A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR

Narrator Jonathan Davis introduces two Boston P.I.s, Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, and their blue-collar street smarts, disdain for authority, and fierce belief in right and wrong. Against a backdrop of racial tensions, Lehane’s 1996 debut novel focuses on a political cover-up involving a child sexual abuse scandal. Kenzie and Gennaro are likable, multifaceted, dysfunctional smart-asses, so Davis wisely lets their tight dialogue star. In lieu of portraying them with thick Boston accents, Davis utilizes an effortless, accent-free bantering tone that further emphasizes their smoldering sexual chemistry and lifelong friendship. However, Davis appropriately uses accents for supporting characters. Overall, Davis’s voice and narration style are well suited to this gritty story. A.R.H. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2011]