THE FIFTH WOMAN

Dick Hill's presentation of this Swedish police procedural featuring Detective Kurt Wallander captures listeners with a suspenseful plot and an evocative setting. As Wallander searches for a brutally inventive killer, Hill smoothly imparts the uncommon place and character names. Mankell's emphasis on police procedures requires endless shop meetings. To these Hill's narration lends suspense, humor, and terrific character delineation of Wallander and his cohorts—right down to the cold-stricken voice of one policeman, which gradually improves. Hill's engrossing voice weaves the growing terror of a captive florist, the gathering of a peculiar women's support group, the tension of a hospital break-in, and the horror of the serial murders—which seem completely unrelated until Wallander's brooding nature ties together the clues. D.P.D. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 08]