The gloomy, hate-filled lives of a group of teenage guys in the south of Sweden suddenly turn around when one of the guys' hippie-like cousin shows up.

A lifeboat floats ashore at the coast of Skåne. Inside are two dead men who who've been murdered. Policeman Kurt Wallander is assigned to the case. The men are identified with the help of the police in Latvia. One of their officers travel to Sweden to to help but when he returns to his home country he is mysteriously murdered. Kurt flies to Riga to find out why and is drawn into complex conspiracy.

Set in Sweden the 1700s. Local rebels are raging in the south. Two riders are commissioned to capture the Dane rebel who is their leader.