IT HAPPENS IN THE DARK Kathy Mallory, Book 11

Barbara Rosenblat's performance pumps life into this strangely flat entry in the Kathy Mallory series. Mallory, a New York City police detective, investigates a series of murders that are related to a play. Series characters, to remain interesting, must grow, but Mallory doesn't, remaining what she always is--an enigmatic ice princess. Rosenblat's expressive voice could turn a menu into a listenable audiobook; she's the talent that drives this particular writer/narrator partnership. O'Connell's writing is wry at times, and Rosenblat's performance captures that. The story itself, though, is the weakest Mallory case to date. G.S.D. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2013]