Henning Mankell, Author of the Wallander Series, Dies at Age 67
by Sara W
Swedish author Henning Mankell died in Sweden this morning after a battle with cancer. Mankell was best known for his crime novels featuring Inspector Kurt Wallander, whose depression and unhealthy lifestyle made him a relatable, if dour, protagonist. The Wallander series begins with the award-winning Faceless Killers and ends with The Troubled Man, and Wallander's retirement from the police force and his slide into dementia.
Mankell was at the forefront of the Swedish crime popularity wave, combining his complicated and flawed detective with suspenseful puzzles and themes of social justice. Mankell used the murders Wallander investigated in small town Ystad to explore issues ranging from human trafficking or xenophobia. While best known for Wallander, Mankell wrote dozens of novels and plays, and was active as an artistic director in a theater in Mozambique, where he also had a home. He was extremely political, and often active in controversial causes.
Fans who miss Mankell's complex plots and thoughtful characters might explore the screen adaptations of his work. Kenneth Branagh leads an English language adaptation of the Wallander series for the BBC. There are also two Swedish adaptations, an original adaptation starring Rolf Lassgard and a later series of TV films starring Krister Henriksson.
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