In the Midst of Death

[Editor's note: The following is a combined review with THE BURGLAR WHO TRADED TED WILLIAMS.]--Two Lawrence Block mysteries have nearly identical strengths and weaknesses. MIDST calls upon alcoholic ex-cop Matthew Scudder to prove a dirty cop innocent of murder. In BURGLAR, former second-story-man Bernie Rhodenbarr tracks down another killer, this one tied up with stolen baseball cards. Narrators Sklar and Ferrone both adopt an appropriately gritty, streetwise tone and adhere to an even rhythm throughout the short volumes. Sklar exhibits a bit more versatility with characterizations. But both sometimes miss the purport of a line, invariably when some ironic double entendre is called for. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine