REVERSIBLE ERRORS

A mildly retarded petty thief, 33 days away from execution for a triple murder to which he confessed, repudiates that confession. A corporate attorney appointed to handle the appeal reluctantly agrees to be "the designated loser." But then a confession comes in from an unlikely source, and the plot is propelled forward, dappled with the unrequited affairs of the heart that swirl around the story. Veteran television actor David Birney is masterful, lacing his narration with nuanced renderings of the dialects and accents of several characters. Most effectively, he brings an aching wistfulness to the speaking voice of the pro bono attorney, Arthur Raven, vastly unlucky in love but fortunate in the publisher's choice of reader. M.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB / MAR 03]