SOUTHAMPTON ROW

Politicos and psychics merge in Anne Perry's novel, a continuation of her series featuring Victorian detectives Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. Charles Voisey, Thomas's nemesis, declares himself for a crucial seat in Parliament. Should he win, his conservative views and the cabal known as the Inner Circle will dominate the government. When, after a séance attended by the wife of the Liberal candidate, the notorious medium is found grotesquely murdered, it falls to Thomas to prove Rose's innocence, find the link to Voisey, and block his election. Narrator Michael Page's command of nuance offers a story both informative as history and challenging as mystery. Page's performance brims with wit and intelligence. He is completely at home with the Victorian detail and diction Perry so believably creates. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]