The Man From Beijing – Henning Mankell

A rather unexpected combination of a mass murder in a remote Swedish hamlet (OK, that’s not an unusual Mankell plotline!) with an account of a 19th century Chinese peasant’s kidnap and indenture into the building of the railroads of the American West and commentary on modern Chinese colonialism in Africa and Communist party politics….

A really good read – but we’re not talking Wallander so don’t expect a classic Scandinavian crime novel.

Amazon.co.uk link: The Man From Beijing – Henning Mankell