Before the Frost: A Kurt and Linda Wallander Novel

This was my first Wallander crime novel and it got me totally hooked. Even though I did not know the rest of the crime series it was easy to get into and get to know the main characters. I loved the sombre atmosphere and the realistic look at how tedious and mundane police work can be. It introduced Wallander's daughter LInda, who picked up her father's baton and promises to be just as brilliant as a detective as he is. Don't read if you like fast action-driven crime stories. It will disappoint you.

I have read several books by this author and found only one to be remotely interesting. Unfortunately, this was not the book. His books have way too much detail...I usually like a lot of detail if it adds to the story, the details in this book however, are tedious and boring to the extreme. The characters are painted too human making them weak and unattractive. His 'hero' Kurt Vollander comes out a bit pathetic and his daughter Linda Vollander is just plain uninteresting. If you need a sleep aid rent this book!