BETRAYED

When listening to the twenty-second Roger "Butch" Karp novel, the listener might feel a bit betrayed. In a departure from its predecessors it’s repetitious and wordy, not something to listen to in the evening. Still, reader Mel Foster gives the narration his best. His voice is strong, and he's capable of distinguishing multiple characters. He's especially effective when he portrays a suspect with Tourette’s syndrome. In the mix are a terrorist, a hired assassin, and a murderous judge. And of course, Karp's wife, Marlene Chiampi, a semi-retired attorney, gets involved. It appears that with this latest, Tanenbaum has altered his bestselling series but not in a positive way. Most fans are likely to be disappointed. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2010]