Henning Mankell Reading Order
11 series · 37 books · Born 3 February 1948
Henning Mankell was a renowned Swedish author celebrated for his gripping crime fiction and profound literary contributions. Over his three-decade career from 1990 to 2020, he wrote 37 novels spanning 11 series, with the Joel Gustafsson and Kurt Wallander collections standing out as some of his most acclaimed works. Mankell's narratives often delve into complex social issues, intertwining mystery and character-driven storytelling that resonates with readers globally.
Anthologies Series
Complete2 books (2009–2013)
Start with Freedom and read in order.
Children's Series
Complete1 book (1992–1992)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Cat Who Liked Rain 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
Fredrik WelinBooks Series
Complete2 books (2009–2017)
Start with Italian Shoes and read in order.
Joel Gustafsson Series
Complete4 books (1990–1998)
Start with A Bridge to the Stars, the first of 4 books in the Joel Gustafsson series.
Kurt Wallander Series
Complete10 books (1991–2014)
Start with Faceless Killers, the first of 10 books in the Kurt Wallander series.
Kurt Wallander Collections Series
Complete1 book (1999–1999)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Pyramid: The First Wallander Cases 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
Linda Wallander Series
Complete1 book (2005–2005)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Before the Frost 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete1 book (2014–2014)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Quicksand 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete2 books (2004–2014)
Start with I Die, But the Memory Lives On and read in order.
Sofia Alface Series
Complete3 books (1995–2005)
Start with Secrets in the Fire and read in order.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete10 books (1990–2020)
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 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Chronicler of the Winds 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Daniel 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Return of the Dancing Master(With: Laurie Thompson) 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Depths 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Kennedy's Brain 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Man from Beijing 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Shadow Girls / Tea-Bag 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  A Treacherous Paradise 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Rock Blaster 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Henning Mankell written?
- Henning Mankell has written 37 books across 11 series. Their published works span from 1990 to 2020.
- What is the first book in each Henning Mankell series?
- Here are the first books in Henning Mankell's series: Anthologies: Freedom; Fredrik WelinBooks: Italian Shoes; Joel Gustafsson: A Bridge to the Stars; Kurt Wallander: Faceless Killers; Short Stories/Novellas: I Die, But the Memory Lives On.
- What order should I read Henning Mankell's books?
- We recommend reading Henning Mankell's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Henning Mankell's series complete?
- Henning Mankell has 11 completed series.