MURDER BY THE NUMBERS

Paul Regina's experience may have given him an advantage in reading this gangster novel, which is based on the exploits of legendary crime fighter Eliot Ness. Regina's portrayal of Chicago mobster Frank Nitti in the most recent television series "The Untouchables" familiarized him with the subject. Whatever his advantage, though, Regina does a fine job with voices, capturing the stacatto cadences of Caucasian G-men as well as the rhythmic tones of African-American policemen and numbers runners. But mostly Regina just gets out of the way, allowing Collins' novel to educate about a time, a place and people not usually covered in the history books. D.A.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 95]