SHADOWFIRES

He's back, folks! Thriller legend Dean Koontz offers yet another horror story that echoes many of his earlier works but lacks the originality. This time a young woman named Rachel thinks she’s being haunted by her abusive late husband, Eric, whose body disappeared from the morgue. She’s certain he’s dead set on ruining her life once and for all because she told him of her plans for divorce just before his accidental death. The narration by Sandra Burr is quite dead as well, especially her turn as Eric, who sounds forced and mechanical. Burr reads as if this is a story for young listeners, dumbing it down and offering uninspired voices that are more likely to make one laugh than gasp. A big disappointment. L.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2008]