KILLER HEAT

Bernadette Dunne's portrayal of sex crimes prosecutor Alex Cooper starts out soft and compassionate, depicting her concern for a rape victim. It's not long before Dunne shows us another side of Cooper. Hassled by a Latino gang that coughs repeatedly to confuse court proceedings, her voice takes on a tougher edge as the hardworking Cooper deals with those who try to get in her way. As Cooper tracks a serial killer who stalks women in uniform, Dunne's voice picks up vehemence, and she turns up this intensity as the mystery builds. Respite from the tension in this tenth Cooper adventure comes in Alex's snappy dialogue with Homicide Detective Mike Chapman, portrayed by Dunne with a hard-boiled tone. S.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2008]