Paper Money

This version of one of Ken Follett's earliest novels takes readers through ten hours of anything but an ordinary London day. The very large cast of characters includes an industrialist, a corporate raider, a government official, various crooks and several newspaper people. Reader David Case's British accent is perfect for the story. He varies dialects to suit the social status of each player without ever over-complicating the delivery of this rather complex plot. Although edited for American readers (1 yard rather than 1 meter), many British idioms remain which provide an interesting bonus for attentive listeners. T.J.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

September 30, 1987
Originally published under the pseudonym Zachary Stone, this is a happily rediscovered suspense thriller written in the mid-'70s by Follett, the bestselling author of Lie Down with Lions. Its plot, set in London, and intended to show that crime, high finance and journalism are corruptly interconnected, is, according to Follett, the cleverest he has ever devised. The fast-paced action spans, in hour-to-hour fashion, one day in the life of an evening newspaper and features an adulterous politician, a corrupt financier, a criminal gang, a mentally retarded youth and an eager cub reporter, their linked destinies all moving toward a singleand intensely excitingclimax. Though painted in broad brushstrokes, the characters seem compellingly real, as do their professional environments. Follett can proudly acknowledge this one.