CHAINS OF COMMAND

Precise reading, crystalline recording, and memorable characters nearly save this audiobook from poor dramatization and half-baked writing. Detective Matt Stuart, put in charge of investigating the murder of a dirty cop, stumbles onto a deadly drug turf war. Former NYPD detective Caunitz creates rich, conflicted characters and a churning plot. But his dialogue comes from a true-crime comic book and sounds all the more ridiculous in Scott Brick's reading. Brick's rendering of Brooklyn-ese makes Italians sound like Colombians and cops sound like robbers. If the writing and performance were up to the plot, this would make a fine novel. T.F. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 00]