CARMODY'S RUN

Mark Douglas Nelson does a fine job narrating these stories, but this book may be best read in print. The four revamped 1970s pieces collected here are similar in substance—Carmody, a bodyguard/smuggler, is betrayed and gets even. As a result of their similarity, the works morph into each other. Flipping back to untangle plotlines would be a nice option. The book's exotic locales also mean one hears a fair sprinkling of foreign accents throughout the narration, and occasionally Nelson’s renditions are a bit intrusive. On the whole, though, his low-key, matter-of-fact performance is well suited suited to the noir atmosphere of this book. G.S.D. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2012]