MALICE Kyoichiro Kaga, Book 4

Bestselling novelist Kunihiko Hidaka is found murdered shortly after a visit from his best friend, Osamu Nonoguchi. Police detective Kyoichiro Kaga investigates the case. As the story is told in alternating first-person narratives by Kaga and Nonoguchi, narrator Jeff Woodman expertly differentiates the two so there is never any confusion for the listener. Kaga is portrayed as calm, soft spoken, and steely. Nonoguchi is more outgoing and manipulative. Although the murderer is exposed early on, Kaga continues to hunt for a motive and explores multiple theories, including plagiarism and bullying in Japanese schools. Woodman’s narration is compelling and clear throughout this twisty puzzle. He never hesitates with the Japanese names and lends an authentic air to this “whydunit,” translated from Japanese. A.B. 2015 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2014]