Henning Mankell was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of a judge. He grew up in the towns of Sveg and Borås. His grandfather, also called Henning Mankell (1868–1930), was a well-known composer. At the age of 20, Mankell was the assistant director at the Riks Theater in Stockholm, and he was also writing. In the 1970s he moved to Norway, where he lived with a woman who was a member of the Maoist Communist Labour Party, although he never officially joined the Party. He moved to Africa and lived in several African countries, and in 1985 he founded the Avenida Theater in Maputo, Mozambique, where he continues to spend about half of every year. In 1997 he began his most well-known series of novels, a series of murder mysteries set in Ystad, Sweden, featuring the police detective Kurt Wallander. He also established a publishing house, Leopard Förlag, to publish young talents from both Africa and Sweden. He is married to Eva Bergman, daughter of Ingmar Bergman.

Henning Mankell was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of a judge. He grew up in the towns of Sveg and Borås. His grandfather, also called Henning Mankell (1868–1930), was a well-known composer. At the age of 20, Mankell was the assistant director at the Riks Theater in Stockholm, and he was also writing. In the 1970s he moved to Norway, where he lived with a woman who was a member of the Maoist Communist Labour Party, although he never officially joined the Party. He moved to Africa and lived in several African countries, and in 1985 he founded the Avenida Theater in Maputo, Mozambique, where he continues to spend about half of every year. In 1997 he began his most well-known series of novels, a series of murder mysteries set in Ystad, Sweden, featuring the police detective Kurt Wallander. He also established a publishing house, Leopard Förlag, to publish young talents from both Africa and Sweden. He is married to Eva Bergman, daughter of Ingmar Bergman.