MR. PARADISE

Listening to Leonard's latest thriller is paradise found. That's because after a 15-year absence from the city for which his early mysteries were famous, Leonard returns to Detroit. It's one of his better capers. Chloe, a striking blonde who makes $5,000 a week entertaining an 84-year-old retired lawyer, talks her look-alike roommate into joining the party, so to speak. While one of the blondes is upstairs, Paradiso and the other are murdered by two thugs. The murders are investigated by Delsa, the acting police chief, who takes a shine to Kelly--or is she Chloe? Robert Forster's sonorous, sometimes raspy, voice is wonderful for the male characters--especially the too-stupid-to-be-believed killers. He's perfect for this Leonard ditty because he realizes that for this one the narrator has to sound just a tad sharper, funnier, and quirkier than ever. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]