BLUE HEAVEN

There's an almost overwhelming number of characters in this stand-alone from the author of the Joe Pickett series, and John Bedford Lloyd depicts them all proficiently. Whether he's mimicking the town gossip, the tight-lipped hero, the villains, or the two children on the run, Lloyd's rich voice and terse delivery generate almost too much excitement. A 12-year-old girl and her younger brother, having witnessed a murder, are in the woods of northern Idaho, being sought by the killers and the police. For the 48 hours over which the story takes place, Lloyd keeps the children slightly ahead of their pursuers, and the listener right behind them. A.L.H. 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 08]