STEP ON A CRACK

Narrators John Slattery and Reg Rogers perform this unusual combination of thriller and family drama--complete with musical breaks and sound effects. Rogers captures the menacing nature of Jack, an intimidating killer who engineers a kidnapping at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Slattery assumes the character of NYPD Senior Homicide Detective and Hostage Negotiator Michael Bennett, matching mood to voice as the plot intensifies. When the story makes its frequent switches from the cathedral drama to Bennett's dying wife, the mood abruptly changes. Although each narrator embraces his role with authenticity, the odd combination of cold-blooded murder and family scenes, with youngsters' happy voices at the breakfast table, didn't work for me. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]