BLEAK SPRING

Inspector Scobie Malone is called to investigate the death of a parent with whom he has just endured a tedious school fundraiser. Smug lawyer Will Rockne has been shot to death in his car. Cleary's intense, often amusing, mystery gives Christian Rodska ample opportunity to demonstrate his talents and amaze us with a range of Australian accents, which are a little daunting but never unclear. We "see" the variety of characters: cops and criminals; foreigners and local folks; men and women. His softened voice never undermines the impact of a feminine line. Most poignant is his rendering of the children, who strive to understand the terrible events of the story. S.B.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 03]