THE THIRD RAIL

It starts one day with two shootings on Chicago's trains and is followed by a chemical attack on a Catholic church, along with subsequent murders. However, the real beginnings occur many years before and are gradually revealed through a series of flashbacks. The case is eventually untangled by Michael Kelly, ex-cop turned private investigator, with the help of a genius computer hacker. Stephen Hoye really gets into the action, especially when things get hot. He narrates with drama and excitement, but the rare bits of humor don't quite come across. And while Hoye subtly differentiates character voices, they're not always easy to identify. Nonetheless, the story keeps the listener's attention. S.S.R. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2010]