Bill Bergson Lives Dangerously

Bill Bergson Lives Dangerously (Masterdetektiven Blomqvist Lever Farligt, 1951), translated by Herbert Antoine, is the second book in the Bill Bergson trilogy.  It was the final Bill Bergson book I read and a bittersweet experience for me, because I really enjoyed this series.

Again, Bill and his best friends Anders and Eva-Lotta have grand adventures and get caught up in a mystery.  This book deals with a murder in a way that most children’s books wouldn’t, but Lindgren handles it well.  Since these books are aimed at an older reader than most of her writing, I think even today’s children could handle the scene of the murder without too much fuss.  The children process the event in very realistic and caring ways.

Eva-Lotta is one of the strongest females that Lindgren created, and the banter between the trio is flawless.  I found myself wishing there were another handful of Bergson books just so I could spend more time with these three.

My favorite of Bill’s thoughts: And a good thing too, that the summer vacation was so long.  About the cleverest invention ever, Bill considered.  Come to think of it, it was strange that grown-ups had hit upon the idea.  Actually to let you roam idly in the sunshine for two and a half months without having the bother your head a bit about the Thirty Years’ War and the rest of it!