Sam Woolf creates a foreboding atmosphere in this disturbing mystery with strong Christie vibes, set in 1952, 1983, and 2012 Iceland. Listeners enter a tuberculosis sanatorium repurposed from the 1940-50s and meet likable Helgi, who is reopening an investigation into earlier unsolved murders. His well-rendered questions to the caretaker, nurses, and doctors unearth old lies, secrets, and resentments. Woolf maintains a consistent atmosphere of dread while flawlessly segueing from ordinary to terrifying situations. Highlights include: the appearance of Hulda from earlier times and Helgi's disturbed, violent girlfriend. Audio is ideal for the slowly unfolding police procedural and its abrupt, disturbing conclusion. The relaxed afterword reveals Ragnar Jonasson's great love of old mysteries and his clever use of their classic elements in his contemporary writing.
Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250367198
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Yndis gives a show-stopping performance of this thrilling mystery.
Nina Yndis deftly narrates this translation of a Dutch novel set in 1980s Paris and the Netherlands, and in 2015 in Paris. It starts with the strange story of the Lambert family and their au pair, Eloise, and sets the stage for Marie’s story several years later as an au pair for the same family. Marie, an art student, is anxious to escape the Netherlands and her art school, mostly due to her influential teacher, Flo. But pasts are not always easy to leave behind, and some questions demand answers. The story is told from alternating points of view, and Yndis inhabits the characters seamlessly. Her flawless French accent immerses the listener.
Yndis gives a show-stopping performance of this thrilling mystery.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217163915
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kenny Blyth's warm Scottish accent and facility with creating characters make him the ideal narrator for Ann Cleeves's new series featuring Detective Jimmy Perez and his partner, Willow Reeves. They're now living on the Orkney Islands after moving from the Shetlands. Perez's best friend is found beaten to death with an ancient stone during an archaeological dig on Westray. Then a popular teacher is found stuffed into the Maeshowe tomb on Orkney, having been beaten with a matching stone. Blyth fully inhabits these windswept islands steeped in ancient history, now filled with bartenders, artists, and academics. He slightly softens his voice for Willow, adopts a buttoned-up tone for the teacher's very proper lover, and adds an entitled edge for visiting archaeologists who may have plagiarized local knowledge.
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781250403353
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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