FINAL VERDICT

A notable courtroom novel, FINAL VERDICT is told from the point of view of attorney Mike Daley, who is defending Leon Walker, a terminally ill man charged with a murder he claims he did not commit. Stephen Hoye's skillful reading is excellent, particularly his handling of Daley's parenthetical thoughts. These statements add little to the story and follow virtually every piece of dialogue. A lesser reader could have easily blurred the line between dialogue and thoughts; fortunately, Hoye uses pauses and makes minor changes to his tone, allowing the listener to separate Daley's unspoken views from what he actually says. Hoye clearly enjoys the story, and his enthusiasm makes Siegel's work thoroughly entertaining. D.J.S.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 04]