IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT Virgil Tibbs, Book 1

Narrator Dion Graham makes listeners feel the ambiance of this book's title as Ball establishes its setting--the Deep South in the 1960s. The rhythm of Graham's voice quickens as a local cop on his late-night beat goes from drinking an ice-cold Coke in the diner to dealing with a dead body. Listeners may know that the first suspect turns out to be black Pasadena homicide investigator Virgil Tibbs, who is passing through town. Surprisingly, Tibbs is asked to join the investigation, at one point eliminating a suspect through a man's shave, shoes, and left-handedness. The gentle voice that Graham gives Tibbs is juxtaposed with the redneck tones of some of the locals, a contrast that maintains the undercurrent of racial tension that Ball blends with the mystery, the first in the Tibbs series. Deftly balancing the story's elements, Graham provides a strong introduction to a classic series of procedurals. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2015]