A BUTTERFLY IN FLAME

Naked bodies (alive and dead), romantic and financial scandals, hidden masterpieces, and a clever sleuth are the promising ingredients of Kilmer's latest Fred Taylor Art Mystery. The actual listening experience, however, fails to deliver. Lengthy passages devoted to discussions of obscure artists show off the author's command of art history but do little to advance the plot or add dimension to the characters. Narrator John Lescault's brisk pace works at advancing the action but fails to add clarity to a story made confusing by Kilmer's murky transitions between speakers and scenes. Lescault's presentation might have been improved had he offered more variety of tone and accent to differentiate the characters. Overall, this is a disappointing performance by both author and narrator. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2011]