Dick Hill brings alive Kurt Wallander, like not other.. his version, quality of his voice, emotions, even when he "does" a woman , is so compelling.. He brings me hours and hours of entertainment.. love him

Kurt in pursuit of killer with a wooden plank in a dark park

Kurt Wallender

every moment with Kurt Wallander's tortured soul as spoken by Dick Hill

Will listen to everything every done by Dick Hill.

Plodding repetitious plot and most of the characters have no unique or memorable traits. The only one I felt added character was the forensic expert.

He tried his best with shallow characters.

Besides Wallender?

I don't believe I would read these stories. Of course, that is why I listen to books. I will always listen to books that I wouldn't pick up to read.

Not exactly on the edge of my seat, but Henning does write a good story. I find the contrast between his writing style and most American authors interesting. I believe that American authors are more into the action and violence, while Henning seems to want us to know Wallender as a human being as well as a detective.

I am not a great fan of Dick Hill but will listen to him because of the story.

This is an excellent, complex mystery. However, the narrator's voice is somewhat off-putting, especially when he tries to do women's voices. His voice is also somewhat sleep-inducing.

The central character (I think "hero" would be a definite misnomer) of this book is not going to win any awards for sparkling intuition or deduction or even common sense. He is set about with human weakness and distraction and his progress on the case in hand often seems to come in spite of rather than because of his efforts. This is not to say he is not interesting. He is, in a plodding, sympathetic sort of way. But this is one of those books where you spend a lot of time thinking, "Wait a minute. Have you forgotten..." Or, "You really ought to rethink your decision to go there without back up or a ready weapon."
Mankell also tells us several times too often that his character is bothered by some detail in a situation but cannot put his finger on it.
Still, our struggling detective (and he struggles in every possible way: physically, socially and professionally) is warm and appealing enough to keep us engaged. At least he did me. This is the first book I have read from this series, and it was good enough to warrant another sampling. Perhaps I just like the poor guy because I relate to all those weaknesses which assail him.

I read all the other reviews, and there seems to be an overwhelming dislike for Dick Hill's delivery in this book. I thought it was fine. Really. They story was really well developed, as I've heard Henning Mankell's stories are. The story felt familiar, so I think it may have been one of those produced by the BBC for television, but I'm glad I read it anyway. Don't be put off by my three star review, I consider three to be a sound approval rating (four has to be a really great pairing of author and narrator, and five, well that would just be excellent!)

The book gets a 4 even though Wallander is written to make mistakes which no "old salt" cop would make. But Wallander is not Rambo and should not be read that way. Please, someone, rerecord this series using Scott Brick or one of the two Simons (Vance or Prebel)!!!!!

The series deserves a 5. At least read those not read by Dick "Rambo" Hill.

Wallendar isn't Bosch but one wouldn't know it from Dick Hills reading. He succeeds in conveying no feeling of Sweden. His place name pronunication is pathetic as is his attempt to differentiate voices and characters. A five star book is reduced to two stars by the miscasting of Dick Hill. What a pity.

Mankell puts together a good plot and an interesting locale. What annoys me and makes me unwilling to read more is the protagonist's (Kurt W's) ineptness: never remembers his cell phone; never has something to write on; never seems to ask relevant follow up questions. While characters have to have character, I don't like the choices here. Moving the plot forward with these made my teeth chench.

I enjoy books with an unfamiliar setting, and the Swedish scenes do provide this for me.

I have been utterly spoiled by Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series and so finding another like him has been hard. Now that I have found the Kurt Wallender series I think I will quit looking. Like Bosch, he has his flaws, but the mysteries are well detailed and the characters are fleshed out just the right amount. Of course, having Dick Hill do the voice just adds to the similarity. Still, a great story here.