DYNAMITE ROAD

Who is the Shadow Man, and why is everyone so afraid of this mysterious killer? That's the central question that vexes every character in Andrew Klavan's latest thriller. The novel is like a mix of Raymond Chandler gumshoes combined with modern irreverence, and the results are thoroughly fun, although somewhat hard to believe. Klavan reads his own work and gives a far better performance than many seasoned narrators. Many authors try to be overly dramatic, but not Klavan. His pace is perfect, and his reading smooth. Klavan particularly excels with his portrayals of investigator Jim Bishop, who not only finds himself in the middle of the action, but also appears to fall for Kathleen Wannamaker, whose husband becomes "expendable" when Bishop enters the scene. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]