STRANGER IN PARADISE

Parker's STRANGER IN PARADISE is his latest mystery to focus on Jesse Stone, the recovering-alcoholic cop who lives on Cape Cod. A visiting hit man, town concerns over busing, and the usual small-town intrigue all play out in an amiable fashion. As always, Parker's sparse prose and dialogue are best when spoken, and James Naughton delivers the staccato one-liners with ease. His voice is deep and raspy, and while he doesn't differentiate too much between characters, his rhythmic cadence allows the story to flow naturally and fits Parker's narrative voice well. Naughton is businesslike, never straying into caricature. He gives the reading an Everyman quality that keeps the listener firmly in the moment. A.Z.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2008]