SHATTERED

Business is slow for Sydney P.I. Gemma Lincoln when her former colleague on the police force brings her in to work on the brutal murder of a regional superintendent and his sister-in-law. Gemma, who has just discovered she's pregnant and is beset with morning sickness and doubts about whether to keep the baby, uncovers a web of affairs, betrayals, and false leads. In her investigation she encounters a weirdly artistic brother, the ex-cop ex-wife, teen hookers, a runaway reality show contestant, a mysterious cult, and a 14-year-old neighbor called "the Ratbag." Narrator Carolyn Lee, a native Australian, brings life to the local Sydney scene with a flawless interpretation of the likable private detective. A good one to savor over a bit of Vegemite on toast. R.M. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2009]