ROUGH JUSTICE

Just as the jury begins to deliberate, defense attorney Marta Richter learns from her client that, rather than having killed a homeless drunk in self-defense, the client is actually guilty of murder. In the midst of one of the worst blizzards Philadelphia has ever seen, Marta, aided by two associates, sets out to discover the truth, putting all three in mortal danger. Rosenblat's voiced reading heightens an already exciting and dramatic story; she captures the Italian, Jewish and black dialects. While her pace matches the rapid tempo of events, her pauses between the chapters, each of which ends in a cliffhanger, seem almost too long as the listener anxiously wonders what will happen next. The infrequent flashes of humor are well delivered with a dry wit. It is unfortunate that the reader's breathing and swallowing are audible, detracting from an otherwise superb performance. S.S.R. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 01]