THE UNTOUCHABLE

The ruthlessly evil title character is "Mister," the crime kingpin of London, who has expanded his drug-smuggling empire to postwar Sarajevo. He's followed there by British customs officials zealously eager to entrap and convict him, among them the youngish and mistake-prone hero of this suspenseful novel, Joey Cann. Were it not overlong, this audiobook would merit high marks because of the impressive professionalism of Steven Crossley, who, in frequent scene changes, captures characters perfectly and consistently, flawlessly pronounces Bosnian words, matches pace to mood and plot, and portrays with a chilling intensity the fear of all who interact with Mister, even his closest colleagues. A rich reward lies in store for listeners who stay the course. T.H. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB / MAR 03]