SERPENT'S TOOTH

An enraged former employee commits mass murder and then shoots himself at Estelle's, a trendy Los Angeles café. LAPD detective Peter Decker grows to suspect the case is not as open-and-shut as it first appears. His investigation reveals some messy motives and a complex series of connections leading back to the massacre. George Guidall's performance is convincing, whether Decker is interrogating suspects at the Greenvale Country Club or, in off-the-job moments, sitting in his own kosher kitchen. Decker's wife, Rina, glows with earthy warmth, and his daughter grows up before his eyes as she decides to become a law enforcement professional. Guidall's narration catches every nuance. As bad girl Janine, his voice alternately oozes and scratches. His style and tone provide just the right touches to Faye Kellerman's introspective characters, original plotting, and engrossing storytelling. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]