REQUIEM FOR A GYPSY A Commander Jana Matinova Investigation

Michael Genelin’s Slovakian setting for this series is fascinating, and Commander Jana Matinova (Police Inspector to you) is an appealing character. Fourth in this series but the first to be recorded, the book is brought to life by the cool, somber voice of Suzanne Toren. When linked murders take Jana to Berlin and Paris, she is at a disadvantage both because she is female and because she is Slovakian; it’s interesting to see Western Europe through her eyes. She must also snoop deep into Slovakia’s dark Soviet past, which, given the politburo atmosphere of her police department, doesn’t seem very long gone. If the plotting sometimes creaks, the novelty of the setting compensates, and Toren handles many different accents and personalities, both sprightly and lumpen, with skillful aplomb. B.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2011]