The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell

Another brilliant tightly plotted thriller from Mankell and Wallander

AZ: "After killing a man in the line of duty, Inspector Kurt Wallander finds himself spiralling into an alcohol-fuelled depression. He has just decided to leave the police when an old friend approaches him for help investigating his father's suspicious death. Kurt doesn't want to know. But then his friend is found shot dead. Against his better judgment, he returns to work to head what may now have become a double murder case. But while Wallander is on the trail of the killer, somebody is on the trail of Wallander, and closing in fast."

The Pyramid by Henning Mankell

I enjoyed watching Wallander a lot so have turned to the source, the books by Mankell. Obviously there were none of the Wallander books available in the library so I read what I can. The Pyramid is actually a kind of postscript to the Wallander books, filling in gaps in Wallander's story. Mankell writes so well, a swedish counterpart to Rankin, whenever I pick up a book of his I know I'm in for a good read, not just that but a window into a whole different world and society.

AZ: "When Kurt Wallander first appeared in Faceless Killers back in 1990, he was a senior police officer, just turned forty, with his life in a mess. His wife had left him, his father barely acknowledged him; he ate badly and drank alone at night. The Pyramid chronicles the events that led him to such a place. We see him in the early years, doing hours on the beat whilst trying to solve a murder off-duty; witness the beginnings of his fragile relationship with Mona, the woman he has his heart set on marrying; and learn the reason behind his difficulties with his father. These thrilling tales provide a fascinating insight into Wallander's character, and demand to be read in one sitting. From the stabbing of a neighbour in 1969 to a light aircraft accident in 1989, every story is a vital piece of the Wallander series, showing Mankell at the top of his game. Featuring an introduction from the author, The Pyramid is an essential read for all fans of Kurt Wallander."