Almost Criminal

A Novel

De: Ulrike Herwig, Rachel Reynolds - translator

Narrado por: Jessica Taige

A disenchanted husband and wife. One reckless move. With a little luck, a tank full of gas, and an unexpected accomplice, they’ll go far in this funny and exhilarating novel about friendship, redemption, and reinvention on the run.

Tina and Markus Michel are an unexceptional couple with a mountain of debt and dead-end jobs. Until Markus impulsively robs a gas station (with a toy gun) and goes on the lam with a blindsided Tina and an accidental octogenarian hostage, Oskar Krauss.

But Oskar is far from the frail nursing home resident he’s portrayed as in the media. In fact, the spry and shrewd ex-petty criminal is in his element again, helping the anxious, middle-aged Bonnie and Clyde navigate an escape plan that turns a not-so-run-of-the-mill day absurdly on its head. The world is watching. The police give chase. And with every mile and exhilarating new day, Tina and Markus realize that leaving the conventional life behind for the thrilling unknown could be the best thing that ever happened.

As for Oskar, he has a destination and a lost love in mind—and surprises in store as a cross-country getaway becomes the adventure of a lifetime.

©2015 by dtv Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, © 2024 by Ulrike Rylance. (P)2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Translation © 2026 by Rachel Reynolds.

Highly recommend

0/5 spice
Little to no language
I can recommend this book to everyone, loved it!

Accidental Outlaws?

Imagine popping out of the office for a quick gas station lunch, only to find yourself in the middle of a heist. Now, imagine the robber’s voice sounds suspiciously like your husband’s.
​That is the chaotic reality for Tina, the protagonist of Almost Criminal. After chasing down the getaway car and hitching a ride with her bewildered husband, Marcus, the couple finds themselves accidental outlaws on the run. Their duo quickly becomes a trio when they encounter Oscar, a nursing home escapee with a shadowy past who becomes the unlikely "brains" of the operation.
​Written by Ulrike Herwig and narrated by Jessica Taige, this audiobook is an absolute riot. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the seven-hour runtime and powered through it in just two days. If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced "ride-along," this is it!

Cute read/listen

I loved that this is quite a simple story that unfolds with humor. I loved the characters, especially Oscar.

I would give

this 5 stars overall of the audio hadn’t been so weird. Every now and again it would drop the last letter off of words. Like it was fading out too early. Otherwise, o thought the story was interesting and fun.