The Black Mountain

Nero Wolfe fans may be surprised when the detective who never leaves home embarks on an international adventure. He sneaks into Yugoslavia, manipulates communist officials and anti-communist guerillas, climbs craggy hills, and hunts down his adopted daughter's killer. His sidekick, Archie Goodwin, is right beside him, pulling knives and guns on cue and narrating the adventure with his trademark dry wit. Michael Prichard's narration is strong and fluid, his voice resonant. His pacing is as perfect as his portrayal of Wolfe. Readers accustomed to Timothy Hutton's Archie Goodwin on A&E might be jarred initially but are likely to be drawn in by Pritchard's powerful performance. The peek inside Tito's Yugoslavia in the mid-twentieth century is a fascinating plus. E.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine