CLOSE CASE

Deputy DA Samantha Kincaid has to prosecute a suspect who may be innocent--there may be a police cover-up with racial overtones. In her personal life her cop boyfriend has just moved in. Alafair Burke's third Kincaid procedural crackles with live-wire tension. The characters are strong, and the plot is fast-paced, but Betty Bobbitt's narration brings things to a screeching halt. Bobbitt's mature, graceful tones simply don't work for smart-talking 32-year-old Kincaid or for the novel’s assortment of hard-nosed cops and criminals. While Bobbitt reads intelligently, mispronunciation of regionalisms and awkward phrasing of idioms proves jarring. Still, there's plenty to like here, thanks to smart writing and Burke's insider knowledge of the criminal justice system. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]