THE VOLUNTEERS

The first bang is heard as Allenby, a WWII London bomb defuser, suffers a failure by blowing up his assistant, Sgt. Hazel. We follow the hero through dangerous operations, punctuated by hot tea at four and a low-key infatuation with Hazel's sister. David Rintoul adds welcome color to a black and white 1943 romance by producing different voices for each character. He imbues expletives with excitement by shouting them and foreigners with authenticity by giving them accents, even barking like an English aristocrat. The reader's imaginative theatrical treatment makes the audiobook exceed the novel as entertainment. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]