THE ANSWER MAN

Johansen proves himself a narrator's nightmare. His mystery can only be described as juvenile, his characters not even remotely convincing. Wilson starts off at such a disadvantage that he might as well have laryngitis. It would be nice to conclude that he surmounts the handicaps dealt him, but alas, Wilson sinks along with Johansen. The novel concerns an Atlanta polygraph operator who stumbles into a murky corporate swindle. Wilson attempts to breathe real life into Johansen's characters, but all he can do is make each of them sound distinct. That doesn't mean they ever seem authentically human or compelling. You're left hoping that both you and Wilson will soon move onto better fare. M.O. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]