Swedish authro Henning Mankell, best known for his book Wallander, died at the age of 67 after battling cancer for over a year.

The author, who is also associated with pioneering the genre of Nordic noir, was diagnosed with cancer in 2014. The Guardian reported that the author passed away in his sleep early in the morning. The author's publisher, Leopard -- which Mankell co-founded with Dan Israeli -- expressed immense grief at the loss.

Mankell's British publisher, Harvill Secker also made a statement about his untimely death:

"Beloved by readers across the world, especially for his Kurt Wallander series, it was a privilege to have worked with a man of such talent and passion, and to have been his UK publisher for so many years," said a spokesperson at Harvill Secker. "He was an inspiration not just as a writer, but as someone who always stood up for the rights of others. He will be so very sorely missed. The world is a sadder place for having lost such a charismatic and honourable man."

The author's creation detective Kurt Wallander also spurred a succesful television series. Mankell's influence in the crime fiction genre has also been idelible.

Icelandic crime writer Yrsa Sigurdardottir also said that "was undoubtedly the single most important person involved in bringing Scandinavian crime fiction to the rest of the world".

"His novels were immensely popular and for a reason; his mastery lay in being able to combine compelling characters, intriguing crimes and matters of social injustice into stories that were not only enjoyable but also very well written. So much so that they transcended borders and made the foreign reader forget the odd names and unfamiliar locations," she said.

Tags: Henning Mankell Walander Books