BAD DEBTS

Melbourne, Australia's, multifaceted Jack Irish is back—and more feisty than ever. When he misses a meeting with Danny McKillop, who is then killed, Jack feels guilty and strives to hunt down the murderer, whatever the cost. Narrator Marco Chiappi handles the Aussie accents, snippets of subtle humor, and regional vocabulary with aplomb. He also moves effortlessly from depicting crime scenes to describing fine woodworking techniques (a hobby of Jack's) to voicing a spirited horse-racing announcer as Jack backs an unexpected winner. The fast-paced story is timely as those with a social conscience battle ruthless land developers—all the while attempting to tell the heroes from the villains. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]