FORESTS OF THE NIGHT

Hall's book is like a good B movie. The story is entertaining and the reading by Laural Merlington good, but the plot takes a few turns that seem a bit out of kilter. The story features Charlotte Munroe, an almost psychic patrolwoman whose life is upended by Jacob Panther, a vengeful Cherokee Indian on the FBI's Most Wanted list. Panther appears one afternoon at Munroe's home and convinces Munroe's troubled daughter to run off with him, sending Munroe to North Carolina, where she confronts scads of evil. Laural Merlington's reading is solid, albeit a bit workmanlike. She is particularly effective in her portrayal of Munroe, a well-drawn character whose emotions she captures well. FORESTS OF THE NIGHT qualifies as a guilty pleasure. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]