THE NAMING OF THE BIRDS Inspector Henry Cutter and Sergeant Gideon Bliss, Book 2

In the second Inspector Cutter/Sergeant Bliss mystery, the mood is bleak, and Charles Armstrong's performance is irresistible. After a murdered civil servant is found clutching a child's bone, Cutter, Bliss, and journalist Octavia Hillingdon begin an investigation that shakes their faith in humanity. More brutal murders of civil servants occur, seemingly connected to an asylum fire that killed 36 children years before. With careful objectivity, Armstrong delivers stories of hideous abuse and murder at the asylum. When needed, his rich baritone morphs into the softer, whispery voice of Nightingale, a survivor who experienced it all firsthand. Armstrong's handling of the final stream-of-consciousness revelations is outstanding. Series fans won't be disappointed. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2025]