One Step Behind
Originally published in Swedish as Steget Efter in 1997 and later translated into German as Mittsommermord.
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From Random House:
On Midsummer's Eve, three role-playing teens dressed in eighteenth-century garb are shot in a secluded Swedish meadow. When one of Inspector Kurt Wallander's most trusted colleagues--someone whose help he hoped to rely on to solve the crime--also turns up dead, Wallander knows the murders are related. But with his only clue a picture of a woman no one in Sweden seems to know, he can't begin to imagine how. Reeling from his own father's death and facing his own deteriorating health, Wallander tracks the lethal progress of the killer. Locked in a desperate effort to catch him before he strikes again, Wallander always seems to be just one step behind.From Random House:
It is Midsummer's Eve. Three young friends meet in a wood to act out an elaborate masque. But unknown to them, they are being watched. With a bullet each, all three are murdered. Soon afterwards, one of Inspector Wallander's colleagues is found murdered. Is this the same killer, and what could the connection be? In this investigation, Wallander is always, tantalisingly, One Step Behind.
From Seuil:
Juin 1996. Nuit de la Saint-Jean. Trois jeunes gens ont rendez-vous dans une clairière isolée où ils se livrent à d'étranges jeux de rôles. Ils ignorent qu'ils sont surveillés. Peu avant l'aube, la fête tourne au drame. Août 1996. Le commissariat d'Ystad somnole sous la chaleur. L'inspecteur Wallander se débat avec ses soucis privés et ses tentatives pour changer de vie lorsque, soudain, un proche collègue est assassiné. Les découvertes macabres s'enchaînent très vite, et la peur s'installe dans la petite ville. Pour tout indice, les policiers disposent de deux photographies : un groupe de jeunes gens costumés portant perruque. Et un portrait de femme trop maquillée. Pour la première fois de sa vie, Wallander est contraint de fouiller dans les secrets intimes d'un camarade de travail. Et ce qu'il découvre peu à peu dépasse tout ce qu'il aurait pu imaginer.
- A dedicated cop by Bernard Trink for the Bangkok Post, 2003-June-27
- Nice man, mean streets by Mark Lawson for the Guardian Unlimited, 2002-Sept-21
- And for the main course, more Swedes by Peter Guttridge for the Guardian Unlimited, 2002-Nov-17
- These we have loved... by Alexandra Shulman for the Guardian Unlimited, 2002-Dec-01
- Crime by Marilyn Stasio for The New York Times, 2002-Mar-03
- Crime Time Review of One Step Behind by Michael Carlson for CrimeTime.co.uk, ?
- Under pressure by Sarah Crompton for The Telegraph, 2002-Nov-02
- Tangled Web Review of One Step Behind, 2002-Oct
- Reading Group Guide for One Step Behind
- Random House page for One Step Behind
- The New Press page for One Step Behind
- IMDB film page
| Language | Title | Publication Date | Translator |
|---|---|---|---|
 Swedish |
Steget Efter | 1997 | N/A |
 English |
One Step Behind | 2002 | Ebba Segerberg |
 German |
Mittsommermord | 2000 | Wolfgang Butt |
 Dutch |
Midzomermoord | 2003 | Janny Middelbeek-Oortgiesen |
| French |
Les morts de la Saint-Jean | 2001 | Anna Gibson |
 Italian |
Delitto di mezza estate | 2000 | Giorgio Puleo |
 Spanish |
Pisando los talones | 2004 | Carmen Montes Cano |
| Catalan |
Amb l'alè al clatell | 2004 | Carolina Moreno |
| Basque |
?? | ||
 Norwegian |
Ett skritt etter | 1999 | Kari Bolstad |
 Finnish |
Askeleen jäljessä | ||
 Danish |
Det næste skridt | ||
 Icelandic |
?? | ||
 Portuguese |
?? | ||
 Greek |
?? | ||
 Polish |
O krok | 2006 | Irena Kowadło-Przedmojska |
 Slovenian |
Korak zadaj | 2004 | Uroš Kalèiè |
 Turkish |
Bir Adım Geriden | 2003 | Fatoş Dilber |
 Japanese |
?? | ||
 Korean |
한여름의 살인 | 권혁준 | |
 Vietnamese |
Chậm một bước | 2007 | Cao Việt Dũng |
Film Information
A complete film of Steget Efter was released in Sweden in Summer 2005. This film starred Rolf Lassgård as Kurt Wallander. Here are some scenes from the film.
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| a colleague is lost | Kurt Wallander | the team | the team |
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| the funeral | Maja Thysell |
Also, a few scenes from One Step Behind were depicted in a documentary entitled "Die Welten des Henning Mankell" which is included on the German DVD for The Fifth Woman. Kurt Wallander is played by an unnamed actor as is Linda Wallander.
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| midsummer's eve party | the killer strikes | Wallander at the crime scene |
Wallander at the office |
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| the killer's comfy bed | the bride | the groom | the photographer |
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| Wallander in the mirror |
The BBC has also created a film based on One Step Behind starring Kenneth Branagh and released in 2008 in the UK.
| Product List | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Books | |||
| Image | Title | Notes | Vendor |
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Steget Efter |
Publisher: Ordfront Format: Paperback Pages: 538 ISBN: 9170371040 Released: 2005-Jan Status: In Print Markets: |
Ordfront.se |
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One Step Behind (A Kurt Wallander Novel) | Publisher: Vintage Format: Paperback Pages: 448 ISBN: 0099448874 Released: 2003-Apr-03 Status: In Print Markets: |
Amazon.co.uk |
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One Step Behind (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) | Publisher: Vintage Books Format: Paperback Pages: 448 ISBN: 1400031516 Released: 2003-Jan-14 Status: In Print Markets:   |
Amazon.com Amazon.ca |
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One Step Behind (A Kurt Wallander Mystery) | Publisher: Harvill Press Format: Paperback Pages: 448 ISBN: 1860469841 Released: 2002-Sept-05 Status: Available Markets: |
Amazon.co.uk |
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One Step Behind (Kurt Wallander Mysteries) | Publisher: New Press Format: Hardcover Pages: 400 ISBN: 1565846524 Released: 2002-Feb-01 Status: Available Markets: |
Amazon.com Amazon.ca |
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One Step Behind (A Kurt Wallander Mystery) | Publisher: Harvill Press Format: Hardcover Pages: 400 ISBN: 1860469833 Released: 2002-Sept-05 Status: Out of Print Markets: |
Amazon.co.uk |
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Mittsommermord |
Publisher: Dtv Format: Pages: ISBN: 3423205202 Released: Status: Markets: |
Amazon.de |
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Mittsommermord |
Publisher: Zsolnay Format: Pages: ISBN: 3552049622 Released: Status: Markets: |
Amazon.de |
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Les morts de la Saint-Jean |
Publisher: Seuil Format: Paperback Pages: 576 ISBN: 202053360X Released: Status: In Print Markets: |
Amazon.fr Amazon.ca |
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Les morts de la Saint-Jean |
Publisher: Seuil Format: Hardcover Pages: ISBN: 2020334941 Released: Status: Available Markets: |
Amazon.fr Amazon.ca |
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Pisando los talones |
Publisher: Tusquets Editores, S.A. Format: Paperback Pages: 568 ISBN: 8483102676 Released: 2004-Apr Status: In Print Markets:   |
Tusquets-Editores.es |
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Amb l'alè al clatell (Catalan) | Publisher: Tusquets Editores, S.A. Format: Paperback Pages: 528 ISBN: 8483109514 Released: 2004-Apr Status: In Print Markets: |
Tusquets-Editores.es |
| Audio Books | |||
| Image | Title | Notes | Vendor |
 |
One Step Behind | Publisher: ISIS Audio Books Format: Cassette Tapes Length: Unabridged, 14 tapes, 14hrs 38mins ISBN: 0753117010 Released: Status: In Print Narrator: Sean Barrett |
ISIS Publishing |
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One Step Behind | Publisher: Random House Audiobooks Format: Cassette Tapes Length: Abridged, 4 tapes, 6hrs ISBN: 1856867471 Released: 2003-Apr-03 Status: In Print Narrator: Nikolaj Costa Waldau |
Amazon.co.uk Amazon.de |
| DVD & Video | |||
| Image | Title | Notes | Vendor |
 |
Steget Efter  |
Publisher: SF Format: DVD, Region 2, PAL, Color Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Language: Swedish with English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish subtitles Rating: 15 Released: 2006-Jan-18 Status: Available |
DVD.se DiscShop.se |
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Pisando los talones |
Publisher: Llamentol Format: DVD, Region 2, PAL, Color Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Language: Spanish Rating: Released: 2006-Mar-23 Status: In Print |
DvdGo.com |
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One Step Behind |
Publisher: SF Format: DVD, Region 2, PAL, Color Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Language: English with Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish subtitles Rating: 15 Released: 2009-May-6 Status: Available |
DiscShop.se |