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Alphabet House cover art

Alphabet House

By: Jussi Adler-Olsen
Narrated by: Daniel Philpott
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Summary

How long can you pretend to be mad without going mad? Two English pilots are forced to find out when they are shot down behind enemy lines in 1944. The area is swarming with German troops, so, unable to escape, they ditch their clothing and personal belongings, pose as German soldiers, and board a train carrying wounded SS men home from the eastern front. But their act is too convincing and they find find themselves being transferred to Alphabet House, a mental hospital for those damaged by war. They are playing a dangerous game, and it seems they might not be the only ones there hiding secrets....

Both escape adventure and psychological thriller, Alphabet House is a meticulously researched stand-alone story from the acclaimed author of the 10-million-selling 'Department Q series'

©2014 JP/Politikens Hus (P)2014 Strathmore Publishing

Critic reviews

"Adler-Olsen is the new 'it' boy of Nordic Noir" ( The Times)
"One of the best I’ve read in a long time" (Stephen Leather)
"Epic, compelling, addictive" (Craig Russell)

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What listeners say about Alphabet House

Average customer ratings
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

What an amazing book. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout that I even listened to it through the night as I couldn't bear to put it down. Not something I would normally choose, but very well worth it. Brilliant.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Can you escape by becoming a prisoner?

Definitely no, but you might survive, or kind of survive.

Two childhood friends are sended on a doomed bombing mission, and find themselves in mad house for german officers, losing their minds and souls in nightmare with in a nightmare.
This is a hard book to read, with extreme violence and degradation of humanity that is hard to stomach, even the innocent end making terrible decisions to stay alive and compromise it all. Probably not far off in the conditions of hospitals for the soldiers returning from the front with mental illness.

Half the book is spent in this house of horrors and the other half is more of standard thriller of after the war germany, the links are made to the first part but the atmosphere is so different, it feels like two books.

This is a book about friendship most of all, where all heroics are less than romanticised, but brutalised with an air of reality, only in the second part do we get more of the standard revenge cure but it is still very violent and with a bitter edge that stays with you.

A dark book that punishes the reader with the violence of the past century, hard and void of hope like a holocaust book. Because in the end revenge is a dish that must be served cold but also empty of any real redemption. Just a disillusioning illusion that can not return all that was lost.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Rollercoaster

Outstandingly well written. Deeply disturbing and, ultimately, heartbreaking. Won't go into any details of the plot, there's a blurb for that. Just wish the next reader of this book the emotional strength to finish it.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

gripping page turner

l listened through to the small hours. A page Turner and classic Adler-Olsen psychological thriller

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

It's a slow burner

Another excellent book. I felt that it took its time getting going but then really hit the spot. The harsh reality of what it takes to survive was well presented

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A convoluted but gripping story

Any additional comments?

A well written ( & translated!) story with highly descriptive and graphically worded passages about the latter part of WW2 and the early 70's in Germany.
One has to try hard to grasp & retain the names & identities of the main protagonists as they seem to change at random.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Poor narration and weak characters

What did you like best about Alphabet House? What did you like least?

The idea was good but just not believable in execution, some of the writing was good.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Relief that it ended.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Daniel Philpott?

An actor.

Do you think Alphabet House needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, the story line did not require it and I have no interest in the characters or what they did next.

Any additional comments?

The story could have been very good but it was let down by some unbelievable and downright weak characters, and then trashed by the poor narration and odd internation. I have enjoyed Olson's Department Q series, which themselves have sometimes stretched credulity but with humour and wit, but this novel just seemed to miss the spot time and time again. There was some good bits of writing, parts with suspense and several twists but as a whole it didn't work I'm afraid.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Better story, better read

What will your next listen be?

Sherlock Holmes for the fourth time. Brilliant and very well read

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Very flat and schoolboyish

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

Any additional comments?

I want to return it

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

a really good read

the unusual view of madness or perceived madness was a compelling read. the main characters were described in a way that brought them to life

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Too long and too contrived. Needs a very good edit

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This book needs a really good edit. It is far too long and complicated. The idea is good but the execution tedious. I found the narrator's voice very one dimensional and it was impossible to differentiate between the two protagonists since he rendered each voice in exactly the same tone and accent. I almost gave up in the early chapters as the voice had so little variety.

Has Alphabet House put you off other books in this genre?

I like Jo Nesbo's thrillers which have pace and drama. This has neither.

Would you be willing to try another one of Daniel Philpott’s performances?

No

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No

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5 people found this helpful