THE ALIBI MAN

Beth McDonald renders this hard-boiled detective fiction in just the right manner. She captures the weariness and cynicism of Elena Estes, a former Palm Beach County detective now on disability retirement. Yet she projects the character's softer side as well. The author's use of both the first- and third-person points of view makes listening difficult. In audio the switches are abrupt--especially when the narration goes from Elena speaking in first person to the author writing about her in the third person. The story focuses on the polo set of Palm Beach. A beautiful Russian groom is murdered, and a local socialite is the most likely suspect. McDonald has a little trouble with accents--specifically, her Spanish and Russian characters sound alike. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]