REFLECTING THE SKY

An assignment to deliver an heirloom jade Buddha to Hong Kong turns sour when a child is kidnapped and a family business appears to have connections with criminals. In this adventure PI Lydia Chin travels to China, accompanied by her business partner and pal, Bill Smith. Kathy Hsieh gives some veracity to Lydia, who is characterized by the author as a relentlessly upbeat Chinese-American. But Hsieh's frequent slurring of contractions, and occasional overcompensating, are distracting. More significantly, Hsieh isn't up to the task of portraying male characters. When reading the dialogue of tough guys like Bill Smith, she stretches her voice to a false baritone that sounds more silly than macho. A straight reading of these characters' lines would be preferable to turning them into caricatures. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]