A Conspiracy of Faith

Department Q, Book 3

By: Jussi Adler-Olsen

Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm

Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times and internationally best-selling Danish crime writer Jussi Adler-Olsen returns with the third thriller in his exhilarating Department Q series.

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.

©2012 Jussi Adler-Olsen (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Dept Q is an excellent series

This is the third one I've listened to and, so far, they've all been great
Fascinating and engaging storylines, engaging characters, and Graeme Malcolm does a wonderful job with the voices and accents. I heartily recommend this book!

Top quality.

Loved this book, and the story. I will be reading the other books of department Q

One of the best "listens" for me in years.

Olsen is a master in plot and character development; a storyteller who delivers a complex and serious story with humour and twists.

Graeme Martin is narrator par excellance, and just plain superb. I couldn't stop listening to his performance of this selection.

Olsen's "The Marco Effect" is deserving of these superlatives as well.

High praise is also due to master linguist and translator, Dr. Martin Aitken, for his translation which keeps Olsen's creations alive and colourful.

Stop looking for a good read, you've just found it!

Message in a Bottle

A road trip story. Held our attention. Characters interesting, narration great. This is a series, and the story advances the lives of the family and coworkers of the deeply flawed Carl as he struggles to make sense of a damaged massage in a bottle that may or may not be serious.

Best yet from this author

Very good page turner, far better than his previous work. I've long been on the fence with Adler-Olsen, but he gets better and better and this one really left me wanting more. Unlike some readers I have no issue with the use of a British reader, since the book was so clearly translated by a Brit: expressions like "mate" "blimey" and "bollocks" sprinkled throughout, would sound odd read any other way. He still manages to say a lot about the way each character is drawn by the author through his infections and various accents. A great story, well told, well worth the credit.
On to the next Dept Q -

Message in a bottle holds lives in the balance!!

Denmark's Department Q, cold case squad, is back on another case. A message in a bottle from 14 years ago has been found sitting around in someone's office. When Carl and his two "assistants", Assad and Rose, finally get it, they find a note written in blood and greatly faded by time. Deciphering the note is a project in itself, but it eventually leads them on the trail of a sadistic serial murderer, who has been kidnapping children from strange closed religious sects and living off the ransom money. He's extremely cleaver and has many names and exit strategies from every situation. Catching him before he murders more children sends Carl and Assad around the country.

This is the third book in the Department Q series and reads well alone, but the main characters have a background that is best enjoyed if you start from book one--THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES. The mystery is very sadistic and evil. The comic relief comes from the relationships of the three continuing characters, which is endearing and just plain hysterical at times. I listened to the audio version of this book and highly recommend it. The readers does an excellent job with accents. The audio also added to the sense of foreboding.

Detective can be irritating but a good story.

A good story with an evil antagonist. The detective protagonist Karl cares about the victims and is relentless in his efforts to catch the killer, but he is one of those detectives who doesn’t like other people, at least no one else in the police department. Like many detectives in literature he has little respect for authority. His two assistants do amazing work yet, while Karl appreciates them, he treats them with impatience and sarcasm. All this makes him colorful. While he irritates me, overall the book is a good one.

Good adventure.

Good mystery. Some places a bit long but overall a good story. I really liked Assad's character.

Love the suspense!

Loved it! It is interesting to hear not only about the mystery that is taking place, but also the unique differences in cultures.

loved it

first book read/heard by this author....loved it. will be looking to listen or read more