HARD-BOILED

The subtitle to this anthology is "The Best in Mystery Fiction," but only some of the nine stories are actually mysteries. The stories by Lutz are more in the horror genre reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone." Kaminsky's "The Man Who Shot Lewis Vance" was originally published as a novel, and fans of the Toby Peters detective series will enjoy hearing Stacy Keach's reading. An outstanding reader, Keach has a calm, well-paced yet tough voice. Since his voice remains the same, there is uniformity to the characters, even though each story has a main character. Minor quibbles aside, the stories are all entertaining and engrossing, one of the best being Pronzini's "Skeleton Rattle Your Mouldy Leg." A good choice for listeners who want short stories by three great authors. J.L. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: MAR 95]