A KING'S RANSOM

George Guidall is masterful in this compelling tale of high-stakes kidnapping and ransom, Latin-American style. When Guidall reads, the listener relaxes, knowing that the performance will be flawless. In RANSOM, the pacing is unhurried, but the action scenes vibrate with intensity. Nick Rey's naïveté is convincing, his ruminations thoughtful and considered. The tension between the two women helping Nick--Alex, a former member of a Colombian kidnapping organization, and Jenna, Nick's ex-fiancée--is maintained consistently throughout the novel. Protagonists and antagonists are developed with care and attention to inflection and personality so that no stereotyping occurs. Guidall speaks Spanish and English with equal grace, and transitions between speakers are smooth and clearly defined. He has infinite patience with every nuance of a writer's work, and this characteristic is the centerpiece of his skill and talent. M.D.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]