This collection of five stories traces the growth of Swedish Inspector Kurt Wallander into a first-rate detective, from rookie cop to young father to middle-aged divorcé, illuminating new facets of a now-canonical character.
In "Wallander's First Case," the twenty-one-year-old patrolman's first homicide case involves his next-door neighbor, seemingly dead by his own hand. Wallander is a young father confronting an unexpected threat on Christmas Eve in "The Man with the Mask." In "The Man on the Beach," he is on the brink of middle age and troubled by a distant wife as he unravels why a lonely man was poisoned. Newly separated in "The Death of the Photographer," he investigates the murder of the local photographer and discovers some well concealed secrets. In "The Pyramid" he is the veteran detective uncovering connections between a downed plane and the assassination of two elderly sisters. Over the course of these five stories, Wallander comes into his own as a murder detective, defined by his simultaneously methodical and instinctive work, even as he finds himself increasingly haunted from witnessing the worst aspects of an atomized society.
Written from the unique perspective of an author looking back upon his own creation to discover his origins, these mysteries are vintage Mankell and essential reading for all Wallander fans. The Pyramid is a wonderful display of Mankell's virtuosic powers as an acknowledged master of the police procedural.
About the Author :
Henning Mankell (1948-2015) was Sweden's most-read author worldwide. His novels, which include the bestselling Kurt Wallander mysteries, have been translated into thirty-seven languages with more than thirty million copies in print worldwide. He has received the Crime Writers' Association's Macallan Gold Dagger and the German Tolerance Prize and has been a three-time finalist for the Los Angeles Times Mystery/Thriller Book Prize.
Ebba Segerberg is an academic and translator who is noted for her translations of Swedish literature. She is an adjunct lecturer in Swedish at Washington University in St. Louis and has contributed to The Dictionary of Literary Biography: 20th Century Swedish Writers.
ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:
Laurie Thompson is the distinguished translator of novels by Henning Mankell and Hakan Nesser. He was editor of Swedish Book Review between 1983 and 2002. Dick Hill was one of the most awarded narrators in the business. We was named by AudioFile magazine as a Golden Voice and also as a Voice of the Century. He earned several of the prestigious annua Audie Awards for Best Narration and thirty-four AudioFile Earphones Awards. In addition to narrating, he both acted in and wrote for the theater. He passed away in 2022.
Review :
"In this retrospective collection, internationally bestselling Swedish mystery author Mankell proves himself a master of the short form...The Wallander series, which Mankell believes should be subtitled 'novels of Swedish anxiety, ' are essential reading for all crime-fiction fans, and this collection adds an indispensable chapter to the saga."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
"Once again, Dick Hill uses his terrific understated style to bring the gloomy and self-doubting police detective Kurt Wallander to life. Hill's effective timing always matches the action (Wallander in danger!), the emotion (Wallander's depression about the state of Swedish society) and even the geography (rainy and bleak)...As always, it's a treat to spend several hours with Mankell, Wallander, and Hill."
-- "AudioFile"
"The five stories in this outstanding collection from Mankell provide glimpses into Kurt Wallander's early life as a policeman as well as paint evocative portraits of contemporary Swedish society...Like the Wallander novels, these stories rank among the finest police procedurals being written today."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"The stories are brought to life by veteran audiobook professional Dick Hill, who has narrated over four hundred audiobooks and is the winner of three Audie Awards. He is justly famous for his use of accents and characterization. His rendering of female characters is a notably special. This is recommended to fans of Kurt Wallander in particular and police procedurals in general."
-- "SoundCommentary.com"
