Henning Mankell Reading Order

3 books (2009–2017)

Henning Mankell's complete anthology collection consists of two volumes published between 2009 and 2013. These compilations bring together short fiction that spans mystery, thriller, and literary genres. Read the books in publication order, beginning with Freedom followed by A Darker Shade of Sweden. The series is finished and fully contained within these two volumes.

Start with Freedom and read in order.

#	Title
1	Freedom 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	A Darker Shade of Sweden 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	This is Not a Border 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (1992–1992)

#	Title
1	The Cat Who Liked Rain 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2009–2017)

Henning Mankell's Fredrik Welin series comprises two literary mysteries published between 2009 and 2017. This complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Italian Shoes followed by After the Fire. The novels blend mystery and thriller elements with literary fiction sensibilities, exploring complex human relationships and existential themes through the eyes of their protagonist.

Start with Italian Shoes and read in order.

#	Title
1	Italian Shoes 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	After the Fire 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1990–1998)

The Joel Gustafsson series comprises four complete books written by Swedish author Henning Mankell between 1990 and 1998. Reading in publication order, the series follows A Bridge to the Stars, Shadows in the Twilight, When the Snow Fell, and The Journey to the End of the World. Mankell blends mystery, literary fiction, and coming-of-age elements across this finished series that should be read sequentially to fully appreciate the character's development.

Start with A Bridge to the Stars, the first of 4 books in the Joel Gustafsson series.

#	Title
1	A Bridge to the Stars 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Shadows in the Twilight 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	When the Snow Fell 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Journey to the End of the World 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (1991–2014)

Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander series comprises 10 mystery novels published between 1991 and 2014, following a Swedish police detective through cases that grow increasingly complex and personal. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Faceless Killers and concluding with An Event in Autumn. These literary crime thrillers blend detective work with character development, exploring Wallander's professional challenges and internal struggles across nearly two and a half decades of storytelling.

Start with Faceless Killers, the first of 10 books in the Kurt Wallander series.

#	Title
1	Faceless Killers 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Dogs of Riga 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The White Lioness 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Man Who Smiled 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Sidetracked 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Fifth Woman 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	One Step Behind 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Firewall 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Troubled Man 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	An Event in Autumn 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (1999–1999)

#	Title
1	The Pyramid: The First Wallander Cases 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2005–2005)

#	Title
1	Before the Frost 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2014–2014)

#	Title
1	Quicksand 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2004–2014)

This two-book series of mystery novellas by Swedish author Henning Mankell was published between 2004 and 2014 and is now complete. The stories should be read in publication order, beginning with I Die, But the Memory Lives On followed by Wallander's First Case. Mankell's work spans mystery, thriller, literary fiction, and young adult genres, offering readers shorter narrative experiences within his distinctive storytelling style.

Start with I Die, But the Memory Lives On and read in order.

3 books (1995–2005)

The Sofia Alface trilogy by Henning Mankell consists of three complete novels published between 1995 and 2005. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Secrets in the Fire, followed by Playing with Fire, and concluding with The Fury in the Fire (also titled Shadow of the Leopard). This young adult literary fiction series blends mystery and thriller elements across its interconnected narrative.

Start with Secrets in the Fire and read in order.

#	Title
1	Secrets in the Fire 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Playing with Fire 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Fury in the Fire / Shadow of the Leopard 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (1990–2020)

Henning Mankell's collection of ten standalone novels spans from 1990 to 2020, each offering independent stories that need not be read in any particular sequence. The series encompasses mystery, thriller, and literary fiction across works such as The Eye of the Leopard, The Return of the Dancing Master, The Man from Beijing, and The Shadow Girls. Though complete, these novels can be approached in publication order or selected individually based on reader preference, as no ongoing storyline connects them.

Start with The Eye of the Leopard, the first of 10 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	The Eye of the Leopard 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Chronicler of the Winds 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Daniel 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Return of the Dancing Master(With: Laurie Thompson) 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Depths 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Kennedy's Brain 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Man from Beijing 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Shadow Girls / Tea-Bag 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	A Treacherous Paradise 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Rock Blaster 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible