THE HEARSE CASE SCENARIO

Hitchcock Sewell owns a funeral home, hence the hearse in the title. When Hitch's friend, nightclub owner Shrimp Martin, is shot, Hitch finds out when his ex-lover, Lucy Taylor, shows up with the smoking gun. So why does Shrimp die somewhat later at the hospital of a stab wound to the heart? Hitchcock investigates, bringing listeners into contact with a cast of highly unlikable suspects. Bruce Riezen has an amicable enough voice and handles accents well but still has a hard time rising above the convoluted plot and biting dialogue. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]