THE COIL

Ex-CIA Agent Liz Sansborough's past intrudes on her now quiet life as an academic. Liz is forced back into the cloak-and-dagger scene after she is nearly killed and her cousin, Sarah, is kidnapped. Liz's father was the notorious assassin, Carnivore, and his missing files threaten to implicate some very prominent people in some very messy murders. Narrator Kate Reading's diction and articulation are exquisite, and her accents are completely believable. In the action scenes, however, her energy never quite matches the surprise attacks, devastating explosions, and narrow escapes. Still, as Liz is swept up in a desperate attempt to locate the files and rescue her cousin, Reading's appealing voice and intelligent performance make this intricately plotted story well worth hearing. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]