When the old, dying woman in the first novel whispers the word ‘foreigner’, it is a key word not only for the investigation, but also for the writer’s entire project. Respected not only by his colleagues, but also by the criminal fraternity.Īmazon Apple Books Kobo Waterstones Audible Google Play Hive Before the Frost by Henning Mankellīut Mankell’s books about Kurt Wallander deal with far more than police work. This makes Wallander into a fearless police officer, a man with the courage of his convictions. In the case of Wallander, that has always been greater than the fear of failure. And ever since that first encounter twenty years ago, I have shared the same principles as him, the same strong motivation and in fact, the eternal belief in eventual success. In other words, Wallander has taught us that police work is not an exact science. To be more specific, about how everything has more to do with social skills and interpersonal relationships rather than advanced psychology, learned techniques and textbook methods.
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In this way, Wallander has taught me a great deal about police work and criminal investigation.
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He latches on to the expected inconsistencies and irregularities that may not have anything to do with the case, but may all the same lead to something significant and become decisive. By listening to his inner voice, he is able to pick up threads he had initially overlooked – a response, an image, or an insignificant detail that has attached itself to his subconscious. He solves his cases through meticulous and what is often called ‘traditional’ police work, trying to shed light on them from various aspects, attempting to pin down connections and relationships, but he also has an unusually keen capacity for intuition. Although he takes danger in his stride, he also has a paralyzing awareness of being faced with more than he can handle.Īmazon Apple Books Kobo Waterstones Audible Google Play Hive The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell Kurt Wallander is no hard-boiled detective.
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An experienced policeman familiar with the darkness within the human soul, who lived in a changing society, in challenging times, and who did his best to fight against the flood of criminality pouring over us. I got to know this complex character as an honourable investigator with an unusually well-developed social conscience and a genuine commitment to his fellow man. A strong-willed police officer who was both caring and concerned, but not egotistical in the least. My fascination with Kurt Wallander increased over the course of several books, as I grew familiar with the character of an upright, sound policeman, but above all a good-hearted and sincere human being. That means: not a disillusioned, sometimes bitter, quarrelsome, divorced and overweight investigator with an unhealthy lifestyle, but a detective with a conscience, with integrity and humanity, and a belief that he can contribute to the creation of a better world – in short, a police officer who can make a difference.Īmazon Apple Books Kobo Waterstones Audible Google Play Hive The White Lioness by Henning MankellĪnd so it was Kurt Wallander who marked out my career route in the police force, all the way to the role I had for a number of years as chief inspector in charge of serious crime investigations.
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And afterwards my thoughts were – a policeman like Kurt Wallander, well, that’s the kind of policeman I want to be. I could tell from the pages of the book that she had read it herself before sending it on – and she had enclosed a card with the following recommendation: You‘re going to become a police officer – read this! I had enrolled in Police College and was halfway through my first year of study when my mother sent me a solid package that turned out to be a book with the title Faceless Killers. My first encounter with Inspector Kurt Wallander took place in 1993, more than twenty-five years ago. For me, the answer is clear: Henning Mankell and his first book about Kurt Wallander. Authors are often asked questions about favourite books or which other authors have had the most significance and impact on their own authorship.