The Swedish Scalper (Sidetracked - Henning Mankell)

Member Name: salem_witch

Product:	Sidetracked - Henning Mankell
Date:	04/12/04 (252 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great story, Easy to read

Disadvantages: None!

Henning Mankell was born in Sweden in 1948. His first novel was published in 1973. His books have been translated into 19 languages and have generated numerous international film and television adaptations. He has currently written 8 Inspector Wallander mysteries. The award winning Sidetracked is the third to be printed in the UK. It was first published as Villospar in 1995. It was then translated by Steve T Murray in 1999 and first published in the UK in 2000. In the original order it is the fifth in the series. Faceless Killers is the first in the series.

The Prologue is set in the Dominican Republic in 1978. It tells us about Pedro Santana. He has just lost his wife, Dolores, who he has been married to for 8 years. They have just had a baby who Dolores asks if Pedro could baptise. When she dies he carries out his promise to his wife and gets the baby baptised Dolores Maria Santana.

Set in Ystad, Sweden in the summer of 1994. Inspector Kurt Wallander is called to a farm where a young girl has been loitering all day. Wallander goes out to the rape seed field where she is. She is scared of him and pours petrol over herself and then sets herself on fire.

‘Paralysed, he watched her lurch around the field, as the fire sizzled and blazed over her body’

A shaken Wallander calls in the rest of his police team. They don’t know who she is or what she was frightened of. Why would a young girl want to take her life in such a horrific way?

Once the fire is out they find the body of the girl. All her hair, face and clothes have been burnt off. They find a gold necklace with the inscription DMS. From the prologue we, the reader, know who she is. At first I thought this had ruined the story but as I carried on reading it didn’t seem important.

Meanwhile Gustav Wettersted, a former minister of justice is found murdered. His body is found under an upturned boat not far from where he lived. He was killed with a blow from an axe, which severed his spine. This killer had ripped most of his scalp from his skull. We are told this from the killers’ point of view.

‘And he knew no pain as the man, who was perhaps an animal, knelt down and slit an opening in his forehead and then with one violent wrench ripped off most the scalp from his skull’

Wallander finds a photo album with pornographic pictures in it. As they dig deeper they realise the scandal that surrounded Wetterstedt whilst he was in office. It becomes clear that he had hookers bought to his house for him. He attacked one and she made a complaint. It was all hushed up and the girl disappeared.

Can they catch this demented serial killer before he claims another victim? What does the girl who torched herself got to do with it? I guess you’ll have to read it to find out!

Wallender is a likeable man. He is trying his best to solve the murders so he can go on holiday with his girlfriend, Baiba. He has a broken marriage and a troubled relationship with his daughter. His father is also a worry as he is declining the older he gets. He often wonders why he is a policeman and would love to give it up. The characters are believable and the book is very easy to read. I was surprised how easy it was to read considering it had been translated. A map at the front made it easier as you could look up the various places featured in the novel. I’m glad I picked this book up and I look forward to reading another.

Highly recommended!

Published by Vintage 2002
ISBN 0099446987
RRP £5.99
432 pages

Winner of the CWA Gold Dagger 2001

Quotes

“Presents Mankell at his best…if you haven’t bought Sidetracked, do so ASAP” LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK REVIEW

“Full of emotion yet cleanly written, apparently straightforward yet fraught with intriguing revelations, Mankell’s latest mystery is strongly recommended.” LIBRARY JOURNAL

“Mankell is in the first division of crime writing.” THE TIMES

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