WHO IN HELL IS WANDA FUCA?

Patrick Lawlor’s high-energy take on Leo Waterman’s world is pitch-perfect. Leo is a smart-mouthed Seattle P.I. who can’t resist a wisecrack, a sob story, or a good-looking “dame.” A 1996 Shamus Award winner, Leo’s first adventure has him up to his neck in mobsters, toxic waste, and murder. The intriguing, convoluted plot sometimes stretches credibility, but Lawlor makes it all fun. He plays Leo to the hilt, with a rapid-fire delivery and a comic’s sense of timing. Lawlor gives impressive personalities to Leo’s surveillance team of street people, to Save the Earth terrorists, and to the sexy niece of an aging mob boss. Those who like well-constructed mysteries with a healthy dollop of humor will want to hear Lawlor’s amusing performance of Leo’s exploits. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2012]