AFTER DARK, MY SWEET

Collie is described in his mental history file as “amiable, polite, and patient, but possibly very dangerous if aroused.” Narrator Kevin T. Collins’s plainspoken, almost folksy, delivery for this character is spot-on and adds to the tension of this psychological mystery. Collins’s handling of the other two main voices—those of Faye and Uncle Bud—is equally compelling. In particular, he imbues Uncle Bud, the sly huckster, with self-confidence and a slight Southern accent that gives a believable dimension to the character. As the story’s events go from bad to worse, Collins’s narration gets appropriately more and more agitated. Fans of Thompson’s dark pulp fiction will appreciate this performance. F.T. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2012]