DRIVING LESSONS

In this selectionsfrom the Sounds Like Murder series, Otto Penzler shows his keen ear for what makes a good audio mystery: a strong story line with few digressions to secondary plots. The action moves briskly but smoothly, so listeners can't get confused or need to rewind. And perhaps the most satisfying aspect--thestory has a strong sense of completeness while also being concise. Narrator Rosenblat seems to sense these attributes and reinforces them with her performances. The characters are nicely drawn, playing to idiosyncrasies just enough to enliven the tale. Even fans who think they "know" the work of the author or narrator will be pleasantly surprised with the freshness of this presentation. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 98]