GALLOWS THIEF

Rider Sandman, the government's investigator, believes a painter due to hang in a week is innocent of murder. His investigation sparks a race for proof that will last until the hour of execution. James Frain reads with a somber tone that adds tension and menace to Sandman's quest. His readings of the hanging scenes that open and close the novel are harrowing, as are details emphasizing the cruelty of English prisons of the post-Napoleonic era in general and the gallows in particular. The abridgment is effective, preserving both historical details and the murder plot. The novel works both as a thriller and as a glimpse of life in England shortly after the French Wars. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 02/ JAN 03]