THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN EASY JOB

Narrator Cindy Kay performs this deceptively titled work with a fine sense of pacing and an understated affect. The warmth in her voice grounds the unnamed narrator's sometimes fantastic experiences. The decision to modulate and slow down the male voices makes them a kind of counterpoint to the calm and confidential tone of the 36-year- old female protagonist, whom we follow on her four-job journey. Despite wanting simple, easy work, the heroine solves mysteries. And make no mistake, this excellent listen has a feminist slant. The male bosses all need her help. Translated by Polly Barton, a Brit, the novel contains Britishisms--"adverts" for "ads" and "skiver" for "shirker"--that place the listener at even greater remove from the Japanese names and locales. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2021]