A few days later what they have been warned of comes to pass: a life raft is washed up on a beach. In it are two men, dressed in expensive suits, shot dead.The dead men were Eastern European criminals, victims of what seems to have been a gangland hit. But what appears in Sweden to be an open-and-shut case soon takes on a far more sinister aspect. Wallander travels across the Baltic Sea to Riga in Latvia, a nation experiencing the massive social and political upheaval that will lead to its independence from the Soviet Union. There Wallander is plunged into a frozen, alien world of police surveillance, scarcely veiled threats, and lies. Doomed always to be one step behind the shadowy figures he pursues , he comes to understand what it is to live in a nation in which democracy is still only a dream. Only his dogged, almost subconscious desire to se that justice is done brings the truth to light.
The Dogs of Riga: Kurt Wallander
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"Kurt Wallander has touches of Dexter's Inspector Morse about him, while remaining an original and highly likeable creation" Marcel Berlins, The Times; "It is not hard to see why the Wallander books have made a particular impact. They are tightly plotted, but even more importantly, as in most good crime fiction, the character of the detective and the atmosphere surrounding the action are what give that extra edge to the performance" Hugh Macpherson, TLS
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'Wallander's investigations are perfectly judged to create a thrilling mood of growing tension culminating in a satisying climax' - The Times
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
52 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Of the two 'Kurt Wallander' novels I have read, 'The Dogs of Riga' is the weaker: 'Faceless Killers' has a more compelling plot, and a more interesting narrative. However, 'The Dogs of Riga' is still a very good book. The ending is slightly cluttered, with Mankell pushing credibility a little, but the novel as a whole is an excellent portrait of a determined Swedish Police detective who happens to be a little unlucky and a little unhealthy.
'The Dogs of Riga' is basically a Police Procedural detective novel and a no-details-ignored, everything-included study of a middle-aged man going through a variety of problems, whether they be medical, personal, or career-related. We may not aspire to be like Wallander in all respects, but the character earns the respect, admiration, and - at times - symphathy of the reader. Mankell weaves the most mundane details of Wallander's life and police investigations into a narrative which is always compelling. And he is astute not only with regard to character: there is a superb sense of geographical place, time, and politics in these novels. And this sense is nuanced, and not in any way simplistic. If anything, Mankell paints the world in too realistic a way: it is so plausible and real that reading about certain aspects of it can be depressing.
Recommended, although 'Faceless Killers' is the first novel, in terms of Wallander's chronology. After reading 'Faceless Killers' and 'The Dogs of Riga', read 'Sidetracked' and 'The Fifth Woman', in that order.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have just read this in one long run during a very long day of train journeys. I found it absolutely riveting. I love the fact that Wallander is an ordinary, imperfect man. He tries to do the right thing but doesn't always manage it. As the story progresses we can see him become more and more mentally and physically exhausted. When he gets too tired he drinks too much and almost mucks things up, pulling things back at the last moment. The setting in Latvia-with its atmosphere of menace and not being able to fully trust anyone is fascinating.It doesn't matter that the Iron Curtain has come down-there are still plenty of countries like this around. Highly recommended.
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was surprised by a previous reviewer's comment that they found Dogs of Riga unengaging - I found it totally compelling. I do think that there are production glitches - sloppy editorial work on Vintage's part which seriously interfere with the readability of the book - but that aside Wallender is a very engaging, somewhat Rebus-esque hero. In this volume he finds himself sucked almost powerlessly into the decaying world of the collapsing Communist regime of Latvia. I enjoyed Faceless Killers, the previous volume, but I think Dogs of Riga is a dramatic step up in terms of sophistication. You can feel the author inhabiting Wallender's skin more fully with every page. Excellent stuff, I say!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not his best
This time the plot and resolution are just not credible. Wallender would not have been able to avoid the police and enter their headquarters.
Published 1 month ago by C J Shaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dogs of riga
Good read from the Swedish detective and a good pace really enjoyed the storyline and looking forward to the next
one
one
Published 1 month ago by andrew
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read!
I am reading all of these in order and am loving every minute!!! Would recommend to Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo fans.
Published 2 months ago by Shoo
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not one of the best
This is the fourth Wallwndar book I have read and is a very early one. It is not one of the best.
A dinghy with 2 bodies in it washes up near Ystad. Read more
A dinghy with 2 bodies in it washes up near Ystad. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Bob from Beds
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Dogs of Riga
This book was great, Mankell is such an amazing writer. If you like crime books you'll like this. If you work for the police or are a police officer, this will frighten you.
Published 4 months ago by layla
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slow burner
Worth persevering with the slow start, to get to the intense gripping climax, paints a depressing picture of early 90's Latvia
Published 4 months ago by Helen Sherborne
3.0 out of 5 stars
Wallander off-course
After "Faceless Killers", this book is a great disappointment. it starts off so well and Wallander is in fine form: diligent, hard-working and clearly very intelligent, but once... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Donald Hughes
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not his best
I enjoyed a previous mankell I read - I think it was called faceless killers - but this wasn't of the same standard. Read more
Published 5 months ago by EllieG
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Wallander Good Book.
I am a Mankell and Wallander fan and so I enjoyed this book. It was Mankells usual good standard and kept me enthralled all the way through.
Published 5 months ago by barry cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Terrific read, also very informative
I chose this book because I am gradually reading all the Wallander mysteries.
I really enjoy reading the Wallander stories because they are far more detailed than the... Read more
I really enjoy reading the Wallander stories because they are far more detailed than the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Peter Holding
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