Blow Fly

This entry in Cornwell's long-running series cedes Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta's spotlight role to her fiery crime-busting niece, Lucy, and Marino, the opinionated Richmond detective. Kate Reading's low, comfortable voice and good impersonations are a perfect fit for Cornwell's wild plot twists and calculating psychopaths. Reading convincingly renders each of the characters, male and female, sane and insane, with an appropriate frisson of fear. Listeners will find themselves compelled to hear the gruesome details even when repelled by the Hannibal Lecter-like Jean-Baptiste or his even scarier handsome twin, Talley. Dedicated fans may be disappointed, but Scarpetta is still changing and growing. S.C.A. 2004 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

BLOW FLY unveils Dr. Kay Scarpetta's new life after leaving her post as the State of Virginia's chief medical examiner. Carolyn McCormick's Scarpetta is believably cool and controlled; she sounds detached even though she's grieving the loss of her former life and her lover, Benton. McCormick does a good job differentiating the other characters, such as the fiery Lucy and the brusque Marino, though her Southern accents occasionally sound a bit thick. This story jumps around in location, which, especially with the abridgment, makes for a choppiness more noticeable at the end. The sound effects of spooky music and swamp noises that appear at chapter openings to provide switches in setting are useful; random helicopter sounds and gunshots that appear out of nowhere are less so. Overall, a decent production that will appeal to Cornwell's many fans. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine