Helpful Score: 3
A change in narrative viewpoint makes this story better than second Wallander story, "Dogs of Riga." Mankell's first two stories were shorter and essentially from Wallander's viewpoint alone. Narration of "The White Lioness" rotates through viewpoint of many characters. This makes for a much deeper more nuanced story with a broader sweep. Indeed, much of the action involves people in or from South Africa. The story gains some enjoyable variety when told from the "bad guys" point of view.
Helpful Score: 3
Another fabulous mystery by Mankell. The depth of characterization and atmosphere in his novels adds so much. Dark Scandinavian angst with terrific twists.
I plan to read them all.
I plan to read them all.
Cheryl R. (Spuddie) - , reviewed The White Lioness (Kurt Wallander, Bk 3) on + 412 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Third in the Kurt Wallander, police detective in Ystad, Sweden series. This was a big juicy detective story with underlying political intrigues, beginning with the murder of a Swedish real estate agent and ending with a plot to assassinate Nelson Mandela as South Africa was approaching the end of apartheid. Quite a wide stretch between the two, but plausibly done. Wallander was up to his old solo he-man tricks and the book was full of the usual Swedish melancholia, but I still raced through the book and found it hard to put down.