KING, QUEEN, KNAVE

When the naïve, provincial Franz becomes entangled in an affair with his uncle’s wife, Martha Dreyer, he finds himself caught in a dangerous love triangle. As Martha becomes more intent on murdering her husband, she enslaves Franz in her diabolical plan. But the lovers find that the perfect plot for murder leads to numerous complexities. Christopher Lane’s narration is utterly mesmerizing. His deep voice and measured pace capture the ominous undertones that Nabokov supplies throughout the novel. Without missing a beat, Lane’s vocal characterizations are wonderfully diverse. He conveys the sensual and malicious nature of Nabokov’s vicious femme fatale as flawlessly as he stammers the thoughts of the bumbling Franz. With his fluid and compelling performance, Lane’s delivery of this tantalizing novel resonates with richness. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2011]