THE SECOND LIFE OF NICK MASON

What a fascinating, complex audiobook! Nick Mason is a criminal with a conscience, but that doesn't stop him from doing bad things. Nonetheless, we still like him in the way we rooted for Tony Soprano. Narrator Ray Porter may have a lot to do with that. His portrayal of a criminal who is fiercely loyal to his friends and family is outstanding. He conveys the constant pressure and tension felt by Mason with his speech patterns and a tone of raw emotion always held in check. Porter also breathes life into the sinister Darius Cole, who runs a Chicago crime family from his prison cell, where he's serving a double life sentence. Cole manages to free Mason from prison, only to turn him into his personal enforcer. The ending is logical and satisfying. M.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2016]