ROADSIDE CROSSES

Body language expert Kathryn Dance has transitioned from occasional appearances in Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme novels to lead character in her own series. This time, however, competing themes from the world of cyberspace cause the plot to cross that fine line between complex and cluttered. Although narrator Michele Pawk offers a clear and brisk performance, giving Detective Dance a believable voice and presence, she’s not as successful with the rest of the characters. Many are difficult to identify by voice alone, leaving the listener to depend on attributive phrases from the text to identify the speaker. This is one of those rare occasions when the book is not enhanced by its audio presentation. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2009]