FLESH AND BLOOD

Kellerman is in top form in this densely plotted tale of child psychologist Alex Delaware and his friend, Detective Milo Sturgis. Ten years earlier, Delaware had been unable to help Lauren Teague, then a 15-year-old. After a more recent encounter (which leaves them both overwhelmed by guilt and shame), Lauren's body is found in a dumpster. Alex feels compelled to find her killer, no matter the personal cost. John Rubinstein's performance is like listening to a full-cast recording. Each character is fully developed, distinctive, and immediately identifiable. Rubinstein makes Alex's quandary understandable and poignant, and his sandpapery voice gives Sturgis a surprising vulnerability. The dialogue is crisp, the situations fraught with danger. Each chapter brings shocking revelations. More than a story of dysfunctional families and maladjusted personalities, the novel is an examination of our darker natures. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 02]