Downtown

Siddons's novel about Atlanta in the late 1960's, rich with the voices of those changing times, is wonderfully appropriate for production. Although narrator Barbara Caruso doesn't have a Southern accent, she captures the spirit of the characters by making each voice distinctive, even when individuals seem to be stereotypes. When the text calls for singing (the title comes, in part, from Petula Clark's hit song), Caruso gamely gives it her best. Downtown is a long story. Still, Caruso keeps our attention, and her voice keeps us moving. Listeners will appreciate the reader's ability to portray the neighborhoods and contrasts of Atlanta almost as characters in themselves. B.V. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

May 31, 1993
McBain shows a lighter side while providing lots of fast action in this complicated story of a Floridian caught up in Manhattan madness.

McBain's recounting of one man's travails in the Big Apple on Christmas Eve is a not-so-funny comedy of errors. It is complete with slick scam artists, phony detectives, a luscious Asian woman and enough dangling plot threads for a dozen books. The delight here is McBain's dialogue--part Beckett, part Vonnegut meets Sam Spade. Michael Pritchard's restrained reading works well with the material. He uses dialect and different voices when necessary, but his reserved tone lets the fast-paced action and dialogue speak for themselves. The package is plain, but sparks fly when the tapes begin to play. M.J.C. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine