DOWNTOWN

McBain's recounting of one man's travails in the Big Apple on Christmas Eve is a not-so-funny comedy of errors. It is complete with slick scam artists, phony detectives, a luscious Asian woman and enough dangling plot threads for a dozen books. The delight here is McBain's dialogue--part Beckett, part Vonnegut meets Sam Spade. Michael Pritchard's restrained reading works well with the material. He uses dialect and different voices when necessary, but his reserved tone lets the fast-paced action and dialogue speak for themselves. The package is plain, but sparks fly when the tapes begin to play. M.J.C. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN 92]