From the prizewinning master of atmosphere ("The Boston Globe") and the creator of the bestselling Kurt Wallender mystery series comes the surprising and affecting story of a man well past middle age who suddenly finds himself on the threshold of renewal.

From the prizewinning master of atmosphere ("The Boston Globe") and the creator of the bestselling Kurt Wallender mystery series comes the surprising and affecting story of a man well past middle age who suddenly finds himself on the threshold of renewal.

From the bestselling author of the Kurt Wallander series comes a touching and intimate story about an embattled man's unexpected chance at redemption.

Many years ago a devastating mistake drove Fredrik Welin into a life as far as possible from his former position as a surgeon, where he mistakenly amputated the wrong arm of one of his patients. Now he lives in a frozen landscape. Each morning he dips his body into the freezing lake surrounding his home to remind himself he's alive. However, Welins's icy existence begins to thaw when he receives a visit from a guest who helps him embark on a journey to acceptance and understanding. Full of the graceful prose and deft characterization that have been the hallmarks of Mankell's prose, Italian Shoes shows a modern master at the height of his powers, effortlessly delivering a remarkable novel about the most rewarding theme of all: hope.