The Troubled Man

A Kurt Wallander Mystery

By: Henning Mankell, Laurie Thompson - translator

Narrated by: Robin Sachs

Length: 16 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The much-anticipated return of Henning Mankell’s brilliant, brooding detective, Kurt Wallander.

On a winter day in 2008, Håkan von Enke, a retired high-ranking naval officer, vanishes during his daily walk in a forest near Stockholm. The investigation into his disappearance falls under the jurisdiction of the Stockholm police. It has nothing to do with Wallander - officially. But von Enke is his daughter’s future father-in-law. And so, with his inimitable disregard for normal procedure, Wallander is soon interfering in matters that are not his responsibility, making promises he won’t keep, telling lies when it suits him - and getting results. But the results hint at elaborate Cold War espionage activities that seem inextricably confounding, even to Wallander, who, in any case, is troubled in more personal ways as well. Negligent of his health, he’s become convinced that, having turned 60, he is on the threshold of senility. Desperate to live up to the hope that a new granddaughter represents, he is continually haunted by his past. And looking toward the future with profound uncertainty, he will have no choice but to come face-to-face with his most intractable adversary: Himself.

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

©2011 Henning Mankell (P)2011 Random House

Great Closer for Series

This was a great final entry in the Kurt Wallander mystery series. There is nobody better than Henning Mankell when it comes to following a detective and including the ordinary details of life amidst all the intrigue. I only hope that Mankell continues to the Wallander saga by giving us more stories about Kurt's daughter, Linda.

Nice End to a Satisfying Series!

Fans now know all about the quality of Kurt W.s life. Like a grumpy but smart and endearing friend!

Well written but ...

As usual this was cleverly plotted and well written but even sadder than usual for Kurt Wallander. The many depressing sessions made the story run slowly.

thank heavens it's not narrated by Dick Hill...

Have no idea how I'll feel about this book by the time I'm done listening but just knowing someone besides Dick Hill is narrating gives me hope. I want my Scanidinavian narrators to have a Scanidinavian accent.

Shame on Mankell

A fairly typical Wallander story - except for the end which was not satisfactory and a surprising treatment by the author of his long standing, key character.

Depressing and Convoluted!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

No.

Would you recommend The Troubled Man to your friends? Why or why not?

No. Too Depressing and Uninteristing.

Have you listened to any of Robin Sachs’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Robin Sachs can read the ingredients of a cooking recipe and sound interisting. He is a master.

Was The Troubled Man worth the listening time?

NO.

Any additional comments?

Sad that Kurt Wallander has to fade away in this manner.

Very good, worth the credit!

Clearly the last book of this series, which is sad. The story line was very good, the writing excellent, as always. Not a fast paced book but one very worthy of your time. Deserving of the NYT best seller list!

The self-pity.

I didn’t like Kurt wallowing in self-pity. He’s always been brooding but it got a little old.

Goodbye to an old friend ...

It was sad to listen to the last Wallander novel - each book has been so well done and you get to know the strengths and foilbles of all the recurring characters. I like it when you've hung around the protagonist and the other actors so long that you know how they think, what they're likely to do (or not do), you become aware of their weaknesses and - when once in awhile they fall victim to a failing - you speak to them saying "No, No! Why are you doing that? Get a hold of yourself!" The Wallandar series cultivates that kind of intimate relationship. Mankell's writing is always slow (nicely feels like real time, not "abridged" or hurried up), giving you time to immerse into the story's environment, to visualize it. His are somewhat cerebral novels, fine explorations of characters, good procedural police work, engrossing well-crafted and topical mysteries, and occasionally (sometimes when you least expect it) frightening encounters. I've loved Mankell's work and will miss Kurt Wallander, because this is the last one, the swan song, a sad goodbye to an old friend.

I will warn you that, if you're a Wallander fan like me, The Troubled Man was a bit of a disappointment. And not simply because it presages curtains for Kurt. The story felt like it dragged a bit, there was a little too much about his daughter Linda, which I guess is to lay the foundation for her emergence as Ystad's new police officer. But I've started the first Linda Wallander series novel and the spark is really gone.

I don't think it will spoil the mystery for you to say that it turns out that - like his father - he has Alzheimers (in addition to the diabetes); after all, the disorientation, memory lapses, and related episodes that play out as a side-story. You should have been able to put that together well before the story matures.

It reads almost as if - and it wouldn't surprise me at all if Mankell composed it this way deliberately - reading this novel is a must for Wallander fans to be able understand what's happening to him and to be able to accept and let go. For the many of us who have painfully watched our own loved ones slowly cross into that other world, a cruel purgatory - this story reads lovingly and feels real.

I'm glad I read it.

Sad to say goodbye

I have loved all the Wallander books and am sad to end his story. The Troubled Man was beautifully written and movingly read and a fine end to the saga.