ACTS OF MALICE

Nina Reilly is an attorney and single mom in the Lake Tahoe area who takes on the defense of handsome Jim Strong, accused of causing the death of his brother, Alex, while they skied together at the resort their father owns. Laural Merlington is a most accomplished actor with an elegant, effortless mastery of her craft. She never strains or strangles her voice to produce her male characters; she never loses track of her characters' emotional states as Nina discovers worse and worse things about her client, falls in love with the Assistant DA opposing her in the case, or discovers the very dead body of her client's runaway wife. Merlington handles suspense, surprise, or purple passion with equal aplomb in this thoroughly satisfying performance. B.G. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]