..to have a very niche moan about my audiobook?

[Hakluyt]

Classic detective novel. Detective went from a childhood in a Norfolk rectory to public school to Oxford (or Cambridge, can't remember which) into the Met Police and lives in Docklands.

So why,in the name of Lucifer's Accursed Cassette Player, does he have a Scottish accent? A very slight and posh Scottish Accent (Morningside, at a guess) but very definitely Scottish. Why??????????!!?

Nobody shares my pain.........!

Hmm, the name Dalgleish is originally Scottish, so that might be why. Can't remember any details about his parents but it's not impossible that they might have been Scottish notwithstanding the Norfolk rectory. Does that help reduce the irritation at all?

I love audio books but the narrator can make or slake (I think I've made that word up - but it rhymes ) the listening experience. I have just listed to The Secret History by Donna Tartt after seeing rave reviews of it on MN in many threads. Dashed to download the book from Audible but didn't read the reviews on there where almost EVERYONE hated the fact that she read it with her nasal, Southern drawl and with a boring lack of variety in her voice and despite the fact that the 'narrator' in the book is male. Complete vanity on her part I'm guessing. But I'm with you - narrator needs to compliment how the book should sound. Ultimately it is mid-way between a dramatisation and a straight read, so the narrator can make or break how good the book is to listen to. I do share your pain!

I'm just listening to Caitlin Moran's novel HOW TO BUILD A GIRL and female narrator on that is great.

If could be worse. It could be a British book with a gucking American voice saying 'urbs' rather than herbs. It's got a fucking H in front if it!

I never finished th 'urbs' audiobook. It made me too cross.

Jess- even if his father was Scottish, Adam is unlikely still to have an accent at the age of 40-odd after going thought the English private school system and working in London! Agggghh!

What makes it worse is that the rest of the reading is excellent which makes me think it must be deliberate. Although how the narrator could read all that stuff about his childhood cycling round the Fens with Pevsner in his pocket....now he was a candidate for Child Genius if ever I saw one.....without thinking "hmmmm- I wonder if this here Scottish accent I've come up with is quite right for this character...."

Are we able to hear it at all? Is there a sample or anything online?

I'll have a look!