Crime Fiction from Sweden

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Henning Mankell (2003) Firewall.

The book starts with random, seemingly unrelated acts of violence in the town of Ystad, southern Sweden. But slowly Wallander detects that these small-town murders are part of a conspiracy in cyber terrorism targeted to collapse the world's financial system.

Henning Mankell (2007) The Man Who Smiled.

Kurt Wallander of the Ystad Police Force reluctantly investigates the death of an aging attorney on a desolate road, initially considered an accident. Depressed and in danger of becoming an alcoholic, Walander, stoically battles through the complexities of the crime and his own life. A realistic alternative to the smooth action thrillers, this dark tale slowly turns into a horrific nightmare.

Maj Sjowall / Per Wahloo (1993) Roseanna.

The first book in the Martin Beck series of crime novels by the Swedish writer couple Sjowall / Wahloo. Written from a left-wing political perspective, the novel portrays the social and political climate of Sweden in the late 1960s and 1970s. Fortunately, the political propaganda is packaged in intelligent suspense and a plot populated by authentic characters.

Maj Sjowall / Per Wahloo (1992) The Locked Room.

Smart, well trained and tough policemen, who competently investigate crime scenes may be the personnel of CSI TV series. In this crime novel the police force is understaffed, incompetent and poorly motivated. Their investigation of a series of bank burglaries ends in a pathetic disaster, typical for the social condition in Sweden during the late 1960s.

Henning Mankell (2003) Faceless Killers.

Shivering in the cold Swedish winter, Kurt Wallander tries to solve a savage double murder on a remote farm. In this novel, Mankell probes the underside of the liberal Swedish society with its ugly streak of anti-foreigner prejudice and hate.

Henning Mankell (2010) The Man from Beijing. [Audio Book]

Mankell's latest thriller is a bit too preachy. His portrait of conflicts among Beijing's power elite is naive, but the story is complex enough to keep you interested.

Maj Sjowall / Per Wahloo (1993) The Man Who Went Up in Smoke.

Martin Beck, on vacation with his family on a small Swedish island, is called off to Budapest to investigate the disappearance of a journalist. A thriller, set in Eastern Europe, from the well-known Swedish crime fiction writers. With acid political comments about liberals and conservatives.

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