BEAU DEATH

Mystery Grand Master Peter Lovesey creates another spellbinding novel. Steven Crossley's performance of go-to detective, Peter Diamond, makes it clear why he's the go-to narrator. The demolition of a building in Bath, England, reveals a skeleton dressed in a bizarre costume. Speculation suggests that the skeleton may be a man known as Beau Nash, an eighteenth-century bon vivant who entertained celebrities, royalty, and high-ranking politicians. Crossley softens his tone for women's voices, flawlessly portraying period costume expert Paloma and Nash's biographer, Estella. He infuses male characters with individual mannerisms, particularly a stuffy medical examiner. With myriad red herrings, Lovesey's mystery stays mysterious. After hearing this, listeners new to the Diamond series will want to hear the others narrated by Crossley. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2018]