FOREIGN INFLUENCE

This thriller starts off with rapid-fire action around the globe. The story then hones in on black-ops agent Scot Harvath, from the mysterious antiterrorist organization the Carlton Group, as he gets a call from the Troll, a shadowy character who has been framed for a series of bombings. George Guidall narrates with an air of menace that may chill listeners as Thor's hero uses a mix of deceit and toughness to interrogate suspects. Those interrogation scenes and the discussions of Muslim attacks are imbued with a ruthless attitude toward the war on terror. As an action yarn it works, but the rhetoric justifying the tactics is often strident and culturally polarizing. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2010]