THE HOLY THIEF

Simon Vance's narration evokes the ambiance of the Soviet Union of 1936, when this novel is set. If it were a color, it would be a smoke-stained gray. But that doesn't mean his voice is flat and expressionless. It merely reflects the surroundings and the dark tone of the story. Vance gives the Russian speakers a touch of a Slavic accent to differentiate them from the American characters. This allows the listener to distinguish characters easily during dialogue. The plot involves murders surrounding the international trafficking of religious icons. The mystery itself carries the listener along nicely as the hero, a Moscow police detective, unravels the clues. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2010]