ISLE OF DOGS

Judy Hammer and Andy Brazil are back in this black comedy reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen's wacky works. Patricia Cornwell presents us with a nearly blind governor who suffers from a "submarine" dysfunction, an island full of watermen, who speak an archaic dialect, and Dr. Faux, an incompetent dentist. Add Popeye, Hammer's kidnapped pooch, a seeing-eye mini-horse that doesn't understand commands, plus a group of murderous road pirates--and you have only a few of the elements which make this a major departure from her usual fare. Michelle Hall's voice is as sweetly melodic as a kindergarten teacher's. Unfortunately, this "prettiness" fails to convey the dark ironies of the novel's subtext. However disappointing the performance, Cornwell has managed to create a memorable assortment of oddballs. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 02]