BURN OUT

Laura Hicks gives us the strong narration we need to believe in the power of detective Sharon McCone. McCone herself, recovering from a narrow escape from death, wonders if her detecting days are over. We are less surprised than the heroine when her caring nature leads to her involvement with a troubled Native American family. As McCone unearths a series of bodies, she gives up her reluctance to sleuth and uncovers a web of hookers, millionaires, and more. The story has a large cast of characters, but Hicks shows a gift for differentiating and insightfully presenting each one in a series of vignettes that add to this high-speed adventure. S.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2009]