TWO O'CLOCK, EASTERN WARTIME

Set in the glory days of radio, John Dunning's new mystery will have a special resonance for many listeners. The excitment of live radio--comedy, drama, commentary--is vividly conveyed in the story of a writer who becomes involved in suspicious alliances in America during the early months of WWII. False identities, cells of German nationalists, the disappearance of a radio commentator combine for a rich mix of shadowy suspense. Boyd Gaines does an adequate job, but the "radio voices" of these '40s characters sound put on and border on parody. The characters themselves pull through despite Gaines's treatment, and he does give ample variety in the voices. The pace and clarity are first-rate, and Dunning's clever suspense keeps listeners' attention. One could have asked for a more adept narrator, but the story, with its intriguing look at the broadcast life, carries the day. R.F.W. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]