description Sidetracked Overview
Sidetracked is a crime novel by Swedish author Henning Mankell featuring police inspector Kurt Wallander. First published in Swedish in 1995, it follows Wallander and his colleagues as they investigate a sequence of ritualized killings while also confronting the death of a young woman who sets herself on fire. Set in and around Ystad, the book combines a serial-murder investigation with Mankell's recurring attention to social isolation, institutional strain, and changes in Swedish society.
insights Ranking position
Sidetracked ranks #18 of 183 in the Detective Novel ranking, behind Faithful Place, ahead of Strong Poison.
help Sidetracked FAQ
What makes the murders in Sidetracked so disturbing?
Wallander investigates a killer who attacks apparently unrelated victims and scalps them. The case begins after he witnesses a young woman set herself on fire, creating two mysteries that gradually intersect.
Where does Sidetracked fall in the Wallander series?
It is the fifth Kurt Wallander novel, following The Man Who Smiled and preceding The Fifth Woman. Henning Mankell first published it in Swedish in 1995.
Did Sidetracked win the CWA Gold Dagger?
Yes. The Crime Writers' Association awarded Sidetracked the Gold Dagger, one of the best-known British prizes for crime fiction.
Is Sidetracked connected to the Kenneth Branagh Wallander series?
Yes. Sidetracked was adapted as the first feature-length episode of the BBC's Wallander, with Kenneth Branagh playing the Swedish detective.
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