ARMADILLO

Though ARMADILLO will take most listeners a couple cassettes to sort out, this superbly read novel amply rewards patience. The beginning is a grabber. Protagonist Lorimer Black, an upwardly mobile London insurance adjuster, insomniac, diarist, calls on a client, only to discover that he has hanged himself. Or is it really suicide? Enter Black's dependent family, his quirky co-workers, his lovers, and a few other weird folk, some of whom, like Black himself, are on the edges of a scam with mysterious consequences. A man of many voices, reader David Case is outstanding in his differentiation among a whole (but not wholesome) cast of characters. He is particularly adept at portraying Lorimer as more passively than actively entangled in events somewhat beyond his control. Case's highly dramatic narration fits the story well and makes Boyd's novel a most satisfying experience, albeit an occasionally difficult one. T.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 00]