THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS

When he's speaking as protagonist Richard Hannay, David Thorn does a fine job. He captures the tension, focus, and self-doubt of a man accidentally caught up in a spy caper. During these sections, it's easy to understand how this became a classic Hitchcock thriller and it's a pleasure to listen to. It's this narrative voice that sustains listeners through a plot that's a bit too clever and melodramatic to believe in--Thorn makes us cares about Hannay and the England that produced him. However, when he shifts accents, the results are uneven. Those close to an English accent, such as Scots, are adequate, but his Kentucky accent is so far off it detracts markedly from the listening experience. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 08]