haʊˈɛvɚ, ðə pɹˈaɪmɚɹi nˈæɹeɪɾɚɹ ɪz ˈæktʃuːəli ɐ kˈæɹɪktɚ nˈeɪmd dˈɑːktɚ. ˈeɪtʃ., ɐ ɹᵻtˈaɪɚd pəlˈiːs tʃˈiːf hˌuː tˈeɪks ɔnðə ɹˈoʊl ʌv ɛksplˈeɪnɪŋ tə dˈuːɹənmˌæts fˈɜːstpˈɜːsən kˈæɹɪktɚ ðə flˈɔːz ʌvðə dɪtˈɛktɪv lˈɪɾɚɹᵻtʃɚ ʒˈɑːnɹə.
However, the primary narrator is actually a character named Dr. H., a retired police chief who takes on the role of explaining to Dürrenmatt's first-person character the flaws of the detective literature genre.