HARD GOING

Narrator Terry Wale deftly conveys the sad murder of Lionel Bygod, a kindly, old-fashioned solicitor. Who would murder a gentleman who offended no one and helped many of society's outcasts? Wale's most memorable creation is Mrs. Kurl, Bygod's unpleasant housekeeper, who is cunningly nasty and often rattles even Detective Inspector Slider. Listeners will experience firsthand the tedious police work involved when there are few suspects and seemingly no motive. Yet subtly funny asides infuse this compelling mystery. The well-rendered backstories of Slider's family and the rocky road of Assistant Jim Atherton's love life also add interest until the surprising perpetrator is revealed. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2015]