THE BRETHREN

This audio version of Grisham’s eleventh legal thriller proves that a solid performance can elevate an otherwise mediocre story. The “brethren,” three ex-judges running a scam from prison, snare a presidential candidate recruited to win the election by an aging CIA director. It’s a superficial story without heroes, or even a main character. Nonetheless, Muller does his usual clear, dependable job--coaxing every ounce of feeling from his characters. Muller passes easily from Northern to Southern accent in an instant. Still, the listener sometimes wishes for a break in the narrator’s continuously raspy voice and tendency to be over-dramatic--both Muller trademarks. Except for Muller’s audio performance, this reviewer would have abandoned the book long before the end. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 00]