DEAN KOONTZ'S FRANKENSTEIN Prodigal Son

Putting the right spin on the unusual characters in Koontz's first of four Frankenstein thrillers is a monster of a job, but Scott Brick is more than up to it. First there's Deucalion, who has for 200 years been hiding in a Tibetan monastery. There's the good doctor Victor Helios, now a famous resident of New Orleans, who is still experimenting in dark corners. There are also local cops Carson O'Connor and her partner, who are investigating murders involving missing body parts. Brick excels in portraying the many dark characters. In an instant, however, he can switch to the lighter side with the always wisecracking pair of detectives. This story ends without full resolution, leaving the listener yearning for the next installment--with Brick again, one hopes, at the microphone. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]