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Kurt Wallander Mystery - Henning Mankell

Goldensaphira

Goldensaphira

New Member
I always enjoy reading books by Henning Mankell, especially the Wallander series.

Main character is Kurt Wallander, a senior police officer in a small Swedish town.
He is slightly overweight, lonely, has relationship problems…. All in all, he is quite a normal person with whom you can identify.
The crime stories are interesting and exciting, often with a touch of social criticism.

I think, nine books of the series in the following order have been published yet:

1. Faceless Killers
2. The Dogs of Riga
3. The White Lioness
4. The Man Who Smiled
5. Sidetracked
6. The Fifth Woman
7. One Step Behind
8. Firewall
9. Before the Frost

In the book “The Pyramid: And Four Other Kurt Wallander Mysteries” are a couple of short stories from the beginning of Wallander’s career. In my opinion, it doesn’t really belong to the series, so it’s not necessary to read it first.

My personal favourites are “The White Lioness” and “Firewall”.

What's your opinion of the Kurt Wallander series?
 
I haven't read all of them yet, but love the ones I have so far. Wallander is a most interesting character and the angst Mankell manages to imbue him with is both realistic and low key heart wrenching.

Have you read any of Jo Nesbo's stories yet? I've only read The Redbreast, but found it riveting.
 
Actually, I haven’t read any of Jo Nesbo's stories yet. However, you made me quite curious, so I think I ‘ll try one of his books soon…
 
Goldensaphira said:
What's your opinion of the Kurt Wallander series?
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I read several of them years and years ago. Mankell is definitely a good writer, better than most detective novelists I've read, but - and this may be cultural prejudice talking - I thought he wrote a little too much to the same formula that every single Swedish crime writer uses: the troubled, divorced inspector who has to juggle work and family while drinking a little too much, the cases that all have Something Important to say about current political issues, and the way the Real Crooks almost always manage to go free at the end... it's not that it's bad, it's just that I've seen it before and it becomes repetitive becomes repetitive. (Fans of Mankell might do well to check out Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö's Martin Beck series.)

I've been meaning to read some of Mankell's non-detective novels, though. The Eye of the Leopard, based on his experiences in Africa (he lives part-time in Mocambique) is supposed to be good. Also, the publishing house he's founded has put out some excellent books, including a lot of African fiction.
 
BG, I've read two of the Martin Beck books, and enjoyed them, but didn't particularly think they came up to the quality of the Wallander series. That's not to say I won't read more of them. :) I suspect Beck has to grow on a person.

The Nesbo books are superior and twistier as far as I am concerned.
 
Have you been watching "wallander" the series?kenneth branaugh (sp?) is excellent in the role.
Enjoy
 
GERBAM said:
Have you been watching "wallander" the series?kenneth branaugh (sp?) is excellent in the role.
Enjoy
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No, I haven't seen any of them yet, I only read something about them recently. I do think Branaugh would make an interesting Wallander.
I'll have to look for it. Thanks for mentioning and reminding me of them.
 
oooops
pontalba
in the US the series is being aired on CPT CONNECTICUT PUBLIC TELEVISION if that helps
it's part of the new Masterpiece Mysteries
enjoy
 
Actually there was a better series of crime novels about a Swedish cop called "Martin Beck". There were ten books in series, written by a husband and wife team whose names escape me without going to Google for them. There are some remarkable similarities between the Beck series and Wallender's books but I prefer the original stuff that I seem to recollect were set back in the late sixties early seventies.

I think the author died from cancer but his wife is still around, or was the last time I looked.

They are in the UK library system if you want to take a look and compare them to Wallender for yourself.
 
MikeC said:
Actually there was a better series of crime novels about a Swedish cop called "Martin Beck". There were ten books in series, written by a husband and wife team whose names escape me without going to Google for them. There are some remarkable similarities between the Beck series and Wallender's books but I prefer the original stuff that I seem to recollect were set back in the late sixties early seventies.

I think the author died from cancer but his wife is still around, or was the last time I looked.

They are in the UK library system if you want to take a look and compare them to Wallender for yourself.
Click to expand...

Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö?
 
Could just have looked a couple of posts further up... ;) But yes, the Martin Beck series is excellent.
 
Beck and wallander

I agree w/all of you I read alot of the Wahloo books and really enjoyed them :)
but i read them so long ago I wouldn't venture to compare them to Mankell's books, i don't remember them well enough

Fortunately all of the above are still out there in the world and availabile to us

I'd say GMTA on this issue :whistling:
 
Huh? GMTA?

The whole Martin Beck series was actually just reprinted here in the UK so they have been available in the book shops again. When I say "was" I mean within the last couple of years.
 
MikeC
sorry I thought GMTA was a universal cyberterm it stands for GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE ie: Wahloo and Mankell fans
 
I like Mankell and have read all of the Wallander books. I'm with pontalba on Jo Nesbo. I like him a little better than Mankell. I've read THE REDBREAST and NEMESIS and eagerly await the next in the series, DEVIL'S STAR.
 
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