A FINE PLACE FOR DEATH

The Cotswolds, England, is a fine place for a murder mystery; the region's curmudgeons and pierced teenagers all add atmosphere and give Judith Boyd a panoply of voices to interpret. Chief Inspector Alan Markby's new assistant makes him leery about continuing his relationship with his lady friend, Meredith Mitchell. Nonetheless, Meredith digs into the background of two teenaged girls who were the victims of tragic deaths. Mitchell and Markby are the snoops in many a mystery novel by Granger. Devotees and newcomers will be pleased by Boyd's narration. All and sundry are fleshed out by her various accents and pitches. Her only small problem is her American accent, which comes across as forced. B.H.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 05]