^evíew AUDM

well in the stiff question and answer

Audio phases of che erial, but not quite as well
when the book moves outside the court-
room. These sections could have used a
Fiction little more passion in rheir delivery. Still,
this is a small quibble; this book is Pat-
Corduroy Mansions terson at his best, and the listener is in for
Alexander McCall Smith, read by Simon asuspenseful and thought-provoking lis-
Prebble. Recorded Books, unabridged, 20 ten. A Henry Holt hardcover (June)
CDs, 23 hrs.. $39.99 iSBN 978-1-4498-3939-0
McCai! Smith's latest is cut from the Crashers
same doth as the 44 Scotland Street series Dana Haynes, read by David Ledoux.
iinJ follows the residents of a three-story Macmillan Audio, unabridged, 10 CDs. 11.5
Pimiico flat. William, a wine merchant, hrs.. $39.99 ISBN 978-1-4272-1215-3
is a London Angus Lordy, both philosoph- A commercial airliner goes down in
ical and innocent in regard to the ways of new cast of eccentric characters (and dogs). Oregon with more than 100 people on
women. Freddy de la Hay, a "Pimiico Ter- board and within minutes, the Crashers,
rier," is a smaller version of Angus's dog, ^ Oiiver Twist the team of specialists of the National
Cyril. As in all McCall Smith's series, Charles Dickens, read by Martin Jarvis. BBC Transportation Safety Board, are on the
most characters are kind, ifa bit befud- Audio, unabridged. 14 CDs. 16.5 hrs., $29.95 way to reconstruct the crash and deter-
dled by che curves life throws them. The IS8N 978-1-6028-3876-5 mine the cause. Despite a few overly dra-
talented Simon Prebble narrates the vi- The inimitable Martin Jarvis brings his matic moments that leave a listener in-
gnettes with vigorous aplomb. In particu- talenrs to bear on Charles Dickens's clas- credulous, the thriller gains momentum
lar, he captures parliamentary member sic in an audiobook that will delight lis- as the details of the investigation are re-
Oedipus Snark's innate nasciness, Wil- teners with its superb recreations of gritcy vealed. David Ledoux has a fine reading
liam's altruistic temperament, and his 19th-century London. To escape Mr. voice and does an excellent job of main-
friend Marcia's hopeless attachment to Bumble and life in the workhouse, Oliver taining the pace. His characterizations
him. Though the characters are less well flees to London where he meets the Artful and accents are appropriate and easy to
individualized than in previous series, Dodger and becomes embroiled with Fa- differentiate, and keep the 1 istener en-
[here are still many mirthful moments gin's ragtag band of thieves. Jarvis simply tranced and in keen anticipation as the
that will entertain McCalt Smith fans. A dazzles: his performance captures both rhe Crashers investigate whether it was me-
Pantheon hardcinxr (Rei'ieus. May 24). humor and sorrow of che text, his narra- chanical failure, pilot error, or terrorist
(July) tion is crisp, and his characterizations— sabotage that brought the plane down. A
his rendition of the terrifying district St. Martin's hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 5).
lAr We Have Always Lived in the magistrate, Mr. Fang, is particularly (June)
Castie memorable-—are as varied as they are en-
Shirley Jackson, read by Bernadette Dunne. ergetic, befitting, and enjoyable. (June) iiustrado
Blackstone Audio, unabridged, five CDs, 5.5 Miguel Syjuco.read by William Dufris. Tantôt
tirs., $19.95 ISBN 978-1 4417-3426-6 in the Name of Honor Media, unabridged. 10 CDs, 12.5 hrs., $34.99
Since the mysterious death ot four fam- Richard North Patterson, read by John ISBN 978-1-4001-1720-8
ily members, the superstitious Mary Bedford Lloyd. Macmillan Audio, unabridged, Syjuco's novel investigating the myste-
Katherine "Merricat" Biackwood, her ail- 12 CDs, 15 hrs., $39.99 ISBN 978-1-4272-0947- rious death of a beloved writer is
ing uncle Julian, and agoraphobic sister 4 crammed full of quotations, letters, found
Constance have lived in a bizarre but con- A dramatic military trial is at center documents, and all sorts of devices and
tented state of isolation. But when cousin stage in this engrossing mystery. Lieut. flotsam that translates better on the page,
Charles arrives in search of the Blackwood Brian McCarran, a member of a distin- where it can be read or skimmed, than in
fortune, a terrible family secret is re- guished military family, is on trial for audio, where everything must be given
vealed. Bernadette Dunne's reading is shooting and killing his commanding of- equal attention. William Dufris does his
flawlessly paced and suspensetul. The ficer. Capt. Paul Terry, an excellent trial best with this material, but he cannot
voices she provides the cast of characters lawyer who is on his way out of the mili- prevent the addenda from bogging down
are spot on: precocious Merricat is haunt- tary and into a lucrative job at a civilian the flow of the narrative. Dufris gamely
ed and increasingly desperate; Constance taw firm, is brought in as defense counsel. tries to navigate his way through the
is doting but detached; Uncle Julian is McCarran is claiming self-defense, but thickets of Syjuco's prose, but the con-
both pleasantly dotty and utterly unnerv- Terry knows there are secrets being kept stant interruptions and stylistic embroi-
ing; and Charles is the conniving villain and more to this killing than he's being dery does not lend itself to fruitful listen-
listeners will love to hate. A treat for fans told. John Bedford Lloyd reads with clear, ing. A Earrar, Straus, and G ¡roux hardcover
of mystery and suspense. (June) almost clinical intonation, and this works (Rei'ieu's, Feh. ! ). (Jtme)

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