A CAT NAMED BRAT

Alice Nestleton, part-time actress and cat-sitter, must pound the hot streets of New York City after she becomes enmeshed in murder, mayhem, and missing felines. When guidebook writer Louis Morant requests her care for his cat, Brat, Alice is unwittingly drawn into a mystery that reaches back to the early 1700s. While the plot is somewhat flat, reader Deborah Hall's abilities surpass the story itself, encouraging listeners to continue to enjoy characterizations, if not the story. Protagonist Alice Nestleton, who is blasé and slightly above it all, is read with absolutely perfect pitch. Hall makes use of her extensive theater work, endowing each odd character with a believable accent and demeanor. P.H.M. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]