The Soul of Discretion cover

The Soul of Discretion

Simon Serrailler • Book 8

by Susan Hill

Narrated by Steven Pacey

4.07 ABR Score (5.4K ratings)
★ 4.17 Goodreads (5.0K) ★ 4.42 Audible (467)
9h 53m Released 2014 Mystery

Why Listen to This Audiobook?

Steven Pacey has narrated every Serrailler book, and by book eight he doesn't just read Hill's prose — he inhabits it.

  • Great if you want: quiet, character-driven British crime with moral weight
  • Listening experience: measured and atmospheric — rewards patience over plot momentum
  • Narration: Pacey's long familiarity with Serrailler gives the performance lived-in authority
  • Skip if: you need a tight thriller payoff over character study

Listen to The Soul of Discretion on Audible →

About This Audiobook

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler finds himself pulled into a shadowy undercover operation that demands he leave his familiar cathedral town of Lafferton without explanation or goodbye. Tasked by a new Chief Constable with infiltrating a dangerous criminal network, Simon must adopt an entirely new identity and immerse himself in a world that challenges everything he stands for. As he navigates this treacherous assignment, his family faces their own crises back home: his sister Cat grapples with professional upheaval at the local hospice and personal financial pressures, while their stepmother Judith confronts her own mounting troubles.

Steven Pacey delivers a masterful performance that captures both the psychological complexity of Simon's dangerous masquerade and the intimate family drama unfolding in Lafferton. His nuanced vocal work distinguishes each character while maintaining the tension between Simon's double life and his growing isolation from those he loves. Pacey's measured pacing allows listeners to fully absorb the moral ambiguity at the heart of the story, making the audio format particularly effective for experiencing Simon's internal struggle as he risks losing himself in his assumed identity.