After several novels featuring Swedish detective Kurt Wallander, Henning Mankell brings Linda Wallander into the mix as a police officer in training. Linda becomes the focal point of a complex murder case whose roots are in the Jonestown massacre decades ago. Without spoiling the plot there is a very plausible reason why strange forces collide in Skone Sweden and the story gains momentum as Linda and her father begin putting things together.
Along the way Mankell explores a range of emotional issues including Linda’s frustration with her father, the nature of friendships, and the power of parents over their children. The novel centers on the Wallander household and Linda’s struggle for independence. Kurt Wallander is not the easiest man in the world to get along with, he has a quick temper and a domineering streak to go with his skills as a cop. Linda pieces together a family history as she prepares to join the force; her mother is a mystery to her. After a friend vanishes, Linda is embroiled in another family’s bizarre history.
Before the Frost opens slowly and builds tension in an analytical fashion. There are enough indicators of bad things coming to keep the pages turning. The payoff is a thriller that draws power from the characters presenting the univeral conflict of parent and adult children.
Hello David, Bloglines must be running slow as your post above only came through today, although you posted it on 30 May. Just letting you know in case it is useful for you to know that.
I really enjoy the Kurt Wallender books, and very much liked this Linda Wallender one you describe. Apparently Mankell is phasing Kurt out and Before the Frost is the first of a new series “starring” Linda. Annoyingly, Mankell’s books are not tranlsated in order in the UK, the latest translation is quite an old Kurt W book so I am not that keen to read it, having read later (chronological as written) ones.
Have you read Tainted Blood (also known as Jar City) but Arnaldur Iridison? It is set in Iceland and somehow I was put onto it as being similar to Mankell’s books. It is very good, and a second one by the same author has now been translated into English (Silence of the Grave) and is now in pbk, so I am planning to read that at some point…..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1843431017/qid=1149616838/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_3_10/203-7296648-6247138
all the best
Maxine.
Maxine, I have to confess that I don’t know what “bloglines running slowly” actually means, but if it takes a week to cross the Atlantic it should have twin smokestacks and a purser.
I’ve not read Iridison but would like to, thanks for the tip. I just saw the Wallander book set in Riga but like you am a bit confused by the order of release.