THE EXPERIMENT

George Guidall's credible reading and author Darnton's up-to-date scientific research work together to lend just enough believability to this lurid tale of cloning and secret societies. The result is mildly compelling listening. A novelist and newspaper reporter is confronted one day by his own clone, who is a fugitive from his sinister masters, and things get hairy quickly. Guidall's nicely drawn characteri-zations lend subtlety to the often garish proceedings, and help us ignore the coincidences and plot contrivances. The interview with Darnton at story's end, wherein he discusses many of his adventures as a newspaper reporter abroad, is in many ways more interesting than the novel. J.P.M. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 01]