A Conspiracy of Faith

In Adler-Olsen’s latest Department Q novel, a message in a bottle is discovered 14 years after it was written and tossed into the ocean. The barely legible note, written in blood, is from two kidnapped children begging for help. Detective Carl Mørck and his eccentric team of Danish detectives are tasked with investigating the legitimacy of the note and, once it’s authenticity is confirmed, discovering the fate of the two victims. What they ultimately uncover is a serial killer who has kept his criminal activities hidden for over a decade. With his slightly accented reading, Graeme Malcolm does an excellent job of bringing this dark Nordic suspense story to life. His melancholic delivery aptly reflects the story’s often-somber content. That said, he fully captures each of Adler-Olsen’s quirky characters and, in the case of the Department Q’s personnel, allows them to bring sparks of humor here and there before things become too grim. In all, Malcolm’s skillful performance lets this mystery unfold at a natural, steady pace with just the right balance between the dark and light, making for a satisfying listen. A Dutton hardcover. (May)