BADLANDS

C.J. Box brings back police investigator Cassie Dewell, giving narrator January LaVoy a challenging range of both characters and perspective. A teen victim of fetal alcohol syndrome, a small-time punk, and some deranged Mexican drug dealers are all part of Box's cast of characters in Grimstad, North Dakota. LaVoy carefully balances the mix of strength and fear in Dewell, the teen, emoting the frustration and desperation of an intelligent boy trapped inside a damaged body. LaVoy also chills listeners with the ice-cold hearts of the drug dealers. The production team could have minimized the noticeable breathing in the recording, but, otherwise, LaVoy turns a mediocre plot into a captivating production. J.F. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2015]