NO SAFE PLACE

It would have been difficult for any reader to rescue this painfully long and not very suspenseful political thriller. As it is, Alexander Adams does a credible job of leading the listener through the chaotic life of an Irish-Catholic presidential aspirant who happens to be following on the heels of his beloved brother, gunned down before the California Primary 12 years earlier. Adams's narrative tone is strong and clear but lacks warmth. Mercifully, he avoids the temptation to portray the characters through the collection of accents, Irish, Italian and African-American among them, that span the book's hopelessly contrived dialogue. J.B.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]