I don’t listen to abridged audiobooks. Most abridgers tend to edit from a basic linear narrative perspective. On the rare occasions when I’ve had to listen to an abridged audiobook, I often feel the book is “out of balance.” The structural integrity of the novel has been compromised. That said, I know of quite a few novels that could have used a heavier editorial hand when in the galley stage! I’ve experienced novels wherein characters that were killed off in, say, chapter 2, only to reappear in chapter 4, and never with an explanation! Or an author who had become rather too enamored with the cut-and-paste function of his word processor and will repeat a paragraph over “verbatim!” (the record for that was 7 times in a business book I was reading (and no, he wasn’t repeating for the reader’s memory’s sake))

Jackie, I’m not sure when the 3rd book will be published – likely sometime in 2010. I know it feels like a long wait.

Tanya, Rebecca, Marie, Gay and Karen: thanks so much for your comments!
Tanya: Michael listened to the abridged audio and liked it a lot. Are you listening to the unabridged?
Rebecca: totally get the girl crush! Marie: I know you were an early fan of this. Maybe the book fairy will send you a copy of the second book.
Gay: Do let me know what you think!
Karen: Welcome, and thanks for letting me know how you found us. I always wonder.

An interesting idea would be to read this in conjunction with ROSANNA by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo — one of the first and still classic Scandivian mysteries, originally published in the 1960s.

P.S. Found your blog through Marie Gauthier’s blog.

Rebeca