Into the Web

This superb suspense novel by the Edgar-winning Cook focuses on Roy Slater, who left home after a brutal murder and his brother's subsequent suicide. Slater returns 25 years later to care for his dying father and begins to discover the deep family secrets behind these deaths. Set in Kingdom County, West Virginia, Cook's story flows smoothly, with Tom Stechschulte's narration providing a wonderful complement. The production benefits greatly from the varied voices Stechschulte gives to each central character. Especially memorable are Stechschulte's portrayals of Roy's father, whose suspicions and prejudices cover a tangled web of emotions, and a retired sheriff, who sounds like the archetype of the corrupt small-town official. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine