BEAT THE DEVILS

This audiobook is much more than a thriller. Set in an alternative history with red-scare flag bearer Joseph McCarthy as president, it blends fictional and real characters. As LAPD detective Morris Baker investigates two deaths, he becomes immersed in a cover-up that puts him in danger. The production would be a challenge for any narrator, but Fred Berman handles it beautifully. He performs a range of accents without missing a beat. The Czechoslovakian-born Baker has an Eastern European intonation that never wavers. Federal agents grunt their way through their investigations. Not one minor character is given short shrift. Berman also illuminates the theme of Baker's Jewish identity. Overall, Berman's narration perfectly renders the tone of this riveting--and scary--story. M.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2022]