BROKEN SKIN

A rapist/torturer is loose in Aberdeen, and DS Logan McRae's tough girlfriend is acting as bait for the perpetrator. At the same time, McRae is dealing with the community of bondage and sadomasochism, as well as an 8-year-old murderer. This gritty police procedural has flashes of humor that break up the grimness, and Jonathan Hackett does an excellent job with both. The strength of the story is the personalities of the characters—some engaging, some frightening. They present no problem for Hackett. Further, he handles the various Scots accents with ease. While listeners will need strong stomachs to get through the graphic scenes, they’ll be well rewarded in the end. S.S.R. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]