Having taught Stieg Larsson I decided to go back to the (or a) source. Also Sjöwall and Wahlöö were apparently socialists and I'm always interested in the can-there-be-a-nonreactionary-detective-fiction question. It's not bad. I have no idea if it's not reactionary. Kind of? I like that Martin Beck is mindful of government budgets and always uses the cheapest mode of transit. The feeling of having already read it even though I hadn't is, I think, is an artifact of reading Mankell and watching Branagh's Wallander. There are nine more installments, so I guess I'll have to see.