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Originally published in Swedish as Mannen som log
in 1994 and later translated into German as Der Mann,
der lächelte.
Synopsis
From Random House:
A disillusioned Inspector Kurt Wallander is thrown back into the fray
when he becomes both hunter and hunted in this adventure from the pen
of Sweden's master of crime and mystery. Crestfallen, dejected and spiralling
into an alcohol-fuelled depression after killing a man in the line of
duty, Inspector Kurt Wallander has made up his mind to quit the police
force for good.
When an old acquaintance, a solicitor, seeks Wallander's help to
investigate the suspicious circumstances in which his father has died,
Kurt doesn't want to know. But when the solicitor also turns up dead,
shot three times, Wallander realises that he was wrong not to listen.
Against his better judgment, he returns to work to head what may
now have become a double murder case. A rookie female detective has
joined the force is his absence, and he adopts the role of mentor to
her as they fight to unravel the mystery. An enigmatic big-business
tycoon, who hides behind an entourage of brusque secretaries and tight
security, seems to be the common denominator in the two deaths. But
while Wallander is on the trail of the killer, somebody is on the trail
of Wallander, and closing in fast.
Translated from the German blurb by Rachel:
In The Man Who Smiled, Mankell's fourth novel starring Kurt Wallander,
investigations lead into the heart of an international crime syndicate.
For over a year, Kurt Wallander has been on leave from the police-force.
After killing a man, [see the events of The White Lioness], he is riven
with self-doubt and is on the verge of quitting the police-force when
an intriguing new case arouses his curiosity and lifts his depression.
A friendly but concerned lawyer comes to Kurt for help: Sten Torstensson's
father has died in a car accident, but he believes that it is anything
but. He claims his father would never have gone driving in the fog,
and certainly not at night.
However, two weeks later Sten is also found dead. He's been shot.
Kurt returns to take over the case, which will soon throw up leads that
cast the entire investigation into a new light.
From SVT Sales:
Detective Superintendent Kurt Wallander's old friend pleas for help,
as he suspects his father's lethal accident was really foul play. But
Wallander doesn't believe him until it's too late.
Immoral behavior, deceit, lies and desperate actions in search of
love or money are the driving forces in this criminal drama. While trying
to solve a tangle of murders, Kurt Wallander manages to betray his own
loved ones. Who has the right to judge and who can claim to be morally
correct? The plot involves international trade with human organs, forced
donors and plain old greed.
Situated in the south of Sweden, in Malmö and Ystad.
Reviews
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Mankell, Padura series captivating by Paul Fiander for The
ChronicleHerald, 2007-Dec-30
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'Smiled' adds to the mystery by Ed Siegel for the Boston Globe,
2007-Jan-15
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5 Novel Mysteries From Old Masters by Philip Elmer-Dewitt for Time
Magazine, 2006-Oct-15
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Social deterioration chills a Swedish detective story by Elaine
G. Harp for the LA Times, 2006-Oct-14
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Glumshoe by Marilyn Stasio for The New York Times, 2006-Sept-24
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Nabbing the villain is the weakest part of a strong book by Maxine
Clarke for the Philadelphia Inquirer, 2006-Sept-17
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Blue Clues by Patrick Anderson for The Washington Post, 2006-Sept-04
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A life put out of sequence by Jack Batten for the Toronto Star,
2006-Jan-15
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Darkness descends on Lux by Marcel Berlins for The Times, 2005-Sept-24
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Sleuthing for social justice by Paul Binding for the Independent,
2005-Oct-07
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Good Cop, Sad Cop by Ian Thomson for the Guardian, 2005-Oct-23
Links
Book Information
Swedish |
Mannen som log |
1994 |
N/A |
English |
The Man Who Smiled |
2005 |
Laurie Thompson |
German |
Der Mann, der lächelte |
2001 |
Erik Großmann |
Dutch |
De man die glimlachte |
2000 |
Janny Middelbeek-Oortgiesen |
French |
L'homme qui souriait |
2005 |
Anna Gibson |
Italian |
L'uomo che sorrideva |
2004 |
Giorgio Puleo |
Spanish |
El hombre sonriente |
2003 |
Carmen Montes Cano |
Catalan |
L'home que somreia |
2003 |
Carolina Moreno |
Basque |
?? |
|
|
Norwegian |
Silkeridderen |
1996 |
Kari Bolstad |
Finnish |
Hymyilevä mies |
|
|
Danish |
Skyggerne |
|
|
Icelandic |
Brosmildi maðurinn |
|
Vigfús Geirdal |
Portuguese |
O homem que sorria |
|
|
Greek |
?? |
|
|
Polish |
Mężczyzna, który się
uśmiechał |
2007 |
Iwona Kowadło-Przedmojska |
Slovenian |
?? |
|
|
Turkish |
?? |
|
|
Japanese |
笑う男 (Warau otoko) |
2005 |
Yumiko Yanagisawa |
Korean |
미소지은 남자 |
|
권혁준 |
Vietnamese |
?? |
|
|
Film Information
This is another film with Maja Thysell.
 |
 |
 |
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| Kurt and Maja Thysell |
the Ystad police team |
Alfred Hardenberg
and daughter Kristina |
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All images copyright SVT.
| Image |
Title |
Notes |
Vendor |
 |
Mannen som log
 |
Publisher: Ordfront
Format: Paperback
Pages: 372
ISBN: 9170371032
Released: 2005-Jan
Status: In Print
Markets:
 |
Ordfront.se |
 |
The Man Who Smiled |
Publisher: The New Press
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
ISBN: 1565849930
Released: 2006-Sept-19
Status: Coming Soon
Markets:
 |
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca |
 |
The Man Who Smiled |
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages:
ISBN: 0099450089
Released: 2006-Mar-2
Status: In Print
Markets:
 |
Amazon.co.uk |
 |
The Man Who Smiled |
Publisher: The Harvill Press
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 400
ISBN: 1843430983
Released: 2005-Sept-01
Status: In Print
Markets:
 |
Amazon.co.uk |
 |
The Man Who Smiled |
Publisher: The Harvill Press
Format: Paperback
Pages: 400
ISBN: 1843431068
Released: 2005-Sept-01
Status: In Print
Markets:
 |
Amazon.co.uk |
 |
The Man Who Smiled |
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages:
ISBN: B000FRSNZW
Released: 2007
Status: Coming Soon
Markets:
 |
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca |
 |
Der Mann, der
lächelte
 |
Publisher: Zsolnay
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 381
ISBN: 3552049916
Released:
Status: In Print
Markets:
 |
Amazon.de |
 |
El hombre sonriente
 |
Publisher: Tusquets Editores,
S.A.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 408
ISBN: 8483102536
Released: 2003-11
Status: In Print
Markets:
 |
Tusquets-Editores.es |
 |
L'home que somreia
(Catalan) |
Publisher: Tusquets Editores,
S.A.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
ISBN: 8483109220
Released: 2003-11
Status: In Print
Markets:
 |
Tusquets-Editores.es |
| Image |
Title |
Notes |
Vendor |
 |
Mannen som log
 |
Publisher: Pan Vision
Format: DVD, Region 2, PAL, Color
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen
Language: Swedish with English, Swedish & Norwegian Subtitles
Rating:
Released: 2004-June-16
Status: Available |
DiscShop.se |
 |
Wallander Box (3 Disc)
 |
Publisher: Pan Vision
Format: DVD, Region 2, PAL, Color
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1)
Language: Swedish with Swedish Subtitles
Rating:
Released: 2004-06-16
Status: In Print |
DiscShop.se |
 |
Der Mann, der
lächelte
 |
Publisher: ZDF
Format: DVD, Region 2, PAL, Color
Aspect Ratio: 16:9, 1.85:1
Language: German
Rating: FSK 12
Released: 2005-03-28
Status: In Print |
Amazon.de |
 |
El hombre sonriente
 |
Publisher: Llamentol
Format: DVD, Region 2, PAL, Color
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Language: Spanish
Rating:
Released: 2006-Feb-14
Status: In Print |
DvdGo.com |
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