STAY OF EXECUTION

Quintin Jardine demonstrates why he is one of Scotland’s most popular mystery writers. STAY OF EXECUTION, the latest in a seemingly endless line of post-9/11 terrorism novels, climaxes with a rally to celebrate the return of Pope John the 25th to Edinburgh, his hometown. Detective Bob Skinner is in charge of security for the event, and, of course, there are those seeking to create mayhem. The story has personality, and the characters are interesting and well-drawn. James Bryce reads with a sense of urgency that drives the somewhat lengthy book. Bryce performs all of the characters well and shifts smoothly between the various Scottish and American accents; in particular, he effectively conveys Skinner’s inner struggle with events that seem to conspire against him at every turn. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]