The Seal King Murders

An Inspector Faro Mystery

By: Alanna Knight

Narrated by: Nick McArdle

The year is 1861 and Inspector Faro is heading back to Orkney to enjoy some home comforts. However, his rest is disrupted when he is given a special assignment from an old friend, Detective Superintendent Macfie. Macfie’s cousin-in-law, Dave Claydon, a champion swimmer, has drowned under mysterious circumstances. Was his death really an accident?

Arriving in Orkney, he is met with rumours of missing artefacts, the myth of the seal king, a dead body, Inga St Ola, his first love, and a mother who is determined to find him a wife. But, in Faro’s opinion, no matter how distracting the local legends are, or how valuable the artefacts, one man’s life, is truly beyond price. Will he be able to solve the case?

©2011 Alanna Knight (P)2011 Soundings

Comfortable dialogue but not much detecting

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It should have been shorter. It took way too long to get to the solution of the mystery, and then, when it did, the detective just sort off fell into the solution.

If you’ve listened to books by Alanna Knight before, how does this one compare?

It is the same as her other Inspector Faro mysteries. Perhaps a little longer than the others.

What does Nick McArdle bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The tone of his voice seems to just fit Inspector Faro. I would definitely listen to other audio books that use him.

Could you see The Seal King Murders being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No. Too slow paced and too long. Wouldn't keep viewers' attention.

Any additional comments?

This was very disappointing for me because I wanted to like the book and the character. I keep searching for a replacement for Sherlock Holmes, but I find you either end up with very bad imitations or books like this one, which start well, have good dialogues , filt into a Victorian Police procedural mode, but they just fizzle out. I was hoping this series would be different, but it ended up just being disappointing. I would recommend you buy one and try it, you may disagree with me, but, if you do, don't say I didn't warn you.

Great Story

What a wonderful mystery! Love the way the author weaves folk tales and the story line. The characters are well developed and authentic. The author has the gift of creating enough detail that you can see the scene but not so much that the story drags. The narrator was great, a pleasure to listen too