BLOOD AND THUNDER

Collins masterfully blends fact and fancy, and actor Alan Sklar presents his tale with a smooth, comfortable style. Sklar's steady cadence blends well with Huey Long's Louisiana accent and Nate Heller's Chicago twang. Long, the Kingfish, presents Heller with the biggest, most dangerous challenge of his career: saving him from assassination. Complex and fascinating, Collins's story builds suspense through the reconstruction of a turbulent period in Long's life, while Sklar uses the pitch and pace of his voice to create tension and drama. Cynical humor, audacity, and accurate historical research highlight this first-class mystery. S.C.A. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 02]