TRIAL BY FIRE

C.J. Critt's narration should be titled "When a Bad Book Happens to a Good Reader." Rosenberg's writing is so hackneyed, her characters so unconvincing, her dialogue so wooden that she leaves poor Critt little room to maneuver. Occasionally, Critt attempts an accent, but she's just guessing. Rosenberg's text provides no clues that would enable a narrator to create recognizable personalities. Critt must rely on the narrator's last trick--acting as if the book she's reading is engrossing even when it's not. Her earnestness may be just enough to keep readers interested in this lame legal mystery about Stella Cataloni, a Dallas prosecutor accused in the sixteen-year-old arson-murder of her parents. M.O. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 97]