THE NIGHT FERRY

Claire Corbett's youthful voice and perky energy are a fine fit for Australian author Michael Robotham's latest thriller. Corbett shines as Sikh detective Ali Barba, who played a minor role in the author's earlier novels. Ali is recovering from a back injury when Cate, a pregnant friend from high school, calls upon her for help. Before Cate can explain, a suspicious accident kills her husband and leaves her in a coma. It's up to Ali and retired Homicide Detective Vincent Ruiz to discover what lies behind Cate's call for help. Corbett makes Ali an original--young, independent, intelligent, and wickedly wry in her social commentary. Ali and Ruiz uncover illegal surrogates, baby-smuggling, kidnapping, white slavery, and murder, and Corbett's performance makes it all work. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 08]