REYKJAVIK A Crime Story

Tamaryn Payne and Bert Seymour seamlessly present this mystery, cowritten by Iceland's prime minister, Katrin Jakobsdottir. Listeners learn of 15-year-old Lara's 1956 murder and the 1986 reopening of the case. Payne and Seymour aptly convey Iceland's 200th Anniversary celebration, the Gorbachev-Reagan Summit, and the country's expanding media. Colorful descriptions of the locales, diverse residents, and flashbacks are atmospheric. Young journalist Valur--egged on by his editor--believes he's onto a breakthrough in the murder case. Most touching is meeting police officer Kristjal, who was forbidden to work on the original case. A heartrending tragedy results in Sunna, Valur's sister, taking over his news article. Listeners will be mesmerized as audio captures 30 years of changes in the Icelandic lifestyle and speech patterns--as well as a shocking conclusion. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2024]