Harry Hole returns in a dark, disturbing narrative skillfully performed by John Lee. At rock bottom in Los Angeles, Harry is drowning in alcohol, having lost everything dear to him. However, a lucrative offer beckons him back to Oslo, where as a private detective he can save the life of a woman he recently met. The case involves a sadistic serial killer. Lee effectively portrays the macabre details of the killer's grotesque acts, which range from mutilation to cannibalism. Shifting perspectives among Harry, his former police colleagues, the victims, and the disturbed killer, Lee employs accents, tone, and pacing to differentiate the many characters. While Harry's backstory is scattered throughout, newcomers might benefit from starting earlier in the series.
Pub Date: May 30, 2023
Duration: 16 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593740415
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
For someone whose vocal palette contains so few colors, Edward Asner is a surprisingly effective narrator. His familiar, pleasant growl compels attention and bespeaks authority. He has his faults though. As an audiobook performer, he has but one personality, whatever the narrative voice of his text. One gets the impression that he enters the studio underprepared, taking his time to discover the book as he reads it. Thus it is with An Isolated Incident, a taut, suspenseful murder mystery set in Puget Sound. Other readers could better explore all the beats of this rich page-turner, but few could hold an audience as effortlessly.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Time Warner AudioBooks
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Kay Scarpetta takes on more than routine investigations as her job of medical examiner involves her once again in a search for an unknown killer. The story is riveting from the opening chapters, and Sheila Hart never lets the intrigue subside. However Hart doesn't use enough vocal range, and male voices sound tinny and high-pitched. The dialogues with tough yet, endearing, Lt. Pete Marino have perfect cadence, accent and speech pattern, but sound somewhat thin and insubstantial. Telephone conversations and flashbacks are set off by effective sound enhancement, a useful addition. The overall presentation is very good driven strongly by the author's contribution.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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