COLD BLOOD

Sex, drugs, voodoo, alcoholism, murder, suicide--this tape has it all. Written by the creator of "Prime Suspect," a gritty British mystery series run on PBS, the story follows tough-but-vulnerable investigator Lorraine Paige and two partners on the trail of a missing teenager and a million-dollar reward. The action starts in Los Angeles but quickly shifts to New Orleans, where the humidity is exceeded only by the steamy goings-on. Reader Lorelei King's Southern tones take some of the edge off the obscenities and sordid scenes; other voices grate a bit on the ear. Nevertheless, the urgency of her pace, the dialogue, and the frequent plot twists keep the story moving and the listener absorbed. Occasionally, LaPlante's British origins show through: No one in "the Big Easy" would call athletic shoes "trainers." J.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 02/ JAN 03]