TO COOK A BEAR

On one level, this audiobook by Swedish author Niemi is a fairly standard mystery. But there are other, much deeper, levels as well. Jussi, portrayed by Anthony Mark Barrow, is a Sámi runaway who has been informally adopted by Pastor Lars Levi Laestadius, an actual historical character who is portrayed later in the book by narrator Allan Corduner. Besides being the detective in the mystery, the Pastor is the leader of a historical evangelical movement in the far north of Sweden. The two voices evoke different classes and educational backgrounds as the two characters explore questions of faith, truth, and loyalty, as well as guilt and innocence. Both narrators invite listeners to sink deeply into the world they create. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2021]