DECEMBER 6

Raised in Japan, Harry Niles, the son of a missionary, seems to be as Japanese as he is American. Martin Cruz Smith, who is known for capturing the ambience of exotic locales, tells the story of Harry's life during the days leading up to December 7, 1941. As he navigates through love, losses, and possible double crosses, it's never clear who Harry is. Is he just an irreverent nightclub owner--or a spy out to thwart the Japanese? John Slattery makes the most of a choppy abridgment. Although his narration is a bit slow at times, Slattery is highly effective during dialogue involving Japanese characters, which he performs with skill and a lack of stereotyping. Slattery is also superb at giving Harry an attitude that makes it hard to determine whether he's a man of honor, a traitor, or just plain misguided. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 03]