DEVIL'S CORNER

When Assistant U.S. Attorney Vicki Alegretti and her partner meet with a confidential informant, a shooting takes place that kills the informant, the informant's unborn child, and Vicki's partner. To find the murderer, Vicki joins forces with Reheema, a disadvantaged black woman in search of her crack-addicted mother's killer, who devolves into the girlfriend from hell. Kate Burton uses vivid characterizations and a variety of light accents to depict a range of characters. Her portrayal of the bitingly humorous exchanges between Reheema and Vicki sounds authentic. Set in the drug-ridden streets of Devil's Corner, in West Philadelphia, the story, inspired by a real-life crack-cocaine trafficking case, has an eerie realism that is matched by Burton's seamless narration. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2008]