PUT A LID ON IT

This is the kind of hysterical plot that readers have come to expect from Westlake: It's implausible, with lots of twists and turns, yet rigorously attentive to detail; every character is "bent"; and the wrap-up is neat. In this case, the president's re-election committee needs to arrange a burglary. Having learned from Watergate that amateurs can make a mess of things, they decide to contract with a professional burglar. Imagine the results. William Dufris is also a professional, and he delivers an excellent performance. The main characters are always identifiable--each with a unique voice and style of speech. Dufris's well-paced, well-modulated reading holds the listener's attention as the action spirals. Fans of Dufris will get the pleasure they expect; newcomers will discover a narrator worth seeking out. R.E.K. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 03]