CRUSADER'S CROSS

A serial killer's loose in Baton Rouge, someone's trying to kill Dave Robicheaux, and Dave is the prime suspect in a murder. James Lee Burke's characters blend light and shadow, good and evil, and Will Patton's shaded delivery makes them all believable. Patton's dreamy Louisiana drawl draws listeners into a complex story winding back into Robicheaux's past. When Dave, a recovering alcoholic, ruins years of sobriety, Patton's performance captures the guilt and remorse of a good, if flawed, man. The abridgment sacrifices the sultry bayou atmosphere that comes from Burke's graceful lyricism, but the story is intriguing, the characters are unique, and the no-frills narration offers an appealing performance by Patton. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 06]