WHEN THE WIND BLOWS

Blair Brown can make the mundane sound musical. Even so, James Patterson's style of fantastic fiction may be beyond her abilities. In this book, which is a blend of detective story, science fiction and medical mystery, Brown doesn't manage to effectively differentiate one character from another, regardless of sex. In both tone and tenor, Brown merely carries the story, adding little to it that is special. Of course, Patterson's sometimes silly story line doesn't give her a lot of help, and this particular abridgment seems to leave great gaps in plot development. The use of music, although a bit repetitious, is pleasantly diverting, and it does help emphasize Brown's better moments. D.A.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 99]