TAILSPIN

In the months immediately after WWII, an American intelligence officer in Germany unravels a convoluted plot to trigger hostilities with the USSR. This is the sort of thing that gives genre fiction a good name. Familiar ground is covered with sufficient depth of thought and richness of detail to keep it fresh and interesting. Barrett Whitener gives a secure, distraction-free performance that lets the story speak for itself. His slightly low-key tone is appropriate to the writing. His characters are well defined without becoming caricatures or virtuoso displays. Listeners familiar with German may occasionally wish he had polished his pronunciation and phrasing of that language. J.N. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: NOV/DEC 97]