SEA CHANGE

What a deceptive reader Paul Shelley is. As he begins Goddard's novel about intrigue in eighteenth-century London, you think he is a perfectly suitable, if uninspiring, companion. But as Goddard's panoply of characters make their appearances, you begin to see Shelley's astonishing range. He proves himself a master of virtually any British dialect while also imbuing Goddard's rich cast of characters with suitable degrees of churlishness, malevolence, and disdain. The novel concerns the pursuit of a mysterious ledger whose contents could destroy the powerful and very likely overturn a monarchy. There's suspense enough to keep the reader listening, but Shelley's skills cinch the deal. M.O. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 02]