MOTOR MOUTH

C.J. Critt gives a high-octane performance in this NASCAR-based mystery featuring Alexandra "Barney" Barnaby. The second in the series has Barney and her race-car-driving sweetie, Sam Hooker, dealing with cheating, murder, and the kidnapping of Hooker's Saint Bernard, Beans. Janet Evanovich's wisecracking dialogue is well served by Critt. She's comfortable with comic timing and never misses an opportunity to make Evanovich's outrageous characters larger than life. This author-approved abridgment boasts few gaps and smooth transitions, keeping things humming along like a well-tuned engine. While Barney won't make fans forget Stephanie Plum, from Evanovich’s bounty-hunting series, this light mystery set around the grease pits of the racing world, especially as delivered by Critt, is sure to please. S.J.H. 2007 Audies Award Finalist © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]