CRADLE AND ALL

This latest Patterson offering, a mystical/religious thriller, is one of his best. Former nun and current P.I. Ann Fitzgerald is asked by the Vatican to investigate two reported pregnancies in virgin girls while the world is racked by misfortune and disease. As the children grow in their mothers’ wombs, a faith-testing struggle between good and evil unfolds. Caruso is adept at handling both the narrative and the action. Her portrayals of male characters are exceptional. She fails only when representing the dark inner voices of evil, which are raspy and distracting, rather than fearsome. Still, Caruso’s overall professional narration is a pleasure. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 00]