PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD

The back-alley murder of a prominent heart surgeon is Detective Peter Decker's assignment in Kellerman's thriller. Decker's wife reveals her past friendship with the victim's eldest son. Buck Schirner adroitly expresses tension as Decker struggles with this conflict of interest. Schirner efficiently gives voice to the numerous parties involved in the investigation and at home. His rendering of Decker's sullen teens is so realistic that the observer questions Decker's patience. These are just two of many flat characters who evoke emotions that leave the listener puzzled. In the final analysis, excessive leaps in abridgment cut away too much for Schirner to restore meat to the bones of Kellerman's characters. R.N. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]