THE DAIN CURSE

Dufris’s boldly interpretive performance of this Hammett classic is breathtaking. He all but disappears into Hammett’s rich cavalcade of characters. Man, woman, cynic, lunatic, naif, scoundrel, each personality is utterly realized, full-blooded and idiosyncratic. With expert pacing and emphasis, Dufris also manages to convey their shifts of emotion. His reading becomes every bit as engrossing as the written words themselves. The novel follows the investigations of an audacious, but never named, detective as he seeks to discover why everyone around a peculiar young woman keeps dying. The novel is peopled with fascinating figures brought vividly to life by a most imaginative reader. M.O. Winner of the AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN 97]