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markhoh's review against another edition
5.0
One Step Behind is the seventh book in the Kurt Wallander series and I can honestly say these books keep getting better and better. This is a 5 star read for me... interesting as I look back on the reviews and ratings I have given over the first six books. I started with 3 stars, worked up to 4, then 4.5 and now 5.
This book is quite dark and grisly and has a superbly crafted plot ultimately centring around one man’s intense hatred to see happiness. It’s an intriguing tale and author, Henning Mankell builds the suspense slowly as the storyline unfolds.
What I truly love about these books is the central character, Wallander. Mankell has delivered a totally believable, totally human protagonist. He makes the mundane, interesting and validates these human elements that actually give me space to embrace my own humanness. The fleeting thoughts that we are privileged to glimpse, the insecurities about health, wellbeing, and the wonderings about people and things somehow give the reader permission to be an ordinary human and actually still be quite extraordinary.
This book is quite dark and grisly and has a superbly crafted plot ultimately centring around one man’s intense hatred to see happiness. It’s an intriguing tale and author, Henning Mankell builds the suspense slowly as the storyline unfolds.
What I truly love about these books is the central character, Wallander. Mankell has delivered a totally believable, totally human protagonist. He makes the mundane, interesting and validates these human elements that actually give me space to embrace my own humanness. The fleeting thoughts that we are privileged to glimpse, the insecurities about health, wellbeing, and the wonderings about people and things somehow give the reader permission to be an ordinary human and actually still be quite extraordinary.
alinast's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
wubledoo's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to the audiobook during my commute. Engaging. I liked it!
myrto229's review against another edition
4.0
I saw the BBC TV series and liked it very much, so I expected to like the novels. This was the first one I read, even though it's the seventh in the series. Great pacing, a good story, and the main character, Kurt Wallander, is a satisfyingly complex man to keep the series moving along.
bethnellvaccaro's review against another edition
4.0
I can't believe I only have one more in left in the series to read. I like the Wallander mysteries that are set at home with local killers instead of over the top international craziness.
inamarie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
radioactve_piano's review against another edition
3.0
Nothing special to note about this book. Good escape reading (if murder is your thing), though I kept setting it aside for other books. I'm not sure why I wasn't as eager to read this as I have been about prior ones in this series.
I'm still tired with the women-are-worthwhile and what-is-happening-to-Sweden?! focus, but I've made my peace with both themes being present in all of Mankell's books.
I'm still tired with the women-are-worthwhile and what-is-happening-to-Sweden?! focus, but I've made my peace with both themes being present in all of Mankell's books.
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
4.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
This was the first book by Henning Mankell I read, or actually listened to. I know it was a little weird to start in the middle of the Wallander series, but still I enjoyed it a lot since it was during the time the Scandinavian detective books were hugely popular in the Netherlands and I also read a lot of them.
I was intrigued by the story, but since it was my first encounter with the characters, I at first missed some of the important things that are going on in this book. However, it was more than enough to follow the story of this particular case, which was intriguing.
It's been a while, but one of the things that I still remember most vividly is the slow pace of the narrator which I didn't particularly liked.
NB: I listened to a Dutch audiobook
This was the first book by Henning Mankell I read, or actually listened to. I know it was a little weird to start in the middle of the Wallander series, but still I enjoyed it a lot since it was during the time the Scandinavian detective books were hugely popular in the Netherlands and I also read a lot of them.
I was intrigued by the story, but since it was my first encounter with the characters, I at first missed some of the important things that are going on in this book. However, it was more than enough to follow the story of this particular case, which was intriguing.
It's been a while, but one of the things that I still remember most vividly is the slow pace of the narrator which I didn't particularly liked.
NB: I listened to a Dutch audiobook