The Man Who Smiled cover art

The Man Who Smiled

An Inspector Wallander Mystery

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The Man Who Smiled

By: Henning Mankell
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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About this listen

Crestfallen, dejected, and spiralling into an alcohol-fuelled depression after killing a man in the line of duty, Inspector Kurt Wallander has made up his mind to quit the police force for good.

When an old acquaintance, a solicitor, seeks Wallander's help to investigate the suspicious circumstances in which his father has died, Kurt doesn't want to know. But when the solicitor also turns up dead, shot three times, Wallander realises that he was wrong not to listen. Against his better judgment, he returns to work to head what may now have become a double murder case.

A rookie female detective has joined the force is his absence, and he adopts the role of mentor to her as they fight to unravel the mystery. An enigmatic big-business tycoon, who hides behind an entourage of brusque secretaries and tight security, seems to be the common denominator in the two deaths. But while Wallander is on the trail of the killer, somebody is on the trail of Wallander, and closing in fast.

©2005 Henning Mankell (P)2009 Random House Audio Crime Fiction International Mystery & Crime Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Exciting Scary

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All stars
Most relevant
As always... a great story and characters. Just found the ending a little bit of a let down after such a good story hence the 4 stars.

Twists and Turns

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Wallander returns to duty after a difficult time (no spoilers here) and falls into an intriguing case. It's a little far-fetched, not his best case, but still I enjoyed it. Sean Barrett is as super as ever, as narrator, Wallander and all. As ever, it's Wallander's internal dialogue that is so engaging.

Wallander Returns

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Another superb novel by Henning Mankell. This one was perhaps the darkest of his novels to date, but superbly written, and full of suspense.

The man who smiled by Henning Mankell

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storyline great throughout, loved it and love the narrator, enjoyed every minute. will recommend.....

Brilliantly written.

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Story develops well and keeps your interest, but unfortunately the end is kind of predictable.

Great story, disappointing ending

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