Kurt Wallander Books in Order
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The Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell consists of 14 novels published between 1994 and 2013. The protagonist, Inspector Kurt Wallander, is a police commissioner based in Ystad, a town in southern Sweden's Scania region, with the series primarily set in Ystad and surrounding areas, occasionally extending to other locations in Sweden. Wallander investigates a variety of crimes, including murders and other serious offenses, often involving social unrest, historical secrets, and personal crises. The novels explore themes such as justice, morality, and the psychological impact of police work, portraying Wallander as a figure who faces both external challenges and internal difficulties, reflecting the emotional and mental toll of his profession. The series is known for its focus on the social and psychological dimensions of crime and has been adapted for television and film, with Wallander portrayed by multiple actors across different productions.
Publication order
In the order the books were originally released.
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Buy on Amazon1997 · Henning Mankell
One January night, an elderly farming couple, Maria and Johannes Lövgren, are murdered in Skåne; before dying, the woman utters the word "foreign."…
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Buy on Amazon1992 · Henning Mankell
A cold February morning, a lifeboat washes ashore on the Swedish coast. Inside are the bodies of two men, confirmed by Inspector Wallander to have…
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Buy on Amazon1993 · Henning Mankell
A 1993 novel by Henning Mankell. One spring afternoon in 1992, real estate agent Louise Akerblom is brutally murdered on an isolated farm in Scania.…
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1994 · Henning Mankell
The Man Who Smiled is a novel by Swedish crime-writer Henning Mankell, and is the fourth in the Inspector Wallander series, though the English…
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1995 · Henning Mankell
Sidetracked is a crime novel by Swedish author Henning Mankell, the fifth in his Kurt Wallander series. Translated into English, it won the UK Crime…
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Buy on Amazon1996 · Henning Mankell
In an African convent, four nuns and an unidentified fifth woman are murdered, with the death of the unknown woman hidden by local police. A year…
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Buy on Amazon1997 · Henning Mankell
It is Midsummer's Eve when three young friends meet in a wood to perform a masque. They are unaware they are being observed, and each is killed by a…
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Buy on Amazon1998 · Henning Mankell
A 1998 novel by Henning Mankell in the Kurt Wallander series. A man dies inexplicably at a cash machine, two teenage girls murder a taxi driver…
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Buy on Amazon1999 · Henning Mankell
A 1999 short story collection by Henning Mankell, described as essential for fans of Kurt Wallander. It chronicles events leading to Wallander's life…
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Buy on Amazon2002 · Henning Mankell
A 2002 novel by Henning Mankell. Animals are killed by fire, and a woman's head and hands are found near a bible with scrawled pages, worrying…
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Buy on Amazon2013 · Henning Mankell
Inspector Kurt Wallander finds a shallow grave in the garden of his new home and begins investigating the history of the house and its former owner.…
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Buy on Amazon2009 · Henning Mankell
El hombre inquieto es un libro de crimen escrito por Henning Mankell en 2009. Retoma la historia del inspector Kurt Wallander, quien ahora vive en…
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✓ = numbering verified against the publisher's official series list.
Companion & related books
Related titles and editions that sit outside the main numbered order.
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Buy on Amazon1999 · Henning Mankell
Midsummer approaches, and Wallander prepares for a holiday with the new woman in his life, hoping his wayward daughter and ageing father will cope…
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Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Kurt Wallander books in?
Read them in publication order, starting with “Faceless Killers”. Start with “Faceless Killers.”
How many books are in the Kurt Wallander series?
We list 14 books by Henning Mankell , published between 1992–2013.
Where can I buy the Kurt Wallander books?
Each title above links to Amazon. See our affiliate disclosure.
More series like Kurt Wallander
Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.