Glory in Death

For Lieutenant Eve Dallas, the protagonist in this mid-21st century police procedural, attack is the behavior of choice. Susan Ericksen adroitly portrays this emotionally complex detective with staccato bursts of anger, as well as with soft musings during times of tenderness. The result is a character strong enough to confront a serial killer, soft enough to find murder repellent, and well-developed enough to walk off the written page. While the supporting characters are stereotypical, Erickson presents the crusty commander, the shattered daughter of one of the victims, the ambitious yet totally unprincipled journalist, the cagey Irish lover, and the futuristic android servant with the individuality one would expect from a multicast production, not a single narrator. K.A.T. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Writing under the name J.D. Robb, bestselling author Nora Roberts uses a futuristic setting to unfold a story that mixes touches of romance with darkness and violence. When Prosecuting Attorney Cecily Towers is found dead on a rainy night in New York City, Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas first follows a trail to her own lover, then finds herself in pursuit of a serial killer. As the death toll mounts, she sets herself up as bait to snare the culprit. Susan Ericksen narrates the novel with a suitably matter-of-fact tone, while giving voice to colorful characters both human and robotic. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

In a New York of the future, Homicide Detective Eve Dallas's case of a serial killer who targets beautiful and successful women, while aided by sophisticated communication techniques, still must be solved by some tried and true "old-fashioned" investigation. Cristine McMurdo-Wallis reads in an exceptionally clear voice. While some of the characters are subtly voiced, others, like Eve's lover and his butler, have distinct Irish and British accents. Though performed without melodrama, the characterizations are powerful, leaving little doubt as to who the bad guys are. Be forewarned, there's enough sizzling sex to make some listeners blush. S.S.R. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine