THE SECRET AGENT

For lovers of espionage, Francine Matthews has created a world of plots, subterfuge, and secret alliances last seen in WWII and Cold War spy novels. Wholly fresh, with the exotic locale of Thailand, the legend of "Silk King" Jim Thompson is the basis for four decades of intrigue. Bernadette Dunne handles the many male characters and heroine Stephanie Fogg with smooth, crisp energy. She takes care with the languid descriptions of Thailand's beauty and briskly carries listeners through multipart conversations and scene changes. The Asian names and political alliances are somewhat of a challenge to keep straight. Yet Dunne's sexy, rich voice is a perfect complement to this richly patterned story of spies and silk. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 02/ JAN 03]