ABANDONED

This detective story is standard fare except for its opening—in which a tormented bride stumbles into a wedding chapel eight years after her disappearance. The rest of the story is as predictable as a rerun of "Law & Order." Nevertheless, narrator Joyce Bean does what she can to enhance the production by delivering a solid reading that demonstrates her dramatic range and expressive vocal ability. Bean's characters are theatrical yet true to form, making listening engaging. Her performance ability is apparent from the get-go, and she never falters despite the numerous cracks in the story. L.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2010]