CAT O' NINE TALES And Other Stories

Nine of the twelve Cat o' Nine tales are based on stories that author Jeffrey Archer heard while in prison. Anton Lesser's unembellished voice mirrors many of Archer's criminals, who are ordinary folk struggling to avoid bankruptcy or paying taxes. Unfortunately, the stories themselves end up sounding ordinary and bogged down with the mundane details of the criminals at hand. After several stories, Lesser finds his stride. At this point, he begins to act rather than merely read, bringing to life an impoverished deviant who seeks out winter jail terms to avoid cold weather. Sadly, few other characters in the book sound as charming, leaving the listener wondering if truth really is stranger than fiction. J.T. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]