The Dogs of Riga
Encyclopedia
The Dogs of Riga is a Swedish
detective
mystery
by Henning Mankell
, set in Riga
, the capital of Latvia
. It is the second book of the Kurt Wallander
series, and was translated into English by Laurie Thompson
.
with two dead bodies washes up on the Swedish shore, detective
Kurt Wallander is led on a wild goose chase that leads him to Latvia. Much of this book is a commentary
on the unstable political climates of former Soviet republics
in the early 1990s, before these countries faced the period of economic boom
, stability and prosperity which started in the 2000s, and was interrupted to a degree again in 2008.
in 1995. Wallander is played by Rolf Lassgård
. The film was directed by Per Berglund and released in the United States as The Hounds of Riga.
The novel will also serve as the basis for an episode in the third season of the British production of Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh
as the title character.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
detective
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
mystery
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
by Henning Mankell
Henning Mankell
Henning Mankell is a Swedish crime writer, children's author, leftist activist and dramatist, best known for a series of mystery novels starring his most famous creation, Inspector Kurt Wallander.-Life and career:...
, set in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, the capital of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. It is the second book of the Kurt Wallander
Kurt Wallander
Kurt Wallander is a fictional character created by Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell. The protagonist of several mystery novels, set in and around the town of Ystad, 60 km south-east of the city of Malmö, in the southern province of Skåne...
series, and was translated into English by Laurie Thompson
Laurie Thompson
Laurie Thompson is a British academic and translator, born in York, England, and lived in northern Sweden for a few years, noted for his translations of Swedish literature into English...
.
Plot introduction
When a life raftDinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
with two dead bodies washes up on the Swedish shore, detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
Kurt Wallander is led on a wild goose chase that leads him to Latvia. Much of this book is a commentary
Social commentary
Social commentary is the act of rebelling against an individual, or a group of people by rhetorical means, or commentary on social issues or society...
on the unstable political climates of former Soviet republics
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in the early 1990s, before these countries faced the period of economic boom
Boom and bust
A credit boom-bust cycle is an episode characterized by a sustained increase in several economics indicators followed by a sharp and rapid contraction. Commonly the boom is driven by a rapid expansion of credit to the private sector accompanied with rising prices of commodities and stock market index...
, stability and prosperity which started in the 2000s, and was interrupted to a degree again in 2008.
Adaptation
The novel was adapted into a theatrical film by Swedish public broadcaster Sveriges TelevisionSveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
in 1995. Wallander is played by Rolf Lassgård
Rolf Lassgård
Rolf Lassgård is a Swedish actor.-Biography:A keen amateur ice hockey player in his youth, Lassgård also joined theatre teacher Ingemar Lind's Institute for the Performing Arts in the village of Storhögen outside Östersund. He then attended the Stage School in Malmö from 1975-78...
. The film was directed by Per Berglund and released in the United States as The Hounds of Riga.
The novel will also serve as the basis for an episode in the third season of the British production of Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from Northern Ireland. He is best known for directing and starring in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays including Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from...
as the title character.