Narrator David Rintoul uses his considerable acting talents to deliver this "Scandi blanc" parody of Scandi noir (also known as Nordic noir). Author Alexander McCall Smith introduces us to Swedish detective Ulf Varg and his colleagues in the Department of Sensitive Crimes through three cases in which no one gets killed or even seriously maimed. Rintoul effectively differentiates the many characters, who do a lot of talking throughout minimal actions that generate a significant amount of contemplation and brooding. Rintoul's performance keeps the listener engaged in the amusing stories. Listeners might wonder if a character named Blomkvist is a tip of the hat to the journalist of the same name at the center of Stieg Larsson's "The Girl Who" books. This audiobook is a well-performed refreshingly light listen.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781980031765
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Novelist Benet Archdale and housemaid Carol Stratford are two young, single parents who have no reason to know each other. They become tangled in a nightmarish spiral of kidnap, fraud, family violence and death. Ruth Rendell creates psychological suspense in thrillers that are compulsively readable or, in this case, listenable. British actress Imelda Staunton's reading is perfectly paced, and the characters are well defined. You'll have a hard time turning it off.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Emerson and Peabody are at it again! Uncovering antiquities takes a back-seat as the romantic archaeologists track down the master criminal who is stealing Egypt's ancient treasures. With the help of their precocious son, Ramses, the intrepid pair unravel this mystery in crowded bazaars, desert camps and the heart of the Black Pyramid. Barbara Rosenblat's reading fully measures up to the tale. She is a master of timing and nuance. Rosenblat's power for character interpretation has grown with each book in this amusing series. This is the best one yet.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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