SLAVES OF OBSESSION A William Monk Novel: #11

Set in London and America in 1861, Anne Perry's latest William and Hester Monk adventure boasts romantic liaisons, mysterious disappearances, murder, and ethical quandaries. The Monks attend a dinner party held by arms dealer Daniel Alberton. There they meet men who represent both sides of the American Civil War, each vying for the large cache of weapons Alberton is selling. Soon Monk finds himself investigating blackmail and, eventually, murder. Narrator Terrence Hardiman does well with the various British accents and doesn't overdo the American ones on either side of the Mason-Dixon Line. He is particularly effective as Monk, "private agent of enquiry," whom he draws with wit and intelligence. Tedious courtroom sequences and an abrupt ending are disappointing, but Hardiman handles it all with dignity. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]