GONE

An overly complicated novel featuring detective psychiatrist Alex Delaware and his cop buddy, Milo Sturgis, gets muddied in detail and an annoying performance by a usually talented narrator. A young couple fakes an abduction that turns to murder. The story jumps back and forth through time and introduces a plethora of confusing characters. Normally, the Delaware stories are riveting and John Rubinstein is a joy to hear, but not this time. He's fine doing Alex and Milo, but everyone else is a caricature. A Jewish woman sounds stereotyped; the halting speech of a retarded man is painful. The book itself cries out for an abridgment. M.S. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 06]