BLOW THE HOUSE DOWN

Paul Michael blows the house down with a crisp, fast-paced reading of this thriller, which is a part-fact, part-fiction prequel to the events of 9/11. CIA operative Max Waller, who has obsessed for years over the murder of an American agent in Lebanon, uncovers a plot that involves bin Laden, Hezbollah, as well as several other radical factions from the Middle East. One of the subplots involves the attempted destruction of airliners with explosives disguised as harmless liquids. As Waller uncovers layer after layer of duplicity, Michael appropriately ratchets up the tension. His classy, melodic voice does justice to most of the characters, and his French pronunciations are near perfect. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]