The New York Times called Henning Mankell “that unusual thing: a European thriller writer whose work holds up as literature and who has broken out as an international phenomenon.” In The Man Who Smiled, all of Mankell’s talents as a master of the modern police procedural—which have earned him legions of fans worldwide—are showcased.

After killing a man in the line of duty, Inspector Kurt Wallander finds himself deep in a personal and professional crisis; during more than a year of sick leave, he turns to drink and vice to quiet his fears and anxieties. Once he pulls himself together, he vows to quit the Ystad police force for good—just before a friend who had asked Wallander to look into the death of his father winds up dead himself, shot three times.

Far from leaving police work behind, Wallander instead must investigate a formidable suspect: a powerful business tycoon at the helm of a multinational company engaged in extralegal activities in the gross pursuit of profit. Ann-Britt Höglund, the department’s first female detective, proves to be his best ally as he tries to pierce the smiling façade of his prime suspect. But just as he comes close to uncovering the truth, the same shadowy threats responsible for the murders close in on Wallander himself.

The Man Who Smiled is the fourth book in the Kurt Wallander mystery series.