LUGARNO

Despite his hard-boiled exterior, Private Investigator Cliff Hardy has a moral center. Aging, laid-back, a survivor with the scars to show it, he's quit smoking and cut back on--but not given up--alcohol. In LUGARNO, a posh suburb of Sydney, Hardy finds himself embroiled in drugs, blackmail, murder, and a male escort service supplying wealthy Australian housewives with some naughty diversions. Peter Hosking's excellent narration highlights Hardy's running commentary on post-Olympics Sydney; his botched relationships with women; and his good-natured, if self-deprecating, personal assessments. In the style of American crime noir masters Ross Macdonald and Raymond Chandler, Corris creates a voice that is rough, brawling, occasionally tender, and distinctly Australian. Hosking's narration of that signature voice rings with wit and truth. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]