FEAR ITSELF

FEAR ITSELF, Walter Mosley's latest Fearless Jones mystery, is terrific, and Don Cheadle's narration is low- key, yet it meshes beautifully with the novel. The book is set in Los Angeles in the 1950s, with bookseller Paris Minton suddenly thrust into the middle of a murder investigation that turns into much more. Cheadle, who has a wonderful voice, seems to relish the plot twists and extensive dialogue. He particularly seems to enjoy Minton's difficulty knowing whom to trust and, more importantly, whom to fear. Don Cheadle is an often underrated actor, but there's nothing underrated about this reading. FEAR ITSELF's only flaw is its ending, but that shouldn't deter fans of Mosley and Cheadle, who will not be disappointed by this collaboration. D.J.S. 2004 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]