From Publishers Weekly
Doyle's reading of McKinty's third novel (after
Dead I May Well Be) seems awkward initially. The Irish-brogued narrator reads the text the way a poet would for a public reading: in short spurts, withholding emotion and allowing the words to have their own weight. Needless to say, this is an odd approach for a crime thriller. However, listeners soon learn that the narrator is the protagonist—junkie Alexander Lawson, a former detective for Northern Ireland's police force—and somehow, Doyle's narrative stylings start to make sense. Intelligent and wry, Lawson is a junkie for practical reasons. As a detective, he discovered corruption in the force at a level so high that his life was endangered, so he decided to become an unreliable source, an addict whose word counted for nothing. His plan seems to be working, until an outside investigator threatens to throw him in jail if he doesn't give up the names of his corrupt superiors. With pressure building on both sides, he jumps at the opportunity to go to Colorado to solve an old girlfriend's murder. By the time listeners reach disc two, they'll be hooked by both McKinty's skillfully woven suspense and Doyle's almost endearing interpretation of this memorable protagonist.
Simultaneous release with the Scribner hardcover (Forecasts, Dec. 6, 2004).(Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gerard Doyle compels the listener into the midst of this gritty thriller, which originates in Northern Ireland, where an ex-detective embarks on an errand to investigate the murder of a former girlfriend--in Colorado. Doyle is brilliant with the Irish accents, handling also Americans and others. He's far beyond a solid competency, achieving skilled psychological shadings that inform and color all the characters, even the Americans. Trouble follows Alex and his friend John as they get embroiled in their own crimes and match wits with Denver detective Redhorse. The first-person narrative flows with natural storytelling. Doyle takes every advantage of this taut suspense, making it seem effortless. Listeners will be riveted. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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