It is the first book in the Kurt Wallander series. The saga -of 11 novels- is great for any fan of the genre. The commissioner has to solve a very complicated and turbulent case: the cruel and bizarre murder of an elderly couple who lived on the Lenarp farm. The woman was strangled and her last word was "stranger". The murderers feed the horse after the crime. Racial prejudice unleashes a wave of violence in revenge. The style is entertaining, easy to read, the investigation process is slow, believable. The plot is interesting, there are unexpected twists and turns, and the suspense is fascinating, although perhaps less so than others by the author. It is very realistic, without concessions to fantasy. The literary quality is remarkable.
The protagonist has a special charisma, he is an anti-hero because of his imperfection, which makes him more accessible to the reader. As it is the first work in which he appears, he tells his personal life in more detail. He was abandoned by his wife, he has a difficult relationship with his retired father and his daughter Linda, he feels very lonely. In several moments of the thriller he manifests his lustful thoughts or desires but they are not explicitly described. Professionally he is a very effective and committed person, with solid principles. He is in constant struggle not only against criminals but against everything he considers unjust.
He makes a good portrait of the tormented characters of Swedish society. The setting is gray and cold like winter in that country. The reflections on immigrants, refugee camps, extremism, the politics of fear and its xenophobic consequences, alcoholism, sensationalist journalism, the lack of administrative control are very eloquent...... It presents the darker side of modern Sweden. It contains a clear social denunciation. The book is considered a best seller, has been made into television and translated into more than 40 languages.