THE REGULATORS

Do NOT listen to this book alone at night, at least not beyond the first half-hour of tape. After that pleasant, scene-setting portrait of summer in suburbia, The Regulators turns terrifying, and the horror doesn’t let up until the very last sentence. Kate Nelligan resists the temptation to dramatize the many characters in this complex story, and her unemotional telling contributes even more to the terror of the tale. Nelligan’s detached, professional narration is well supplemented by chilling special effects at the beginnings and ends of some chapters. These effects, including music mutations; storm sounds; and chilling, almost-animal cries, elevate the book to a near-movie experience. R.P.L. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT 97]