description Faceless Killers Overview
Faceless Killers is a crime novel by Swedish author Henning Mankell and the first book in the Kurt Wallander series. Originally published in Swedish in 1991, it follows the Ystad police inspector as he investigates the brutal killing of an elderly farming couple in rural Skåne. The case unfolds alongside Wallander's family difficulties and public hostility toward immigrants, establishing the series' combination of police procedure, social observation, and personal strain.
insights Ranking position
Faceless Killers ranks #60 of 183 in the Detective Novel ranking, behind An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, ahead of Ordeal by Innocence.
help Faceless Killers FAQ
What murder opens Faceless Killers?
An elderly farming couple is brutally attacked near Ystad in southern Sweden. The wife's final words intensify local hostility toward immigrants and complicate Kurt Wallander's investigation.
Is Faceless Killers the first Kurt Wallander book?
Yes. Henning Mankell published it in Swedish in 1991 as the first novel featuring the Ystad police detective.
Where is Faceless Killers set?
The investigation unfolds in and around Ystad in Skåne, Sweden's southernmost region. Its rural roads, winter weather and changing communities are integral to the novel's atmosphere.
Which television adaptation includes the Faceless Killers case?
The BBC's Wallander adapted it with Kenneth Branagh in the title role. The episode was broadcast as part of the programme's second series.
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