The Man Who Smiled

When I started the Wallander series, I absolutely loved the first book, liked the second a lot as well, but was a bit disappointed by the third. I am so happy that the fourth book lived up to my expectations again. I see that many other LT reviews are not that favorable, but I just devoured this book. I think that one reason might be translation - I read it in German, not in English, and I gather that some readers were dissatisfied with the English translation. The reason I point this out is that I just adored the language and style, and while I don't know the Swedish original, it seems that the translator, Erik Gloßmann, has done an excellent job. Reading this novel, I felt like I could just fall into the descriptions of the dark and show more wet autumn weather, the gloomy and desolate landscapes, the lonely country roads of Skåne.
The case itself is one that would usually not peak my interest - high finance, global companies, the world of lawyers and managers - it is something I do not care reading about. But in this case it did not bother me because Wallander is such a relatable character to me and I saw it all through his eyes. show less

Henning Mankell es un escritor sueco que ha escrito muchas cosas, pero al que se conoce principalmente por la saga policíaca de Kurt Wallander. Éste en concreto es el cuarto título de la serie. Los tres primeros son Asesinos sin rostro, Los perros de Riga y La leona blanca (creo que hay edición de bolsillo de todos ellos).
Kurt Wallander es un poli municipal, para que nos entendamos. Es el segundo de a bordo de la comisaría de Ystad, en Escania (la zona sur de Suecia). A juzgar por lo que se saca de Google, es un pueblo de pocos miles de habitantes (en una de las novelas se habla de que Ystad sólo tiene cuatro cajeros automáticos). Y al pobre Kurt le pasa de todo. En esta cuarta novela, un abogado aparece muerto en lo que parece show more un accidente de tráfico. Wallander se está planteando en esos momentos dejar la carrera policial, a causa de lo que ocurrió en la tercera novela (ah, misterio), pero su amistad con el hijo del abogado muerto le pondrá difícil olvidarse del asunto.
La novela está bien escrita. No es trepidante todo el rato, ni mucho menos (los suecos, esos sosos…) pero mantiene el interés. El mío, por lo menos. Los personajes están medianamente construidos y, eso sí, las investigaciones están soberbiamente descritas. El autor no engaña al lector revelándole al final un dato crucial de la investigación que sólo el protagonista sabía, al contrario que la tramposa de Agatha Christie. Sí, tramposa.
La novela está bien. Consigue entretener y hace que Wallander nos caiga bien. Es un torpón, pero un policía eficaz (como dice una amiga de mí, que soy muy listo para el polinomio pero muy tonto para los recados). Mi valoración no numérica es "más que aceptable". show less

Lo último que ha visto un abogado, antes de ser asesinado, es un muñeco del tamaño de un hombre atravesado en la carretera, donde se vio obligado a detenerse en medio de la espesa niebla. Este extraño comienzo, cargado de una atmósfera de misterio tan clásica, es el punto de partida de un complicado caso de delincuencia económica en las altas esferas. Pero es también el inicio de un enfrentamiento cada vez más personal del inspector Wallander con un adinerado, sonriente y autoritario mecenas. Sintiendo a cada paso su vida amenazada, el inspector se ganará el respeto de su enemigo pero no se detendrá hasta borrar esa sonrisa de su rostro.

I have the rest of the Wallanders on order and I should pick them up very soon because I am rapidly becoming a big fan. I think what makes the Wallanders so successful is that they are not 'AHA' type of mysteries. The mysteries are solved but it is about the procedure and the emotional toll it takes on the people that is the focus. After the slightly long and drawn out 'The White Lioness', this one is more compact but hardly less enjoyable. Wallander is trying to come to grips with having killed someone and still seems exceptionally damaged when he gets pulled into the murder of two lawyers. What works so well is the battle of emotions that he goes through while trying to solve the case. Yes, there are chases and detective work and all show more of the usual stuff but it's the 'what kind of person' style that I also enjoy in the LeCarre spy stories that really makes it work. show less

Länger als ein Jahr ist Kurt Wallander dem Kommissariat in Ystad ferngeblieben. Seit er bei seinen letzten Ermittlungen (›Die weiße Löwin‹) einen Menschen tötete, leidet er unter starken Selbstzweifeln und ist schon im Begriff, seinen Dienst zu quittieren, als ihn ein neuer Fall aus seiner Depression reißt.

Ein befreundeter Anwalt bittet ihn um Hilfe, weil sein Vater nachts mit dem Auto tödlich verunglückt ist. Der Sohn des Toten, Sten Torstensson, glaubt nicht an einen Unfall. Niemals wäre sein Vater bei Nebel zu schnell gefahren, und außerdem hatte er in letzter Zeit oft erregt und beunruhigt gewirkt. Zwei Wochen später ist Sten Torstensson ebenfalls tot. Man findet ihn von drei Kugeln durchbohrt in seiner Kanzlei, und show more Wallander kehrt zurück, um den Fall zu übernehmen. Bald wird sich zeigen, daß er ihn in eine ganz neue Dimension des Verbrechens führt. show less

The Man Who Smiled is number four in the Wallander series, picking up some time after Wallander's experiences in book 3, The White Lioness. As book four opens, Wallander is still on sick leave, and has made the decision during a period of incredibly intense depression that he will not be continuing on in his career as a policeman. But all of that changes when a friend seeks him out to ask him for help regarding the case of his father's death. The police had ruled it a car accident, but the friend is convinced that it was not. Wallander tells him that the police are most likely correct -- but then his friend is also mysteriously killed. This prompts Wallander to return to the job to find out what lays behind the deaths of father and son show more ... and uncovers much more than he bargained for.

While the plot will keep you turning pages and provide you with more than a few tense moments, what really made this book stand out was the character of Kurt Wallander. For the first time, really, since I started this series, I really got an insight into how Wallander thinks and what makes him a great cop. Mankell's characterization of Wallander is absolutely stunning, making him much more human in this book as compared to all of the other ones. It was absolutely amazing to be allowed into Wallander's thought processes -- I think Wallander became very real for me in this book for the first time in the series. When a character can become that real, it's definitely a sign that his or her creator is a top-notch writer.

The author does not only offer up a first-rate criminal and first-rate policemen here; he also raises several questions about the future of police forces, about the decline of the whole basis of the modern Swedish state as the profits of corruption become more entrenched, and about issues of morality & the true nature of justice in a world where crime is constantly changing and the police and justice system are trying to adapt. These questions are not relevant just to Sweden, but everywhere.

A bit on the gloomy side, this is not a book for readers looking for a lighthearted crime novel. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a superb reading experience, but I suggest starting with book one, Faceless Killers, and continuing the books in series order. Mankell is an excellent writer, definitely not to be missed. show less

Wallender is an old friend in our home from when he was first available in English. This was an audio read, with a fabulous voice actor, who really got the different characters down beautifully. We loved being back in Sweden, though felt a bit schizophrenic, because we've been reading so much Nordic crime stuff, and also a bit of Harry Bosch, too. Everyone seems to have left the police force, but only Kurt is welcomed back; the Harrys in the other stories are still on the skids with their respective bosses.