A TRAITOR TO MEMORY

This is the longest and most complex of Elizabeth George's popular series, featuring aristocratic Scotland Yard Inspector Thomas Lynley and his tough-talking assistant, Barbara Havers. This time, they investigate the hit-and-run murder of the seemingly innocuous manager of an "over-60s" social club. The victim turns out to be the long estranged mother of a world-famous violinist, and therein lies the first of the book's many convolutions. Donada Peters manages these convolutions expertly; indeed, she is the listener's necessary guide in a plot that involves long sections of one character's diary, flashbacks to the past, and many strands of current story lines. With the exception of one American character (who sounds like a Brit with a cold), Peters also handles the many voices perfectly--using accent and intonation to help explain cultural and social nuances that deepen the story's meaning. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]