CLOSE TO DEATH Hawthorne and Horowitz, Book 5

Rory Kinnear's performance of the fifth Hawthorne and Horowitz mystery is "something of a masterclass," says author Anthony Horowitz in a recorded postscript that praises Kinnear's flair and fluency. Indeed, Kinnear's voice--rich and resonant, with precise articulation--is one of the many pleasures in this outing of the comical, ill-matched pair as they investigate which neighbor hated Giles Kentworthy enough to kill him--with a crossbow, no less. Kinnear's real-life pacing creates fly-on-the-wall verisimilitude. He also delights in vocal characterizations and British class distinctions that enliven the audio experience. Be it a middle-class bookseller whose accent occasionally slips or a suspect whose screechy tone diminishes as their life improves, they're all evocatively real. Hawthorne remains mysteriously deadpan; Horowitz sometimes whines. It's all grand. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]