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| Henning Mankell | |
Swedish novelist and playwright Henning Mankell, best known for his popular mystery novels featuring Inspector Kurt Wallander "that were translated into a score of languages and sold by the millions throughout the world," died yesterday, the New York Times reported. He was 67. Mankell was "considered the dean of the so-called Scandinavian noir writers who gained global prominence for novels that blended edge-of-your-seat suspense with flawed, compelling protagonists and strong social themes," the Times wrote.
"Beloved by readers across the world, especially for his Kurt Wallander series, it was a privilege to have worked with a man of such talent and passion, and to have been his U.K. publisher for so many years," a spokesperson for Harvill Secker told the Guardian. "He was an inspiration not just as a writer, but as someone who always stood up for the rights of others. He will be so very sorely missed. The world is a sadder place for having lost such a charismatic and honorable man."
Kenneth Branagh, who portrayed Wallander in a series of U.K. TV adaptations, said of Mankell: "I will miss his provocative intelligence and his great personal generosity."