One Step Behind

A Kurt Wallander Mystery

By: Henning Mankell

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

On Midsummer's Eve, three role-playing teens dressed in 18th-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 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.

Translated from the Swedish by Ebba Segerberg.

More mayhem? Listen to all of our Kurt Wallander mysteries.

©1997 by Henning Mankell; 2002 by The New Press (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Satisfying in a way that has less to do with the wonders of forensic science than with the pure pleasure of rational thought." ( New York Times)
"Mankell remains central to the flowering of a new, distinctly darker strain of the European hard-boiled crime novel." ( Booklist)"Sure to please those who like weighty police procedurals....Mankell's writing is deadpan and stark, the plotting meticulous and exacting." ( Publishers Weekly)

Pretty Good

A rather typical Wallander story with an interesting nontrivial plot although I found the ending a little lame as the motivation for the crimes was rather weak.

Only slightly marred

Mankell did an excellent job, particularly with the characters. In fact I might have given this a 5 had there been less urination. There are times when it's as well to say it was a rainy spring rather than enumerate each raindrop. Still, well worth the time and money.

Not your average serial killer

A straight forward, plausibly paced, police procedural that, while realistic, was extremely engaging . Mankell's characters are fully developed and he isn't compelled to create a crime so horrific (as most American mystery writers do) that you are never able to see the murderer as a human being. Nice shades of grey. Kurt Wallender reminds me of another favorite- Harry Bosch.

Another good detective story.

Would you consider the audio edition of One Step Behind to be better than the print version?

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.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

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.

What about Dick Hill’s performance did you like?

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

Reading this was more co.pel!ing than listening

I usually can't put down a Wallender murder mystery, because the books are an exploration of the inspector's fascinating thought process,
This seemed to hold true when I read this book year's ago. This recorded version, years later, seemed to lag and left me wondering why Wallender made so many mental errors on the way to catching the quarry. Chalk it up to his depression, diabetes or the motiveless murderer, I suppose. It seemed repetitive and uninspired, compared with others in the series.
Maybe it's just me. Mankell remains a favorite of mine in the genre, in spite of these criticisms.

You can never go wrong with Wallander

I love all of the Wallander books. Fantastic story lines with wonderful character development. Performance is always great by Dick Hill

Great story and narration.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me on The edge of my seat at times. Loved the relationship the police men and women had for each other. The narrator was excellent.

Dick Hill Reads "Rambo"

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.

Inept detective - good plot

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.

Another fine tale by Mankell

An amazing twists and turns thru European crime thru the eyes of the incomparable Wallander. Doesn't get much better.