Before the Frost

published	February 14th 2006 by Vintage
binding	Paperback
isbn	1400095816 (isbn13: 9781400095810)
pages	384
description	In this latest atmospheric thriller, Kurt Wallander and his daughter Linda join forces to search for a religious fanatic on a murder spree. Just grad...more [close] In this latest atmospheric thriller, Kurt Wallander and his daughter Linda join forces to search for a religious fanatic on a murder spree. Just graduated from the police academy, Linda Wallander returns to Skane to join the police force, and she already shows all the hallmarks of her father--the maverick approach, the flaring temper. Before she even starts work she becomes embroiled in the case of her childhood friend Anna, who has inexplicably disappeared. As the case her father is working on dovetails with her own, something far more dangerous than either could have imagined begins to emerge. They soon find themselves forced to confront a group of extremists bent on punishing the world's sinners. [close]
date added	01-20-07 edit book

find at: Amazon | Half.com | Barnes & Noble | Abebooks | more...

discuss this book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

friend reviews (0)

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

lists with this book

This book is not in any lists. Go add it to a list.

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 212)

James rated it:

04/14/08

Read in April, 2008

before the frost, the eighth book in swedish author henning mankell's kurt wallander mystery series, is a flawed novel, but an engaging one nonetheless. the characters (for the most part) are likeable, if a little lost in the translation sometimes, and the setting (a town on the southern tip of the swedish peninsula) is chillingly atmospheric in the same kind of way that the film insomnia is, cold, windswept, and barren-feeling, even in the middle of the forest.

dealing with ...more before the frost, the eighth book in swedish author henning mankell's kurt wallander mystery series, is a flawed novel, but an engaging one nonetheless. the characters (for the most part) are likeable, if a little lost in the translation sometimes, and the setting (a town on the southern tip of the swedish peninsula) is chillingly atmospheric in the same kind of way that the film insomnia is, cold, windswept, and barren-feeling, even in the middle of the forest.

dealing with a christian cult/sect intent on bringing about a new kingdom for god on earth through martyrdom and sacrifice, the story at times feels like it's digging for profundity, beginning as it does with the jonestown massacre and (sort of) ending with the events of september 11, 2001. it doesn't really succeed in the way it feels like it wants to, but it still draws some excellent parallels between religious fanatacism of all types.

of the eight books, this is the first to introduce kurt's daughter linda. while she does here serve as the main character, keeping the "jumping in halfway through" feeling to a minimum, there were still plenty of times, where i felt like i was being asked to understand things about the characters that i could have no way, as a "n00b" of understanding. aside from the series aspect, part of this could certainly have to do with the fact that in a novel originally written in swedish, for (presumptiously) a swedish audience, i'm just not picking up on something culturally.

my other (and probably biggest complaint) is that the book, while mostly fast paced, has trouble keeping that feeling going, particularly when dealing with the more procedural aspects of the police-work invovled in moving the story forward. also, with such a brisk pace, it feels like it's always building towards something bigger and bigger, so that the culmination of everything ultimately lets down.

i hate to end this on a negative note, as the book is and deserves better than that (i'll probably be going back and visiting some of mankell's other books now), so let me just add this to help convey the feeling of the book overall. i spent my time this evening reading the last 110 pages or so listening to nine inch nails's (it's gramatically correct, damnit! the only name that you leave the "s" off of is "jesus") instrumental album ghosts i-iv, and the two go very nicely together.

there. i feel awkward about how this is ending. actually, i feel kind of awkward about the whole review, but that's that. i'm done for now. let it be awkward!...less

Like this review? yes

title link
avg rating
small image
med image
large image

Before the Frost

discuss this book

friend reviews (0)

lists with this book

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 212)

book data (includes all editions)

blog this book

popular shelves

other editions