LEVEL 26 Dark Origins

There are 25 levels of serial killers, from the dilettantes to the Dahmers, but Sqweegel is in a class by himself—a Level 26. Even without the bells and whistles, LEVEL 26—co-written by CSI creator Anthony Zuiker—is a thrill a minute. Granted, the plot takes liberties with science and reality, but the tale of an old warrior, in this case the detective, being forced back into the harness for a final cathartic battle always works. An impressive performance by John Glover, whose killer sounds like evil personified, elevates the tension of the book. An added thrill is that listeners can visit the Level 26 Web site to watch videos that expand upon scenes in the book. This “digi-movie” experience is powerful, thanks to actors like Michael Ironsides. The audiobook could be enjoyed without the videos, but it wouldn’t be as much fun. M.S. 2010 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2009]