The Finder

Starred review from February 18, 2008
Set in New York City, this edgy thriller from Harrison (The Havana Room
) showcases his extraordinary storytelling ability. Jin Li has been running a scam on Tom Reilly and his company, Good Pharma, by stealing information under the cover of a paper-shredding operation. She then passes it on to her brother, Chen, who uses it to make stock trades. Under pressure from a ruthless billionaire investor who stands to lose his fortune if Good Pharma fails, Reilly asks a shady underling to deal with the leak, resulting in the horrible murder of two of Li's Mexican employees. Li escapes and goes on the run. Li's former boyfriend, Ray Grant, is caught in the middle, hounded by Chen and the minions of Good Pharma, both of whom believe he knows Li's whereabouts. With the help of his dying father, a former cop, Grant must find Li or face the consequences. The action builds to a deeply satisfying conclusion involving a sadistic kidnapper and a stock market power play across two continents.

May 26, 2008
Jason Culp's narration adds edge to this tightly plotted corporate thriller about the deadly chain of events launched by a pharmaceutical firm executive after he discovers that a paper-shredding firm is stealing financial secrets from his wastepaper baskets. Harrison delights in providing descriptive nuggets about the buildings and culture of New York City. In the wrong hands, these could become dull, but Culp delivers the exposition with vigor and never allows the pacing to flag. When voicing dialogue, he produces an array of convincing accents, and subtly indicates gender with slight shifts in pitch. The novel's action scenes—particularly a short, vicious fight involving a pair of hedge clippers—develop an especially visceral impact when Culp narrates them. In sum, the gripping story and the deft reading make for a solid listening experience. Simultaneous release with the FSG hardcover (Reviews, Feb. 18).

Barely escaping a murderous attack, Jin Li goes into hiding to avoid the perpetrators, as well as her brother, Chen, who is also a threat to her safety. But Chen bullies and blackmails her ex-boyfriend, Ray Grant, to find her. As Grant delves into the case, he experiences even more heat from other interested parties as he discovers how deeply Jin Li is involved in an international conspiracy. Jason Culp gives an appropriate voice to the tough Grant. While his accents border on caricature, they never quite become over-the-top. Culp is at his best with the narrative, which he delivers in a gentle, firm voice that navigates sentence and grammatical nuance with well-timed emphasis and moderate intensity. L.E. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine