six languages. Before becoming a full-time writer he was for many years Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh.

Reviews for The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists is a Vintage Short by author Alexander McCall Smith. Swedish Detective Ulf Varg is a member of The Department of Sensitive Crimes. His younger brother, Bjorn, leader of the Moderate Extremist Party suspects someone is leaking their ideas to the media as well as to their political rivals, the Extreme Moderates and wants Ulf to suss out the traitor. Ulf has mixed feelings since he doesn't support the party and he's not sure it would be ethical for him to investigate but, on the other hand, it is his brother asking so what to do. Meanwhile, he is called in to deal with an odd (and rather funny) case in which a raggedy old Tom cat was placed into the carrier of a prize winning Burmese cat named Duchess IV. Nature having taken it's course, the snobbish owner of said Burmese wants the perpetrator of this heinous crime caught and duly punished. I found the story, for the most part, charming and humorous but also somewhat frustrating. Like most of Smith's books, it is less about the cases in the story and more about the human condition, in this case the mysteries of love and the humour to be found in people's relations with political parties. However, I have never been a huge fan of short stories and this a good example of why. There's too little time to really get to know the characters well enough to care about them. Also, the ending seemed abrupt and left both cases feeling unresolved.Still, overall, I did enjoy it enough to recommend it at least to fans of the author and I will definitely be reading the first fulll-length novel in the series, The Department of Sensitive Crimes.Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[rowingrabbit · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a quirky & charming short story from the author of the “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series & many other books. Ulf Varg is a detective with the Malmo PD but you’ve probably never heard of his unit. He heads up the Dept. of Sensitive Crimes & their case load is a little…uh…unconventional. Take his current investigation. At a recent Cat Show, someone introduced a purebred Burmese named Duchess to a scruffy tomcat from the wrong side of the tracks. Needless to say, the resulting litter is the talk of feline aficionados everywhere & Duchess’ owner wants the evil matchmaker brought to justice. Meanwhile, Ulf has a more personal case to handle. His brother Bjorn is a politician & leader of the Moderate Extremists. Someone in his party has been leaking confidential information to their rivals, the Extreme Moderates. Can Ulf quietly flush out the mole? On top of all this, Ulf has problems at home. His dog Martin may be sliding into depression again & it’s possible he may have to undergo another round of psychotherapy. Ah, it never rains but it pours. You’ve probably gathered by now this is an unusual police procedural. If you’re looking for a gritty tale of streetwise cops, keep walking. This is an easy going cozy full of understated humour & gentle insights into the human condition. The “crimes” are almost incidental. It’s much more about the characters & all the little things that make up a life. At about 45 minutes, it’s a quick read that serves as a primer for the full length novel due out in April. Fans of McCall Smith's disarming, elegant prose will quickly take to Ulf & want to follow up with "The Department of Sensitive Crimes".