International best-selling author Henning Mankell's books have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. In The Shadow Girls, author/poet Jesper Humlin struggles under the pall of a frustrating life. Everything- from his personal relationships to his professional pursuits to his fi-nances- seems to be failing miserably. Then Jesper happens across a group of young immigrant girls- and their stories of hardship and perseverance transform his outlook on life.