LOVE HER MADLY

For FBI Agent Poppy Rice, it isn't about whether women should suffer the death penalty, but about whether this woman actually committed the crime for which she has been condemned. Rice has some doubts and vows to reopen the investigation. Susan Ericksen brings a deft touch and performs the many characters from Texas to Washington with clarity. Her murderer-turned-Christian comes across as convincingly naïve and innocent, while her various Texas Rangers and prison officials bow under the weight of their own pomposity. Ericksen's minor characters receive no less attention, particularly Poppy's assistant, Darby, whose light black dialect fits her character perfectly. R.P.L. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]