THE WINTER QUEEN

Erast Fandorin, a government clerk turned detective, makes for an unlikely but gifted sleuth in late nineteenth-century Russia. The latest Akunin mystery spans the European continent and involves a major conspiracy. Campbell Scott reads with a composed and collected voice befitting the protagonist's calm and intellect. As Scott subtly alters his voice, his even pace and enthusiasm bring each character to life. His low-key reading is the perfect pairing for the character of Fandorin, bringing to light the hero's naïveté and indignation over the crimes committed and the people involved. Even Akunin's sly humor is highlighted through Scott's rendition, bringing to the U.S. a welcome introduction to the Russian sleuth. H.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]