DEPRAVED HEART Kay Scarpetta, Book 23

Susan Ericksen is an accomplished narrator, but her performance of this latest Kay Scarpetta mystery is surprisingly flat. A plodding story, dominated by large sections devoted to background information or to Dr. Kay's inner musings, offers little action or intensity for Ericksen to work with. Even when the drama eventually escalates, Ericksen's delivery seems stuck at low speed. A lack of variation frequently makes it difficult for the listener to identify the different characters or to differentiate between Scarpetta's thoughts and actual conversations. What dialogue does occur is delivered mostly at a shout, with exchanges between Scarpetta and investigator Marino being particularly grating. Eriksen's and Cornwell's proven talents make this lackluster production all the more disappointing. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2016]