Jussi Adler-Olsen

Steven Pacey has read all four of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s best selling Department Q crime fiction novels onto audiobook: Mercy, Disgrace, Redemption, and Guilt.

Mercy (The Keeper of Lost Causes)	Disgrace (The Absent One)
Redemption (A Conspiracy of Faith)	Guilt

Photograph: Wikipedia

“An exceptionally varied life has created an exceptionally varied author.

Political studies, an education in cinematography, as well as growing up as the son of a psychiatric doctor have given Jussi Adler-Olsen the insight to write on subjects as different as extreme mental illness and international conspiracies.
He began his writing career with the international thrillers Alfabethuset (The Alphabet House), Og hun takkede guderne (The Company Basher) and Washington Dekretet (The Washington Decree), after which he set his sights on Denmark, where his first two crime thrillers in the series about Department Q – Kvinden i buret (The Woman in the Cage) and Fasandræberne (The Pheasant Killers) – made him a renowned author both in Denmark and abroad.”

From Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Biography on Jussi’s BLOG

Mercy

Title: Published in the UK as Mercy
(published in the USA as The Keeper of Lost Causes; in Denmark as Kvinden i buret, literally The Woman in the Cage)
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Synopsis:
At first the prisoner scratches at the walls until her fingers bleed. But there is no escaping the room. With no way of measuring time, her days, weeks, months go unrecorded. She vows not to go mad. She will not give her captors the satisfaction. She will die first. Copenhagen detective Carl has been taken off homicide to run a newly created department for unsolved crimes. His first case concerns Merete Lynggaard, who vanished five years ago. Everyone says she’s dead. Everyone says it’s a waste of time. He thinks they’re right.

The voice in the dark is distorted, harsh and without mercy. It says the prisoner’s torture will only end when she answers one simple question. It is one she has asked herself a million times: WHY is this happening?

Publisher’s Synopsis

IMAGE	FORMAT	RELEASE DATE	LENGTH
	Digital Download Sample:	21 June, 2012	13 hours and 35 minutes Unabridged

Author, Jussi Adler-Olsen discusses the characters in Mercy:

Praise for Steven Pacey’s reading of Mercy/The Absent One

“With his vivid vocal portraits, Steven Pacey builds a complex world from gated country estate to junkie flophouse while maintaining a heart-pounding momentum.”

Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2012
Audiofile Magazine

“the narrator is Steven Pacey and he is one of the better readers.”
“i [sic] like what i’ve [sic] heard of Steven Pacey ”

From goodreads.com

“in addition, the narrator does a great job (i [sic] do like the application of uk [sic] dialects despite this being set in Denmark [sic]).”
“Read superbly by Steven Pacey – one of my favourite narrators. In fact I originally chose this book mainly due to his excellent narration of the marvelous Joe Abercrombie books which I’ve recently finished.”
“Steven Pacey is one of my favourite narrators – he narrates Susan Hill’s Serailler series brilliantly- and he does not disappoint here. I also really liked the use of UK regional accents.”
“Steven Pacey was the main reason I chose this book to read. He could read me the telephone book and I would find it interesting. Thank you again Steven.”
“loved it and will read more from this author and his reader … Excellent [sic] reader in all the parts he took so nothing grated.”
“Steven Pacey brings the characters to life in an entertaining manner particularly reflecting the author’s (or translator’s) humour in what could have been an overwhelmingly bleak experience.”
“The narrator was fantastic, he made all the characters believable. His narration of Assad, made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion!”
“the narrator was great I really liked the way he read the book.”

From audible.co.uk listeners.

“What about Steven Pacey’s performance did you like? The tone of voice”

From an audible.com listener.

“narrator Stephen [sic] Pacey is a delight to listen to as always”

From reactionstoreading.com

“In this audio edition, narrator Steven Pacey ably brings Adler-Olsen’s intricate mystery to life. He lends the characters—the perpetually cranky Mørck, his eager-to-please assistant Assad, or the damaged Kimmie—distinct and absolutely spot-on voices.”

From Publisher’s Weekly

“Pacey brings a heightened sense of drama and intensity to his reading. Although he speaks in his native British accent, he does a credible job rattling off Danish names and sites. Mørck sounds gruff and frequently annoyed, villains seem appropriately smarmy, and genial assistant Assad speaks in a lilting cadence that has a familiar quality.”

From Booklist Online

“Narrator Steven Pacey does an excellent job bringing the various characters to life, giving each a distinct voice. His cadence, accent and delivery of the emotions adds another layer to the story. He gives sound to the raw emotions woven throughout the story.”

From Thougts in Progress BLOG

Reviews Updated 6 December, 2013

Disgrace

Title: Published in the UK as Disgrace
(published in the USA as The Absent One; in Denmark as Fasandræberne, literally The Pheasant Killers)
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Synopsis:
Kimmie’s home is on the streets of Copenhagen. To live she must steal. She has learned to avoid the police and never to stay in one place for long. But now others are trying to find her. And they won’t rest until she has stopped moving – for good.

Detective Carl of Department Q, the cold cases division, has received a file concerning the brutal murder of a brother and sister 20 years earlier. A group of boarding school students were the suspects at the time – until one of their numbers confessed and was convicted. So why is the file of a closed case on Carl’s desk? Who put it there? Who believes the case is not solved?

A police detective wants to talk to Kimmie and someone else is asking questions about her. They know she carries secrets certain powerful people want to stay buried deep. But Kimmie has one of her own. It’s the biggest secret of them all. And she can’t wait to share it with them …

Publisher’s Synopsis

IMAGE	FORMAT	RELEASE DATE	LENGTH
	Digital Download Trailer:	21 June, 2012	14 hours and 12 minutes Unabridged

Praise for Steven Pacey’s reading of Disgrace/The Keeper of Lost Causes

“I loved this book…..it’s brilliantly written and narrated.”
“this is an exciting, entertaining listen, augmented by the superb narration of steven pacey [sic]”
“The book is excellent and made even more so because Steven Paceys’s narration.”
“Have you listened to any of Steven Pacey’s other performances? How does this one compare? Excellent narration – would choose to listen to other books by same narrator”
“What more can you ask? Well I suppose a really good narrator and Steven Pacey was perfect. He made the book come alive.”

From audible.co.uk listeners.

“Stephen Pacey is a delight to listen to as always”

From reactionstoreading.com

Reviews Updated 6 December, 2013

Samples:

Character Biographies:

Redemption

Title: Published in the UK as Redemption
(published in the USA as A Conspiracy of Faith; in Denmark as Flaskepost fra P)
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Synopsis:
Detective Carl Mørck has received a bottle that holds an old and decayed message written in blood. It’s a cry for help from two young brothers, tied and bound in a boathouse by the sea. After floating in the ocean for years before turning up, the bottle sat forgotten, unopened, on a police department windowsill, before the seal was cracked and the gruesome message, written in Danish, was analyzed. Could it be real? Who are these boys, and why weren’t they reported missing? Could they possibly still be alive?

Carl’s investigation will force him to cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage: Her husband refuses to tell her where he goes, how long he will be away, what he does while he’s gone—or even what he does for a living. Isolated after choosing him over family and friends, she waits for days on end, and when he returns she must endure his wants, his moods, his threats. But enough is enough. She will find out the truth, no matter the cost to him—or to herself.

In this heart-pounding thriller, Carl and his colleagues Assad and Rose must use every resource available to uncover the horrifying truth set adrift in that bottle all those years ago.

Publisher’s Synopsis

IMAGE	FORMAT	RELEASE DATE	LENGTH
	Audio CD	18 July 2013	17 hrs and 18 mins Unabridged

Praise for Steven Pacey’s reading of Redemption/Conspiracy of Faith

“The narrator did a good job”
“As always Steven Pacey’s narration is superb.”
“Would you consider the audio edition of Redemption to be better than the print version? Yes by far it was well read with thoughtfulness, humour and tragedy [sic]. What about Steven Pacey’s performance did you like?
I loved it, there were 10 or more characters all shone through with their own personalities, some loathed some loved, all delivered with the same care and attention”
“Stephen [sic] Pacey does a great job of the narration…thoroughly recommended!”
“what a great narrator”
“Steven Pacey tells the story well and is good with accenting the characters, each of who has their own personality and there are some damn funny moments amongst the banter. I would recommend this book, its [sic] well read”
“I know that Steven Pacey will always deliver an impeccable performance, and I’m sure he helped to make this book work for me. In lesser hands it may have just been too much of a split [two story lines] to keep me engaged … I would listen to more of this writer’s books, especially if Steven Pacey is narrating!”
“Steven Pacey’s narration was, as usual, spot on.”

From audible.co.uk listeners

This audiobook appeared in audible.co.uk’s top 25 best sellers in December 2013.

“Jussi and Steven Pacey Makes Another Winning Duo. I first heard Steven Pacey reading Joe Abercombie’s “First Law” trilogy. He made all three books come alive. His narration makes me feel like the child I used to be who sat in front of the old console radio with his whole attention riveted … From those voice(s) a kid could imagine worlds he or she never “saw”. Mr. Pacey has that gift of being able to inspire one’s imagination in that way, too, I think. At least for me. Like with Abercrombie’s works, Mr. Pacey’s narration enhances the entertainment value of this book, immensely.”
“Great Story, Great Narration. Jussi Adler-Olsen and Steven Pacey really make this story come to life.”
“Once again Steven Pacey steals the show!”

From audible.com listeners.

“I enjoy Stephen [sic] Pacey’s lovely voice in my head”

From reactionstoreading.com

Reviews Updated 6 December, 2013

Guilt

Title: Published in the UK as Guilt
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Synopsis:
1987. Nete Rosen thought she’d put her traumatic youth behind her. Her caring foster parents and loving husband helped her start again. However, when a man from her past reappears one night, Nete’s new life could be shattered. But she won’t be drawn back into that nightmare – she won’t be a victim again…

2010. Detective Carl M’rck from Copenhagen’s cold case division is looking into the disappearance of Rita Nielsen, an escort agency owner. The investigation reveals that Rita is only one piece of the puzzle. Because this is not a one-off incident – but part of a disturbing pattern which has been hidden from prying eyes for over twenty years…

Publisher’s Synopsis

IMAGE	FORMAT	RELEASE DATE	LENGTH
	Audio CD	27 February July 2014	15 hrs and 59 mins Unabridged

Long-listed for The Audible Sounds of Crime Award, 2015.