THE ATTORNEY

William Dufris provides a sparkling interpretation of this excellent mystery. Dufris has a melodious baritone, and he's also a master of pacing. When describing a sultry afternoon the hero spends with his ladylove lounging by a swimming pool, his voice takes on a tropical languor. But as the action heats up in the concluding chapters, he becomes breathless with excitement. Less successful, though, are some of his vocal choices. Several of his characters sound like bad imitations of celebrities: his prosecutor is painfully reminiscent of Jack Nicholson, and the accused's wife sounds like Jonathan Winters as Maudie Frickett. Overall, though, these are quibbles. Dufris gives this nail-biter a first-rate performance. G.M.N. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 01]