ALICE IN JEOPARDY

Alice Glendenning, 34, is still mourning the accidental drowning of her husband eight months earlier and is finding it tough to make ends meet. Her world really comes crashing down when her two children are kidnapped and threatened with death unless Alice comes up with $250,000. A lot of bumbling goes on by everyone involved, kidnappers, police, FBI, friends and relatives, before the story comes to a satisfying, if surprising, end. Bernadette Dunne does a good job despite some pedestrian dialogue. (This is definitely not McBain's usual police procedural.) Gender distinctions and regional accents are authentic, and the different voices are kept in character throughout. Dunne's conversational style, which keeps the narrative low-key, is a good choice for a story of people you might meet anywhere. S.S.R. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]