The Pyramid by Henning Mankell

I had not read any of Henning Mankell's books about Kurt Wallander, the gloomy Swedish detective. But this is the perfect place to start, since it's the very first one. This book contains five stories, averaging 80 pages each, and it's mesmeric. The young Wallander is a flawed existential hero. He's emotional and impulsive. He has issues with his father and his girlfriend, Mona. Wallander is good at understanding human relationships, as long as they don't involve him. The very model of the modern detective, then.

Synopsis by Foyles.co.uk

When Kurt Wallander first appeared in Faceless Killers back in 1990, he was a senior police officer, just turned forty, with his life in a mess. His wife had left him, his father barely acknowledged him; he ate badly and drank alone at night. The Pyramid chronicles the events that led him to such a place. We see him in the early years, doing hours on the beat whilst trying to solve a murder off-duty; witness the beginnings of his fragile relationship with Mona, the woman he has his heart set on marrying; and learn the reason behind his difficulties with his father. These thrilling tales provide a fascinating insight into Wallander's character, and demand to be read in one sitting. From the stabbing of a neighbour in 1969 to a light aircraft accident in 1989, every story is a vital piece of the Wallander series, showing Mankell at the top of his game. Featuring an introduction from the author, The Pyramid is an essential read for all fans of Kurt Wallander.