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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Religious extremist violence; graphic crime scenes and disturbing imagery
Language
Some
Police procedural language with some profanity; Mankell's characteristically direct prose
Sexual Content
Barely any
Brief references to characters' personal relationships
Substance Use
Barely any
Mild references to alcohol in police settings
Emotional Intensity
Some
Sustained psychological tension from religious extremism and apocalyptic ideology
What this book is about
The fourteenth (and final) Wallander novel shifts focus to Kurt's daughter Linda, who has just graduated from the police academy and is about to begin work in Ystad. Before she officially starts, she becomes involved in investigating a series of brutal crimes connected to an apocalyptic religious sect. Mankell uses the generational handover to examine both the continuities and breaks between father and daughter, and the novel's exploration of religious extremism and its violence is stark and timely. Linda proves a compelling protagonist in her own right, making this a satisfying conclusion to the series.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Religious extremist violence
Graphic crime scenes
Cult themes and apocalyptic ideology
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