This Body of Death

June 28, 2010
British stage actor John Lee proves an excellent match for George's long and very convoluted new crime novel. A richly detailed murder mystery with more subplots than a soap opera, the story follows a trio of New Scotland Yarders—series favorites Det. Insp. Thomas Lynley, Sgt. Barbara Havers, and a newcomer, their boss, temporary department chief Isabelle Ardery—as they investigate the slaying of a young woman in a London cemetery. Plus, George adds chapters referring to the actual 1993 torture and murder of toddler James Bulger to the mix. Lee possesses the concentration necessary to keep everything straight and maintain at least a fair amount of tension for 26 hours; his is less a narration than a bravura vocal performance. Using dead-on accents, he becomes each of the characters, be they British swells like Lynley and his friends, working-class like Havers, East Indian, Irish, African, young, old, male, female, straight, gay, and everything in between. He even manages to make the token American sound authentic. A Harper hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 1).

As the complexity of this mystery unfolds, the subtle and nuanced quality of John Lee's narration becomes more and more apparent. The body of a young woman is found stabbed and abandoned in an isolated London cemetery, but her roots lead to a unique nature and pony preserve in New Forest. While Lynley and the investigating team grapple with Acting Superintendent Ardrey, plot details with far-reaching consequences are revealed. Just when one thinks the elusive solution is within sight, more dark secrets and surprises cloud the knotty clues--but not Lee's admirable pacing, sustained through the lengthy work. He performs the women's voices particularly well and captivates with subtle foreign accents. His talent ranges throughout the diverse British, and even London, regional accents. A.W. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine