ABUSE OF POWER

A young female police officer with a precarious personal life makes a painful choice to fight the corruption that permeates her department. She's finally triumphant, but at a dreadful price. This can't have been an easy book to record. It's often intense and brutal, occasionally moving, never sentimental. Rosenblat achieves an ideal narrative tone: deeply involved but never indulgent or sensational, reflecting perfectly the humane tough-mindedness of the writing. While she's not a mimic who gives each character a highly distinctive sound, all her characters have conviction and individuality. Steadily she guides us through this gritty exploration of a dense web of social and political issues. J.N. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 01]