The Beige Man

Starred review from December 1, 2014
Two cases that arise on the same wintry night in Göteborg, Sweden, propel Tursten’s excellent seventh mystery featuring Det. Insp. Irene Huss (after 2014’s The Fire Dance). Discovering the culprits behind the hit-and-run that killed Torleif Sandberg, a retired police officer, is straightforward, but the strangulation murder of an abused 12-year-old girl found in an abandoned root cellar requires Huss and her fellow officers to investigate a much larger issue: human trafficking and sex crimes. After questioning pimps in Sweden, Huss and company travel to the island of Tenerife, where Det. Insp. Juan Rejón wants their help with some local murders. In a bizarre meeting with one of the traffickers, Huss witnesses a shockingly violent encounter between rival gangs, but most of the action involves diligently looking for clues in the usual procedural fashion. Cleverly, Tursten doesn’t reveal the significance of the beige man of the title until the last page.

Scandinavian detective fiction is enjoying global popularity, and this audio page-turner once again proves why. Suzanne Toren is an excellent choice to portray police detective Irene Huss, who is thrown into the investigation of a sex-trafficking ring. Toren capably manage the demands of Swedish pronunciation and a wide-ranging cast of characters, which include gruff policemen. Her skill makes complex scenes filled with long stretches of dialogue easy to follow. Her variety in pitch, tone, and pace keeps the action moving and builds the suspense. The story moves quickly as the listener is drawn further into the complexity of the crime. M.R. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine