The Seventh

February 27, 2012
Originally published in 1966, Stark's novel is a classic noir crime thriller (replete with complex double-crosses within double-crosses) in which antihero Parker is looking to reclaim his share of the cash from a recent stadium robbery and find the man who murdered his woman. In this audio edition, narrator Stephen R. Thorne does an effective job rendering the thrilling game of cat and mouse, particularly Parker's cool handling of the cops working both the murder case and the stadium robbery. Yet contemporary audiences new to the noir genre may find it challenging to stay on top of the plot points, as the action and dialogue often move too quickly for casual listeners to digest. A University of Chicago paperback.

The only way the listener can tell this book was written decades ago is the solitary reference to a Studebaker and an Edsel. Otherwise, this intriguing story featuring Parker, a professional robber, stands the test of time. After Parker and six other crooks successfully heist a stadium box office, they, in turn, are robbed of the proceeds. When Parker sets out to recover his winnings, all hell breaks loose. Michael Kramer's performance is crisp and credible, although his apologetic tone wears on the listener after awhile; however, his delivery is paced faster than usual, making this distraction relatively mild. His accents and characterizations have improved, as well. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine